Watu Rere (a folklore from Soa-Ngada)

VOXRATEWATI.Com. By Wara Cypriano

WATU RERE

Long time ago in Nua Seso,it was a small village in Soa District of Ngada Regency, there lived a girl named Watu Rere. She was a beautiful and kind woman. One day, (Bue ghale one nua papa utu) or the girls in the village gathered to go to a group work (Ngo umu or loa bapo). In a group worked, they agreed “If the group members go to work in a garden or rice field, the group member must brought lunch box such as rice, vegetables similar, and also if the worked shift with good friends”. When they would work for wages the group worked member must brought rice, vegetables mixed coconut milk. In this agreed, all members did it, but Watu Rere was just brought rice (kana nika) and the sour vegetables without coconut oil (uta kana). When Watu Rere asked to her father and mother or brothers and sisters, they did not say anything and just looked her calmly. When harvest time, all the result of her worked always brought them to her house as the earning for her family.

One day, Watu Rere went to do work with the group worked member in a garden. As her lunch box, she just brought the rice (nika kana) and also the sour vegetables (uta kana). Watu Reres’ friends showed their solidarity to their friend Watu Rere. Her friends loved her so much. They said to Watu Rere that it was not ashamed if you brought your rice and vegetables only as your lunchbox. It was okay, did not worry about that. When her friends brought delicious lunchbox, it made her sad and she just cried and said” Watu Rere, Watu Rere asked to father, asked to mother, asked to brothers and sisters but they did not say a word, oh, what a pity you are Watu Rere, Watu Rere” she said. She sang an oat while sat on a rock or stone called Loka Kedhu, Suddenly appeared a strange man.  “Oh friend, did not cry, why you looked so sad?,” said the strange man. I just cried because my family refused me. How did not I sad, I asked rice and vegetables they did not give me, replied Watu Rere. The man said, alright. After that the man disappeared. Watu Rere spoke to herself. The handsome boy I called Rere Wula or Hoga Lizu.it means the man came from the heaven. Watu Rere kept calm but the stone on her sat suddenly has been raised to the top. Her friends talked “no Watu Rere, go back, but she would not”.

        The stone up a high in the sky and the door was opened to her. All her father – in-law, mother – in – law said welcome to Watu Rere. They said “oh, good morning, our sister in – law” all of them pleasant at all. Rere Wula was already there with her charming boyfriend that she called Hoga Lizu or Watu Rere.

        It was already a week, people from her drove prepared for her wedding which was already to the wedding ceremony. The Belis or Mahar (as the wedding wages on a custom) attributes were prepared such as buffalo, goats and sheep, dog, chicken and horses, the chains goal called Loda ( like a gold necklace) . After that Watu Rere and Rere Wula downed to the earth and brought the materials as Belis. The rock door opened and the collected materials for Belis or Mahar began dropping to her father - mother and also brothers – sisters on earth. After her father – mother and brother sister gave a Mea (a symbol of thanks). Rere Wula parent realized of the behavior to their beloved daughter and said “ your life will be blessed and pray to for your brothers and sisters he”. They started for the eating and drinking, getting the meat as the consumable used the animals were killed earlier, and then Watu Rere and her husband Rere Wula wearing the ethnic fabrics. The next day, they went back through Watu ( a stone) back to their village in sky and they lived as the family happily ever after. 

(Adapted from: Punu Nange Cerita dari Soa Flores Editor Andriaan Momensterg SVD et al