LOCAL wisdom in facing earthquakes is not to be found only on Simeuleu Island in Aceh. While in Aceh, there is the cry “Smong,” at Maumere, Sikka, East Nusa Tenggara, there is “Aminorang.”

Both are not exactly the same in meaning. While Smong means an instruction for the people to flee to the mountain to avoid the seawater, Aminorang is some sort of an exhortation appealing to the Owner of the Earth to stop the disaster.

Aminorang in th