Amungme

Since returning to his hometown, Opitawak, Banti Village, Central Mountains of Jayawijaya, Omabak, youth Amungme seemed changed. He had finished his college in Yogyakarta and later graduated as an elementary school teacher, who would teach in his hometown. It was not only a cleaner appearance by always dressed neatly, but his attitude became more calm and polite, no more emotional and irritable as ever. This change was surprising tribal citizens, especially Impamai his mother, and his brotheer Baenal.
Omabak could not keep a secret much longer to Impamai. He then told about his new faith to Impamai, that he no longer trusted their god, Mam On, but only A God is above all gods, namely: Allah SWT. Apparently Impamai was not surprised to hear Omabak’s confession, because she never caught him doing ritual worship which certainly was not like the way they worship the god Mam On. Originally Impamai worried Omabak wouldl make the god Mam On angry and cursed him. But because Omabak was fine, she was convinced to follow in Omabak’s footsteps as a Muslim. Impamai began to change her life as a cleaner, no longer living mingle with pigs and dogs. Apparently Impamai felt calmer. She also began to learn prayers and love to receive a gifts from Omabak, mukena.
After Impamai, actually Omabak would like to invite Baenal too. But before he could speak, his brother was being harbored his own problems. Baenal loved Nebea, daughter Ondoafi Teknay, their chieftain. But that girl who started growing up and was undergoing the exile according to their tradition of being angry because considered Baenal betrayed by liking another girl, Kamantoi. Though the news was deliberately delivered Sebare, the girl who loved Baenal and paired with him, along with another girl, Werori who faced disability due Nebea harmed. The goal for their revenge on Nebea that during this act cocky and arrogant because they feel as a single daughter of the chief.
By convincing his love toward Nebea, Baenal asked to pick sacred erom in forest of the ban. Yet according to their tribal belief that only men who are married and fulfill certain conditions which may take sacred erom. If the prohibition was violated, the perpetrators would get terrible curse from god Mam On. But the desperate Baenal determined to meet this demand in order to prove his love in Nebea. Nebea herself eventually regret it but could not rectify the request conveyed through Sebare as she was in exile.
While Ondoafi Toknay planned to marry Nebea, after she return from exile with a young man was considered appropriate as head of the tribe. It turned out that the chosen was Omabak, because Ondoafi was impressed with his change attitude after being back from the land of Java and planned to teach elementary school in their area. This decision of course more heartrending Baenal. But Omabak could not openly refuse, then assured him that he would not marry Nebea. He was also willing to help Baenal take sacred erom from forest of the ban with the aim of changing the citizens of tribal beliefs about God's curse that had been Mam On haunt them.
At the time to perform marriage ceremony, Nebea returned from exile, Omabak was not found. Nebea was also looking Baenal and not find him. Only Impamai who knew her two children went to forest to took sacred erom. While their other two companions were waiting for them at the edge of the forest.
Opitawak tantrum when Omabak and Baenal emerged with sacred erom. Ondoafi who searched Omabak deliberately ask Suprimanggun, Opitawak religious leaders, who planned to lead the wedding ceremony to postpone the event, was furious. But Ondoafi was also afraid to see a sacred erom which brought by Omabak safely. He thought he had supernatural powers so Mam On could not curse on him.
Realizing doubt of Ondoafi, Suprimanggun intervened. He was angry and reading spells to attack Omabak. But Omabak was very confident with the help of God, just raised his hand and prayed for protection. As a result, the attack of Suprimanggun had no impact. Suprimanggun then fled, as well as Ondoafi Teknay, All citizens of Opitawak hailed Omabak.
Back to his residence, Ondoafi found Nebea possessed. He accused Omabak who wanted to harm her. Due to ever see the way of treatment to heal the possessed, ruqyah, Omabak also practiced by having Impamai take mukena and put it on Nebea. Actually, Omabak himself was not too sure because Nebea was not yet a Muslim. But ruqyah managed to make Nebea quieter. Omabak was increasingly hailed as successes. Residents Opitawak acknowledge its miracle as a demigod and they bowed down to worship him. It was realized Omabak, his struggle to broadcast the truth of Islam was still be very long and not at all easy as he imagined.

Author: Peringgala Ancala
Publisher: PT Mizan Bunaya Kreativa, 2005