Protectors of Ancestral Land

Robert Eli Sipayo showed Tempo a timeworn paper which he had written some time before. The customary figure from Kalumpang-a customary region of Mamuju regency, West Sulawesi-opened the stash of folded sheets. On the unlined paper were a flurry of handwritten notes and sketches. There was a drawing of the construction of a customary house jumbled up with doodles on looms and techniques for traditional healing. "This work is still incomplete. I want to add some more material to it," said the 73-year-old in his conversation with Tempo last month.

The paper of 40 pages was entitled Tracing back the Kalumpang Culture from the Neolithic Era. An Experiment. This is the only document for the present time in Indonesia-even in the world-that records the customs of Kalumpang in a holistic manner. The writer-known by his nickname Eli-plans to publish it soon.

July 1, 2014