Description: Before people of central, eastern and southeastern Sulawesi knew a money economy, they used particular cloths as a means of payment. Owing to their diminished use and scarcity, however, these cloths become viewed as magic-working objects or as relics associated with the ancestors.
Year Published: 2010
Subject Language: Balantak, Bugis (Luwu), Mori Bawah, Pamona, Saluan, Wolio
Publication Language: English
Contributors: by Albertus C. Kruyt, translated by David Mead
Description: This paper presents a short, 28-sentence Saluan folktale, ‘The Story of Tarsier and Monkey,’ with free translation and grammar notes.
Year Published: 2010
Subject Language: Saluan
Publication Language: English, Saluan
Contributors: by Emile Gobée, translated by David Mead
Description: Among the West Toraja of Central Celebes, posing riddles is associated not with the agricultural cycle (as among the East Toraja) but rather with wakes, the vigil held over a corpse before burial. The author relates the telling of riddles to other practices which are designed to keep the dead at a respectful distance away from the living and to help insure the success of crops.
Year Published: 2010
Subject Language: Bada, Kaili Da’a, Kaili Ledo, Moma, Pamona, Rampi, Uma
Publication Language: English
Contributors: by Albertus C. Kruyt, translated by Gregory L. Acciaioli
Description: The element nu—sometimes reduced to a nasal m, n, ng, etc.—is often inserted between the two elements of a compound in Pamona (Bare’e). Adriani relates this nu to anu ‘thing,’ a form which in various languages also serves as a formative in independent possessive pronouns (‘mine,’ ‘yours,’ etc.), as an indefinite pronoun, as a relative pronoun, and as an interrogative pronoun. According to the author, nu also bears relationships to the so-called ligazones of Philippine languages, and even to the nasal coda of the Malayo-Polynesian transitive verb prefix. The element nu (or one of the nasal allomorphs) is usual in most Bare’e compounds; compounds without nu reflect an older stage of the language.
Year Published: 2010
Subject Language: Pamona, Tagalog, Visayan, Ibanag, Sangir
Publication Language: English
Contributors: by Nicolaus Adriani, translated by David Mead
Description: This paper presents a short (15-sentence) folktale in the Suwawa language of northern Sulawesi, Indonesia, with free translation and notes. Preceding the text, a brief paragraph introduces the Suwawa people.
Year Published: 2010
Subject Language: Suwawa
Publication Language: English, Suwawa
Contributors: by J. G. F. Riedel, translated by David Mead
Description: The Genesis story of creation, recounted in the Mekongga dialect of Tolaki, isfollowed by an English translation and lexical and grammatical notes.
Year Published: 2015
Subject Language: Tolaki (Mekongga dialect)
Publication Language: English
Contributors: by Hendrik van der Klift, edited by Nicolaus Adriani, translated by David Mead
Description: Three folktales from the Tolaki area of southeastern Sulawesi, Indonesia, are retold in English.
Year Published: 2013
Subject Language: Tolaki
Publication Language: English
Contributors: by F. Treffers, translated by David Mead
Description: In this paper Adriani clarifies the language situation of the Togian Islands in the Gulf of Tomini, Celebes (Sulawesi), and presents sketches of three languages found there: Bobongko, Bajo (Bajau), and the Togian subdialect of the Ampana dialect of Bare’e (Pamona). Topics include phonology (the sound system and phenomena such as stress, contraction, nasalization and paragogic vowels), morphology (affixes), certain word classes with closed membership (pronouns, deictics, numerals), and finally his thoughts concerning the etymologies of selected words. For Ampana Adriani discusses the practice of taboo word replacement and presents two folktales and four riddles representing the Togian subdialect.
Year Published: 2014
Subject Language: Bobongko, Indonesian Bajau, Pamona (Ampana dialect)
Publication Language: English
Contributors: by Nicolaus Adriani, translated by David Mead
Description: In 1934 the linguist Samuel J. Esser published a guide to learning Ledo Kaili, at that time one of the principal linga francas of Central Celebes (Sulawesi), Indonesia. His guide, Handleiding voor de Beoefening der Ledo-taal, comprised three sections: an introduction (pages 1–25) followed by Ledo texts with translation and grammar notes (pages 26–50), and finally an extensive Dutch-Ledo lexicon arranged alphabetically according to the Dutch (pages 51–90). In this work we present the 25-page introduction in its English translation.
Year Published: 2015
Subject Language: Ledo Kaili
Publication Language: English
Contributors: by Samuel J. Esser, translated by Anneke de Vries with David Mead
Description: In the article the author presents three short folktales in Napu, a Badaic language of Central Sulawesi, Indonesia. Two of the stories concern the death of the mythic figure Buriro, while the third is the tale of a man who accidentally killed his wife. Each story is accompanied by an English translation and notes.
Year Published: 2015
Subject Language: Napu
Publication Language: English
Contributors: by P. ten Kate, edited by Nicolaus Adriani, translated by Anneke de Vries
Description: In this paper the author describes the numerals of Napu, a Badaic language of Central Sulawesi, Indonesia. Beginning with cardinal numbers and their use with classifiers and measure words, he continues with a discussion of the derivation and use of ordinal numerals, iterative numerals, and distributive numerals. He concludes with indefinite numerals. On each topic the author supplies his reader with numerous examples.
Year Published: 2015
Subject Language: Napu
Publication Language: English
Contributors: by J. W. Wesseldijk, edited by Nicolaus Adriani, translated by Anneke de Vries and David Mead
Description: In the second decade of the twentieth century, the inhabitants of the upper Rongkong valley (in present-day South Sulawesi Province) had not yet converted to Islam. In this paper the author and anthropologist, Albertus Kruyt, reports information that he gleaned during a brief stay among them. His findings touch on various topics including geography, past migrations, village social structure, house construction, agricultural ceremonies, headhunting, taboos, crime and punishment, marriage, childbirth, sickness, and death and burial.
Year Published: 2017
Subject Language: Tae' (Luwu'-Rongkong)
Publication Language: English
Contributors: by Albertus C. Kruyt, translated by Leonardus Geerlings
Description: After becoming intrigued with the Bajo (Bajau) during an expedition to North Borneo in 1879, the author describes what he learned about these people during his travels through the Indonesian Archipelago over the subsequent two years. His paper is also partly review of the meager literature that existed on the Bajo up to that time.
Year Published: 2017
Subject Language: Indonesian Bajau
Publication Language: English
Contributors: by F. H. van Verschuer, translated by David Wilkinson
Description: In this brief article the author describes the respective duties of the topakada and the tomakaka, two traditional functionaries in the Bambam area of western Sulawesi, Indonesia. The author also gives an historical account of the people who filled these positions, both prior to and following the establishment of Dutch colonial administration over Bambam in the early twentieth century.
Year Published: 2017
Subject Language: Bambam, Aralle-Tabulahan
Publication Language: English
Contributors: Pieter Cornelis Smit, translated by René van den Berg
Description: This article is a wide-ranging ethnographic treatise concerning the Balantak people of the eastern peninsula of Sulawesi, Indonesia. The first part of the article covers various topics including origin story and flood story; native governance and tribute paid to Banggai; settlement patterns and traditional house construction; crime and punishment, including trial by ordeal; dreams, divination, and auguring; bark cloth manufacture; iron working; and hunting. The second part concentrates on the spirit world of the Balantak, the types of spirits, and offerings made to the spirits.
Year Published: 2018
Subject Language: Balantak
Publication Language: English
Contributors: by Albertus Christiaan Kruyt, translated by Ewald den Blaauwen, edited by David Mead
Description: This article describes black magic in the Banggai and Balantak regions of eastern Sulawesi, Indonesia, as practiced in the early twentieth century. In particular it describes the use of doti (poison magically and invisibly delivered that causes sickness and death), how people ascertained its presence, and the means they employed to counteract it. It was usual for corpses to be questioned about the cause of death. Suspected sorcerers were fined and sometimes murdered.
Year Published: 2018
Subject Language: Balantak, Banggai
Publication Language: English
Contributors: by Albertus Christiaan Kruyt, translated by Ewald de Blaauwen, edited by David Mead
Description: In this article, originally published in 1933, the author describes customs and practices formerly surrounding marriage, pregnancy, birth, and death among the Balantak people of eastern Sulawesi, Indonesia, prior to the introduction of Islam and Christianity. A separate section describes musical instruments and dances.
Year Published: 2018
Subject Language: Balantak
Publication Language: English
Contributors: by Albertus Christiaan Kruyt, translated by Ewald den Blaauwen, edited by David Mead
Description: From laying out a field to harvest festival, this article describes the customs, practices, and animistic beliefs that formerly surrounded the planting and harvesting of rice in the Balantak area of Central Sulawesi, Indonesia.
Year Published: 2018
Subject Language: Balantak
Publication Language: English
Contributors: by Albertus Christiaan Kruyt, translated by Ewald den Blaauwen, edited by David Mead
Description: This selection is a travelogue describing the author’s trek in September 1911 from Tokolimbu on the shores of Lake Towuti to the village of Wiwirano and return, including a visit to the Routa mortuary caves.
Year Published: 2020
Subject Language: Bungku, Tolaki
Publication Language: English
Contributors: Albert Grubauer, translated by Ursula Keierleber
Description: Based on years of living in the Poso region of Central Celebes, the author Alb. C. Kruyt describes the significance that crocodiles played in Poso (Pamona) culture, including beliefs that crocodiles and people can be related (e.g. so-called crocodile twins); crocodiles as avengers sent by the gods; occasions when crocodiles could rightfully be killed; crocodiles as the epitome of bravery; and possession by crocodile spirits. Along the way the author relates four Pamona folktales about crocodiles, and two historical incidents involving crocodiles that he used to explain aspects of the Christian message.
Year Published: 2020
Subject Language: Pamona
Publication Language: English
Contributors: Albertus Christiaan Kruyt, translated by David Mead
Description: In this paper the author describes an animistic ritual formerly performed annually by inhabitants of southeastern Sulawesi in which they called upon the ancestors (sangia) for blessings on the new year.
Year Published: 2020
Subject Language: Tolaki
Publication Language: English
Contributors: Hendrik van der Klift, translated by Michael Goodchild
Description: This article documents the traditional funerary practices of the To Wiau, a small people group of interior southeastern Sulawesi, Indonesia, from when a person died until the final internment of their remains in the Alo-alo mortuary cave. The trip to the cave and the elaborate festivities that preceded it took place only once every few years and were a major celebration in the collective life of the To Wiau.
Year Published: 2020
Subject Language: Tolaki
Publication Language: English
Contributors: Michiel Johannes Gouweloos, translated by Nico Hoek and Margaret Osinga, edited by David Mead
Description: In February and March 1903 the Swiss explorers Paul Sarasin and and his cousin Fritz Sarasin traveled across Sulawesi’s southeastern peninsula. This was followed two years later by their report about the journey, published as chapter 6 in volume 1 of Reisen in Celebes. Later, and after the establishment of colonial authority over the peninsula, the civil administrator in Kendari, Frits Treffers, offered some six pages of corrections and other comments concerning the Sarasins’ account, which are here translated into English.
Year Published: 2020
Subject Language: Tolaki
Publication Language: English
Contributors: Frits Treffers
Description: The author begins this paper with an enumeration of the ten languages spoken within the geographical boundaries of the Minahasan Residency located at the northern tip of Celebes (Sulawesi). Thereafter he concentrates on the five Minahasan languages proper, discussing the basis first for their inclusion in a Philippine language group, and second for their internal division into two groups, one comprising Tombulu’, Tonsea’ and Tondano, the other Tontemboan and Tonsawang. This is followed by a lengthy review of Tontemboan literature, including synopses of a number of folktales. The author considered all five Minahasan languages to be threatened, and closes with an appeal for similar work to be carried out in the other languages. A bibliography comprehensively lists previously published works concerning the Minahasan languages.
Year Published: 2020
Subject Language: Tombulu, Tondano, Tonsea, Tonsawang, Tontemboan
Publication Language: English
Contributors: Nicolaus Adriani, translated by David Mead
Description: The missionary Dirk Kok and his wife arrived in Southeast Celebes in early 1920 and initially stayed with the Hendrik van der Klift family in Mowewe. In this letter he describes some of the resistance he encountered attempting to transition his family to the village of Sanggona on the upper course of the Konawe River.
Year Published: 2020
Subject Language: Tolaki
Publication Language: English
Contributors: Dirk Kok, translated by David Mead
Description: The missionary Dirk Kok and his wife arrived in Southeast Celebes in early 1920. This letter, written more than a year and a half later, describes their transition to a new post in Sanggona village on the upper Konawe River and some of the difficulties and encouragements they encountered along the way.
Year Published: 2020
Subject Language: Tolaki
Publication Language: English
Contributors: Dirk Kok, translated by David Mead
Description: In this article the author summarizes the time he and his family spent as missionaries in Southeast Celebes (Sulawesi) from February 1920 to March 1922, including interesting events and pictures of daily life. Particular attention is given to the difficulties they faced in getting established at Sanggona, and their successes afterward.
Year Published: 2021
Subject Language: Tolaki
Publication Language: English
Contributors: Dirk Kok, translated by David Mead
Description: Using evidence from vocabulary, sound systems, and morphology, Brandstetter argues that eight languages of northern Celebes (Sulawesi) are more closely related to languages of the Philippines than they are to languages of the rest of the island.
Year Published: 2020
Subject Language: Mongondow, Ponosakan, Ratahan, Tombulu, Tondano, Tonsawang, Tonsea, Tontemboan
Publication Language: English
Contributors: Renward Brandstetter, translated by David Mead and Erik Zobel
Description: R. A. Kern’s book concerning manuscript copies of the Bugis I La Galigo narrative was published in 1939. Later that year, after receiving a copy, the linguist Samuel J. Esser wrote a response. Esser’s letter, published posthumously in 1964 in Bijdragen tot de Taal-, Land- en Volkenkunde and here translated into English, touches on a number of subjects related to Wotu and surrounding languages, and indicates areas where Esser’s research might have taken him had his life and work not been cut short during World War II.
Year Published: 2021
Subject Language: Wotu, Tae’ (Luwu’-Rongkong), Wolio, Ledo Kaili, Bugis, Mori Atas
Publication Language: English
Contributors: Samuel J. Esser, translated by David Mead
