that the size of the ball was sometimes as big as a hill! The "hill of sea worms" moves on the water's surface before breaking, "exploding" and spreading to the shore.But why those wriggling creature come, to that particular shore, on that particular time? There is scientific, biorythmical explanation but that is not completely statysfying for traditional people of Lombok.
The scientific source say that Nyale (Eunice viridis) is found on several coral island around Lombok, Sumba and Sumbawa island, the Molucca island, and other place around the eastern Indonesia. Yes, the same species of sea worm is also found in the south pacific, Samoa, and Fiji island. Once a year, during their breeding seasons, the sea-worms come ashore to meet, and to begin their important cycle of reproduction. the worms produce segments, which are bloated with sperm or eggs, at the terminal parts of their bodyes. These segmentsbreak off at the sunrise, and float over the surface of the water, releasi
ng sperm and eggs.
But why do they land on this beach? Is that a way of the nature to provide a good source of protein for the poor? There is mythological source of explanation.
A traditional legend says that the sea-worms annual visit to Lombok is related to the story of a princess. Her name is Mandalika, the daughter of the king Eberu. According to Sasak lore, she was confonted with difficult problem of choosing one prince from among her many suitors. However, if she dare to choose one, the other prince would not accept her choise, and they would declare war against each other. Faced with such a perfect dilemma, she understood that her people would suffer if such a stupid situation accurred.
The story says that the princess eventually jumped down from the cliff, into the fierce waves of the ocean, before eyes of her parents, the princes and her people. The sea wave stole her body away. Princess Mandalika, the story says, then multiplied into thousands of sea worms, squirming among the turbulent waves. She becomes immortal. At exactly the place where she had jumped, a stone emerged in the form of women's vagina. Referring to the stone, another version of the story states that the Nyale originated from her pubic hair.
In the Pujut sub district of Central Lombok, in normal years, the Bau Nyale festival takes place at the beginning of rice cultivation. It is the particular time when the seeds have all been sown, germinated and replanted. Farmers don't need to work all day long in the rice field, they have free time enough to attend any party.
As the festival gets more famous, the Bau Nyale has becomes a major tourist atrraction. For the local people, the Nyale and the opportunity to meet friends and relatives are the main attraction. Nowadays, if you go to Lombok for the Bau Nyale festival you will find avery diverse gathering of people.
Text By Seruling Bambu
The scientific source say that Nyale (Eunice viridis) is found on several coral island around Lombok, Sumba and Sumbawa island, the Molucca island, and other place around the eastern Indonesia. Yes, the same species of sea worm is also found in the south pacific, Samoa, and Fiji island. Once a year, during their breeding seasons, the sea-worms come ashore to meet, and to begin their important cycle of reproduction. the worms produce segments, which are bloated with sperm or eggs, at the terminal parts of their bodyes. These segmentsbreak off at the sunrise, and float over the surface of the water, releasi
ng sperm and eggs.But why do they land on this beach? Is that a way of the nature to provide a good source of protein for the poor? There is mythological source of explanation.
A traditional legend says that the sea-worms annual visit to Lombok is related to the story of a princess. Her name is Mandalika, the daughter of the king Eberu. According to Sasak lore, she was confonted with difficult problem of choosing one prince from among her many suitors. However, if she dare to choose one, the other prince would not accept her choise, and they would declare war against each other. Faced with such a perfect dilemma, she understood that her people would suffer if such a stupid situation accurred.
The story says that the princess eventually jumped down from the cliff, into the fierce waves of the ocean, before eyes of her parents, the princes and her people. The sea wave stole her body away. Princess Mandalika, the story says, then multiplied into thousands of sea worms, squirming among the turbulent waves. She becomes immortal. At exactly the place where she had jumped, a stone emerged in the form of women's vagina. Referring to the stone, another version of the story states that the Nyale originated from her pubic hair.
In the Pujut sub district of Central Lombok, in normal years, the Bau Nyale festival takes place at the beginning of rice cultivation. It is the particular time when the seeds have all been sown, germinated and replanted. Farmers don't need to work all day long in the rice field, they have free time enough to attend any party.
As the festival gets more famous, the Bau Nyale has becomes a major tourist atrraction. For the local people, the Nyale and the opportunity to meet friends and relatives are the main attraction. Nowadays, if you go to Lombok for the Bau Nyale festival you will find avery diverse gathering of people.
Text By Seruling Bambu
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