Tonaas Walian

The Minahasans, or Minahassa, are an indigenous ethnic group from the North Sulawesi province of Indonesia (formerly known as North Celebes). The Minahasa people sometimes refer to themselves as the Manado people. Although the Minahasan pre-Christian creation myth entails some means of ethnic unification, prior to the nineteenth century the Minahasa region was not unified. Instead, a number of independent groups (walak) existed, often in a permanent state of conflict. Historically, the Minahasa region was located within the sphere of influence of the Ternate Sultanate. The Minahasa people, however, resisted Islamization. In the era of the Dutch East Indies, the Minahasa people identified strongly with the Dutch language, culture and the Protestant faith. According to Minahasa mythology, the Minahasans are all descendants of Toar and Lumimuut. Initially, descendants of Toar-Lumimuut comprised three groups: Makatelu-pitu (three times seven), Makarua-siouw (two times nine) and Pasiowan-Telu (nine times three). They multiplied quickly, but soon disputes arose among these people. Leaders named Tona'as met and resolved these conflicts by splitting the descendants of Toar-Lumimuut into three independent groups, the Tonsea, Tombulu, and Tontemboan. The basic unit of social structure was the wale, a group of a dozen or so houses. Wale were combined into a larger ritual group called a walak. Relations between the nearly thirty walak were not always peaceful. Relations with those outside of the walak were hostile. The Tonsea were consigned to the Maiesu territory, the Tombulu to Niaranan, and the Tontemboan to Tumaratas. In the following years, several more groups immigrated to Minahasa including people from the islands of Maju and Tidore (the ancestors of the Tonsawang ethnic group), people from Tomori Bay (ancestors of the subethnic Pasam-bangko, or Ratahan dan Pasan), people from Bolaang Mangondow (ancestors of Ponosakan), people from the Bacan archipelago and Sangi (who became walak Manado), people from Toli-toli, and people from the region where Malalayang is currently located (ancestors of the subethnic Bantik). Ancient Minahasa society was both highly competitive and egalitarian. Important walian (religious shaman) were often female. Important decisions concerning the community were made democratically. Owing to the equality inherent in the worldy circumstances of the Minahasans, enhanced status was mainly dependent on personal achievements and the expression of personal virtues. Among these were bravery in warfare (including headhunting), sponsorship of large scale feasts, and amassing material wealth in the form of clothing and ornaments. Personal bravery and eloquence were evidence of keter, the manifestation of supernatural powers in a living being. A sufficient degree of virtue could elevate a Minihasan to the status of wa'ilan, the ritually honored ancestors.