Watu Pasupuan, The Meeting Place of Minahasa Anchestor

MANADO, ZONAUTARA.com – North Sulawesi is very rich in cultural diversity, both of language and cultural sites. This is a legacy of Minahasa history from the past, like some cultural sites located in Lota Village, Minahasa District.

In addition to a number of waruga or old graveyard which is located next to the residence of Donald Jacob (42), there are also a number of large stones which are regularly lined up.

Jacob, who is the guardian of waruga explained that the large stones with the flat surface, have the name Watu Pasupuan (elderly stone).

According to Jacob, these stones had almost disappeared because they had been buried in the ground.

“In the year 2011, me and some colleagues observers of Minahasa culture tried to dig it, so the original form can be seen clearly,” said Jacob, Monday (8/1/2018).

According to him not all buried the ground. There are some that are still clearly visible. After everything was arranged, then it was known there were 36 stones.

He also added that according to the legendary story heard from the elders of the village, the stones are used as a seat from ancient Minahasa ancestors when did meeting before starting a war, or after the war.

“The information I get, the stones initially borne by each ancestor to make their seats,” added Jacob.

The stones have diameter about one meter and almost two meters. The location is lined in 9 in the form of a square and around a field with an area of ​​about 15 x 15 meters.

According to Reymond Sumampow (50’s), Pineleng residents who is Minahasa Cultural Observers, said that Lotta Village itself, in the past was the capital of Kakaskasen District.

“Lotta was very special in the past. Moreover, became one of the big areas in Minahasa, and also became the center of government of Kakaskasen District. So it is not surprising that at this current time in Lotta Village, there are many relics of ancient Minahasa cultural heritage,” Sumampouw said.

Sumampouw hopes that people can be concerned the cultural heritages, and want to explore and preserve the noble values ​​of the Minahasa cultural site.

 

Editor: Rahadih Gedoan