Tales of the Archipelago – Folklore From Papua: The Origin of the Island of

Irian

Group 5
arranged by :

Syfa Amelia
Kharunissa
M Fahruroza
Fariz Rifalmi
Rusdiansyah

In the village of Sopen, West Biak, once upon a time there lived a family that had several sons.
One of the children was named Mananamakrdi.
Mananamakrdi's entire body was covered with scabies. He smelled so bad that people couldn't
stand being around him. Because of this, Mananamakrdi was very hated, not only by the people
within his tribe, but also by his siblings. His siblings could no longer bear to find Mananamakrdi
near them, so they kicked Mananamakrdi out of their house.
Mananamakrdi walked east until he came to a beach. He then sailed across the vast ocean by
riding a boat moored on the beach. While sailing, Mananamakrdi landed on the island of
Miokbudi. Mananamakrdi decided to stay on the island.
On the island of Miokbudi, there are many sago and coconut trees. Every day Mananamakrdi
grinds sago, from morning to evening, to meet his food needs. He also taps sap water with
bamboo and makes palm wine, which he does after he finishes shaving the sago. One afternoon
Mananamakrdi was surprised to find the bamboo he used to tap the sap water was empty.
Mananamakrdi was very upset. In the evening Mananamakrdi sat on the midrib of a coconut leaf
to catch the thief of his juice. Until late at night the thief had not arrived.
As morning approached, something shining from the sky approached the coconut tree where
Mananamakrdi was waiting. Something was then perched on a coconut tree and drank all the
juice of Mananamakrdi's tap water. Before the thing was about to return, Mananamakrdi moved
quickly to catch it.
"Who are you?" Mananamakrdi exclaimed.
"I'm Sampan the morning star," answered something shining. "Let go of me because the sun is
almost up."
Mananamakrdi did not want to rush to release the Sampan. He asked Sampan to cure his scurvy
and gave him a beautiful-looking girl to marry.
The canoe was willing to fulfill Mananamakrdi's wish. He suggested that Mananamakrdi go to
the beach near the forest. On the beach there grows a beetroot tree. Sampan said, "If there is a
girl you want is bathing on the beach, throw a grapefruit into the sea. I'm sure that girl will be
your wife."
Mananamakrdi followed Sampan's advice. He went to the beach where there was a big beetroot
tree. He saw several girls bathing on the beach. None of the girls interested him. He then waited
under the beetroot tree. One afternoon Mananamakrdi saw a very beautiful-looking girl bathing
on the beach. Mananamakrdi is fascinated by her. He then climbed the beetroot tree and threw
the beetroot into the sea.
The beautiful girl was named Insoraki, the daughter of the chief of the Meokbundi village. The
grapes that Mananamakrdi threw hit his body while he was taking a bath. Even though he had
thrown it far away, the grapefruit came back close to him and hit him. Annoyed, Insoraki then
went home.
Not long after, Insoraki experienced a very shocking incident. She is pregnant. Parents and all
the residents of Meokbundi Village were in an uproar and astonished. How is it possible that
Insoraki, who is not yet married, is pregnant, while Insoraki is known as a girl with good morals?
Nine months later, Insoraki gave birth to a baby boy. Again, the residents of Meokbundi Village
found strange things when they saw the baby boy did not cry when he was born, but laughed.
The baby boy was then given a name
Konori and a party was thrown when the baby was named. Mananamakrdi comes to attend the
party. When she found Mananamakrdi, Konori suddenly crawled towards Mananamakrdi and
shouted, “Ayaaah…!”
People were shocked. They were even more shocked when Konori explained that the man with
scabies all over his body was his father. Mananamakrdi and Insoraki are finally married.
Since Mananamakrdi lived in the village of Meokbundi, the chief and the villagers left their
village because they could not stand the stench of Mananamakrdi's body. They were also
disgusted to see Mananamakrdi's body full of scabies. Meokbundi village was finally deserted
and only inhabited by Mananamakrdi, Insoraki, and Konori.
Mananamakrdi was sad to find that fact. He also collects Sampan's promise. He also got a clue.
Mananamakrdi then burned the dry wood. After the fire grew, it entered the huge scorching fire.
The miracle happened. Mananamakrdi came out of the flames clean from scurvy. His face is
very handsome.
Since that incident Mananamakrdi has had various supernatural powers. Mananamakrdi then
called himself Masren Koreri which means a holy man.
One day Mananamakrdi prayed. Then a sailboat was created. Mananamakrdi then invited his
wife and children to sail the wide sea. They landed in the Mandori area, near Manokwari.
Mananamakrdi and his wife and children then decided to stay in that hilly place.
The weather in Mandori if the morning is very cold and shrouded in thick fog. When the sun
rises, the air turns warm and then hot. When it got hot, Konori shouted for her father,
“Father… Irian! Irian!”
So, since then the area has been called Irian, which in Biak means hot.