Melkior Pantur: RADI.

Writen by: Melky Pantur***, On September, 8 th 2017.

[Watu Radi]

First, terminology.

Watu Radi is a thing, material. Watu, in English is a stone and radi is a sacrafice altar like a compang. Radi is an other name of compang. So, Watu Radi is same with Watu Compang. There is an expression in Manggarai language: Compang bate dari - Altar as a place to expose their bodies to the sun! Compang bate dari expression is a syntact which has a similarity understanding with this sentence: Radi bate dari. But, they had used the expression compang bate dari for based on the sound language style.

As a sacrifice and holy place, where on that place, God shall come to man. There, He shall receive all the man dedication and praying. Radi is as a climax place of ritual and an encounter communication place between man and God. There, He shows His triumphal and omnipotence to all His creations. Besides radi, they have other sacrafice place name is langkar. Langkar is used as a place to set some of ritual offerings in theirs houses.

[Langkar]

Second, location.

As a place, Watu Radi is located in Register of Forestry 111 Meler - Kuwus based on the Ministry of Forestry of the Republic of Indonesia datas'. And, acccording to the regional government administration data, Watu Radi is located in Pong Lale Rural, Ruténg Subdistrict, Manggarai Regency, Flores Island, East Nusa Tenggara Province, Indonesia Country, Asia Continental.

Third, surroundings.

a. Hills.

Many of interestings hills around the Watu Radi. They stand beautifully near that place, are: Poco Rak, Golo Timur, Golo Worok and a hill upon the Rentung.

b. Rivers.

And, there are many springs, wells, small rivers which flow from the Watu Radi and Poco Rak. All those springs/wells and small rivers had formed a big river name is Wae Kunce. Wae Kunce dam had built to irrigate rice cultivation around Pong Lale.

c. Tiny Villages.

Some of tiny villages around there, are: Pong Lale, Mbelaing, Nggawang, Mélér, Rentung and Goloworok. Watu Radi is part of the Géndang Sampar based on the traditional law.

Fourth, means of livelihood.

a. Activities.

The daily activity of them is farm with plant a rice out of side activity, such as: Odd jobs, slice a palms, plait a mat, manual labour, driver, and laborer. They rarely to plant some of horticulture plants and also cassavas, cucumbers, pineapples, coffees, cacaos, nut trees, and claves.

[These are Sampar villiger]

[They were doing takung wae cémok theirs ancestor, his name Empo Rua]

b. Sources of Income.

Theirs sources of income others are bamboes, palm, clave, animal husbandry neither fish nor dog, hen/cock and pig/boar. Not many of them who breed the cow, buffalo, and horse. Theirs main sources of income are paddy rice and pig. Pig and cow are very rarely too.

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Relation Between Watu Radi and Compang Sampar.

a. Condition.

1. Form and Measure.

If we notice the both of type the Watu Radi and Compang Sampar are similar. They are the same of the natural stone but just different size. Watu Radi is greater than compang in Sampar.

2. Position.

Compang Sampar precisely was stood naturally in the middle of town square in front the Gendang Sampar. That traditional altar is very extraordinary because was planted in the middle of the tiny village and in the middle of the town square also.

Why extraordinary? Upon of the tiny village, there is spring as a wae barong. Notice the position between the Watu Radi and Compang Sampar are uniquely, like this: Watu Radi, forest near Golo Warat, wae barong spring, compang - wae barong is holy spring of Géndang.

3. Possibility.

Generally, compang is made by man based on the instruction and guidance from wura agu cǝki - ancestors and God. That process is through the dream of ata wae nggereng - paranormal or he who has special relation with Spirit.

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The Founding Process of Compang.

There are three founding process of compang, among other things:

a. Natural Events.

Inlogic, Géndang Sampar has an altar which is planted naturally. And, that is claimed as a natural events. There are two possibilities there: First, was planted because of the relation between Watu Radi and Compang Sampar itself - as we know, Géndang Sampar, which is being lived by those peoples now is name land of Pong Lale, not Sampar. Sampar is a old tiny village that become a rice cultivation area not until one kilometer from Pong Lale.

Traditional house of Sampar village.

Priest, RD. Dr. Ino Sutam, together Mr. Victor Madur as a Vice Regent of Manggarai Regency.

Perhaps, Compang Sampar is part of the stone of Watu Radi. Or maybe is a younger brother from Watu Radi itself - yeah, we are reading the mythology of Poco Kuwus and Watu Ompu. Of course, that is a God Power.

Through the guidance of God, ancestors of Sampar along times ago had built the traditional house precisely in front of the stone - a younger brother of Watu Radi.

b. Power of the Nature Spirit.

We have heard many of stories from our old generations. In many places, especially story about the compang from one of traditional house. We feel shocked to ears those stories because told about the nature spirits, in local name is darat.

Writer had ever heard the story of the elder of Géndang Kaca at Kaca some years ago. According to them, compang of Kaca had made by darat. This story above, there are also many of compangs which had made by the nature spirit.

c. Human Being/Hands of Man.

Perhaps, did you have heard about the cahir Géndang? Cahir Géndang is many versions. Cahir was being done based on the certain considerations. They can divide a Géndang to theirs sister, that is named as anak wina. Many of the cahir Géndang process then create a duel and civil war.

[A sample of compang that was being made by hands of man in Rangges tiny village]

After the cahir Géndang is being done, then they will make a new principle that don't be charged by others. They have imperative categories authority though under the same culture.

It is different with Géndang Kajong and Loce. They didn't apply the cahir Géndang at that time. They had only divided the Gèndang in Lumpung form. Those elders didn't like to made a new case. They had made a shine solution to go out from some cases for their generations for future. Lumpung have to responsible to the main Géndang. All those problems will be solved in main Géndang, not in Lumpung.

Okay here! When they want to make a cahir Géndang, they will build a new compang again. Or, if they a comer, according to the will of Spirit, they will build a new compang.

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Conclusion:

Compang is guide of God itself.

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ABOUT WRITER

I am Melky Pantur, was born in Sampar, on Dec, 3 th 1981. Mother Veronika Danut and Father Theodorus Tamat. My Grandfather, Gaspar Garung and Grandmother, Sobina Sidung.

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MY GOD