Page 6 - 《原YOUNG—青少年雜誌期刊》99期

部落傳說
Annual sea ritual held in Lalaulan

To Thank the Big Whale

for Saving Life

Lalaulan legend has it that sa Rarungaw, as the elder of the

two sons from the tribe leader family, became the tribe leader
according to the tradition, and his younger brother sa Tjakiw had

been longing for his leadership position. One day sa Tjakiw and
his accomplice invited sa Rarungaw to go hunting with them on

Tjulikulikuz Island opposite the tribe. They pretended to go to
spend the night on the island, but late at night when sa Rarungaw

was asleep, rowed the bamboo raft away and back to the tribe.
They told the tribe that sa Rarungaw was dead.

However, sa Rarungaw was awakened by the sounds of insects
and animals in his dream. He did not realize that he had been

cheated until he found that his younger brother, his accomplice,
and the bamboo raft were all gone. He was so sad that he, sitting

on the shore, began to cry. A big whale picked up the cry and
surfaced to ask sa Rarungaw why he was crying. After being told of

what happened, the whale decided to carry him back to the tribe.
"Slap my gills if, when in the water, you want to breathe," said the

whale. On the way, sa Rarungaw sat on the back of the whale and
took only three breaths before they successfully reached the shore
near the tribe.

Once ashore, sa Rarungaw asked the whale what he could do

to express his thanks? The whale said that, a ritual at the seaside
every year after the harvest with offerings including millet cakes
(qavay), alcoholic beverage (vawa) and some food would do. He

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