Chris Hegman Jim Woods Cultural Anthropology 29 April 2010

The Ibontao People For centuries explores have traveled the world in search of new people and places. This search has continued and has been aided by the introduction of new technologies that allow us to travel to new heights, going places that were once unreachable. Because of this tireless effort, new societies have been discovered and their secrets exposed. Once again our journey has come to a point of harvesting, when our efforts reward us with our intent. Off the coast of New Guinea in its north western ocean, a new culture has been discovered. This group of people collectively called the Ibontao have been isolated from the rest of their neighboring islands due to the large coral reef formations that surround them. Due to the Ibontao peoples isolation their culture has retained a uniqueness that is spread throughout each facet of its being. In the next few paragraphs this uniqueness will be explored as we discuss the cultures family systems, subsistence system, economics, political system, and religion. The Ibontao people consist of medium size extended families of about fifty to sixty people per group. These extended families are formed in an uncommon manner that attributes to one of the societys most interesting features. The process of marriage within the society begins when a child is able to begin learning a specific trade. Each child and their family belongs to one the islands eighteen main grouping areas. These areas contain several extended families and all have an identity that correlates with a specific month in their calendar. When a child is born his

occupation for the remainder of his life is determined. Each of the eighteen villages contains a group of master craftsmen that are successful in one of the islands many trades and depending upon the year that a young male is born, he will travel to one of these villages in order to learn a trade and secure a bride. When a young male is able to make his way across the island he will prepare himself for Lahatng. Lahatng is a day where all the young men who are able to travel begin their journey. This day happens once every three months and is accompanied by Bagonhanda. Bagonhanda is a ritual day when prized females are chosen to represent their families, as they prepare for the traveling men. When a group of young males arrive in one of the eighteen villages they are presented with their supposed brides. The young male carries with him on his journey an ornate necklace that is fashioned with beads and shells. Each necklace contains a number of items that are considered to be both valuable and rare. The more history a specific piece contains and the skill level required to fashion the necklace determine its value. These necklaces will act as a map of the familys history, showing both its wealth and skill. Upon arriving, these necklaces will act as a bargaining item determining the variety of brides each male may consider. The bargaining process will last several days and at its end, each brides family will initiate a bride-service. It is important that a brides family secures an agreement with a male of high status because the society is monogamous, and a high status husband for their daughter rewards their own family with a higher rank. After an agreement is settled a male will return to his family for a period of one month before he returns to work for the brides family. During the period of bride-service, which lasts until a male is fifteen, he will learn the unique skill set from a group of artisans pulled from the surrounding families. During this same period the proposed bride will learn fundamental skills required to raise a family. Sexual activity is discouraged during this period of training in order to sustain the grooms

agreement. After this period of training is complete, the engaged children will become adults, and will be collectively married during a grupong kasal, a group ceremonial service. Upon marriage the husband and wife will return to the husbands village, establishing a patrilocal residence. From this point on the son will rejoin his family using his newly learned talents to bring wealth and prosperity to it. Several of the skill sets taught during the males period of maturation relate to the cultures methods for subsistence. The Ibontaos methods for subsistence are varied ranging from agriculture to fishing. The Ibontao are food-producers, meaning that they both grow plants and raise animals for the purpose of food. The islands environment contains vast expanses of rainforest, with other small parts being composed of swamps and grass lands. The island is covered with large mountains and has many main rivers providing the islanders with an abundant supply of water for growing crops. Both the rainforest and grasslands provide adequate centers for the islands farmers form of horticulture. Plants farmed include many root derived vegetables such as yams and taro, as well as many varieties of green leafy plants and beans. Each of these plants grows rapidly in the islands climate and is harvested with the help of a stone digging tool. The Ibontao people also participate in the domestication of animals and in some portions of the island rely more heavily upon this function rather than agriculture. These groups that seriously rely on animal domestication as their primary source of food are classified as pastoralists. The Ibontao raise sheep both for food and for clothing. The highlands provide a good area for raising sheep, therefore many families residing around this space. In order to direct the sheep, the Ibontao shepherds use a small wooden stick with notches along the side. The stick is attached to a wooden sliver that passes over the notches when it is spun in the air. This action makes a lower pitch buzzing noise that helps to effectively keep the

sheep organized. Finally, the Ibontao people often times are found fishing near the reefs that surround the island. These reefs provide a breeding ground for many species of fish and offer an abundant supply of food. For the purpose of fishing the Ibontao use large pointed spears with several fretted spikes at the end, acting to secure the fish on its tip. The spear is quite a useful invention and functions as a barb, as the flexible spikes expand upon their entering of the body. These different methods of subsistence play a large role within the Ibontaos society, acting as the backbone for their economy. The economy established by the Ibontao is based upon the exchange of obsidian, which is rare to the island. The system is also set up to accommodate balanced reciprocity, between close relatives. The economic system of the Ibontao is a loose market system where goods are exchange for a specified amount of obsidian. The amount of obsidian to be exchange is broken up into three different categories saltimbang, battimbang, and maltimbang. Each group has a specified amount attached to it, for example saltimbang requires that the consumer pay a weight in obsidian equivalent to a small rock or pebble, while maltimbang, the largest denomination, requires the exchange of a piece of obsidian equivalent in size to the palm of a person. The thickness of the rock must be equivalent to at least one quarter of an inch. Goods open to exchange include food, clothes, woodwork, instruments, jewelry, and pots. Because the island is composed of many groups of extended families, with marriages interconnecting the different villages, wealth is often redistributed when one becomes exceedingly wealthy. Although the system is set up to insure equal service exchange, the skill set of a specific person can allow him to amass a large amount of money. When this occurs generalized reciprocity is demonstrated, as the wealthy individual gives his excess possessions to needy family members, gaining social

status in the process. This method of distribution of wealth is what determines the different classes of the Ibontao people. As a man grows in wealth, he also effectively grows in power. Although in many societies the power is often times misused, power among the Ibontao signifies generosity and the willingness to help others. Because of this practice the Ibontao leaders are often times held in regard as both the greatest craftsman and the most generous people. There are effectively three hierarchal levels among the Ibontao karamayan, punontulong, and punonulo. Karamayan is the lowest ranked level and is awarded to those of a normal skill level. The karamayan are average people who work in order to sustain each of the eighteen villages, and compose most of the population of the Ibontao. The karmayan do not play a large role within the government, but due to their numbers are able to overthrow any official that happens to become corrupt. This is very rare due to the close connection between the people and their leaders and due to the ideology that is embedded within the minds of the people. The second highest level belongs to the punontulong. The punontulong consists of the most skilled craftsman from each village. The Punontulong are responsible for teaching the young male Ibontao their specific trades and also act as the heads of each village. The punontulong are responsible for settling local disputes and aid in organizing local events including the tribal games. The tribal games are performed in order to train young men for warfare, despite the islands isolation and the peoples docile nature. The main game on the island resembles a game of dodge ball were the two teams form a semicircle, facing each other one on one. The two individuals facing each other are each given a ball which is made from a wooden core with woven wool and palm leaf outer skin. If one of the

men were to throw a ball and miss their target, then the teams designated runner must run past a marked line dodging the balls thrown by the opposing teams. The game is played until all of the players from one team are disqualified. This game plays an important role in the island politics because it teaches both strength and agility, skills needed by the islands warriors. The third and highest hierarchical level in the Ibontao society is punonulo. The title of punonulo is reserved for the Ibontaos respective chief. Within the Ibontaos society there are no formal elections rather a chief is picked from among the punontulong, by the people belonging to its rank. The chief has the primary goal of keeping peace between the villages. If a person from one village becomes angry with a person from another due to a bad agreement, the chief will organize a meeting in order to determine who will be responsible for offering a gift of peace. The chief acts as a judge in these cases determining who is guilty, and acts to correct the situation by offering penalties. The chief uses his knowledge of the Ibontaos law to rule these cases. The chief is also responsible for maintaining the cultures history and has the final say in any decision that could result in a change to the culture. In essence the punonulo acts to preserve the Ibontaos culture and stability. Because the Ibontao are a patriarchal society, only males can be elected to the two higher classes. As with every other aspect of the Ibontaos society religion plays a key part in regulating politics. The Ibontao peoples sought after goal of peace and the necessity that they feel to succeed in everything that they do comes from their religious beliefs. The Ibontaos religion is monotheistic in style and they believe that their god Mabuno resides within the earth itself. Unlike many religions, there society does not recognize an anti-god, but rather they believe that it is ones own choices that lead them to commit crimes. Mabuno is believed to be the ruler of the earth, and their religion dictates that the Ibontao people are his children. Because of this

belief, the Ibontao people strive to coexist peacefully with their fellow brethren. The Ibontaos religion sets aside days of thanksgiving around harvest time and the end of monsoon season. These days are referred to by the people as arawpasa, or days of thanks. During these holidays time is taken to relax and several parties are thrown throughout the day. Each party is accompanied with ritual dances and music. The Ibontaos music plays a primary role during these religious holidays because of the Ibontaos belief that while the music is playing they will be able to freely communicate with Mabuno, asking him for blessing. Many of the musical instruments played during these ceremonies are wind instruments carved from the horns of their sheep. The Ibontaos religious beliefs are closely guarded by shamans within each of the eighteen villages. The shamans play a key role in distributing religious knowledge throughout each village and are responsible for training young men and women in religious customs. Because of their disbelief in an anti-god, dark magic is not practiced among the Ibontao. In fact unlike many religions, an Ibontao shaman is not responsible for healing rather another specialist is referred to for any illness. The Ibontaos religion states healing does not come about by magic performed by any man, but rather suggests that Mabuno provided the first Ibontao people with the knowledge of medicine. The islands herbal medicines are handled by designated physician who like the shamans appear in each village. A form of tea made from the root of a Punojin plant appears as one of the islands greatest cures, healing the Ibontao people from a variety of diseases. The Ibontao people provide an interesting look into a culture that bases its every belief upon the ideals of brother hood. They are a hard working people who strive to succeed at everything that they do. This culture might also offer some promising medicinal remedies and should be looked into with a willingness to learn, both from their actions and their tenacity.