Belief in reincarnation on Buton, S.E. Sulawesi, Indonesia

Abstract

My research into the culture of Buton has revealed, to my surprise, that one of the aspects of its culture is a strong belief in reincarnation.1 The island of Buton (or Butung; S.E. Sulawesi) was until 1960 the nucleus of the sultanate of Buton. According to the sultanate's own documents, largely written in the Wolio language in a modified Arabic script, the sixth raja (monarch) of the monarchy of Wolio or Buton became the first sultan (Murhum). Zahar? (1980:40) has calculated that the transition took place around 1542.2 If the traditions concerning historical developments are reasonably accurate, the beginnings of the monarchy may therefore be situated in the first half of the 15th century. In the earliest period of the monarchy there were, according to the tradition, relations with the Javanese kingdom of Mojopahit. The first monarch, Queen Wakaakaa, married a prince from Mojopahit, Sibatara. The son of the second monarch, Queen Bulawambona, was called Bata raguru. When he became the third monarch of Wolio, he visited the court of Mojopahit. His son Tuarade, the fourth monarch of Buton, also visited Mojopahit, and brought back four regalia, later known by the name syaraJawa (Javanese institutions; cf. Zahar? 1977,1:38-42). Although little is known about this period, it may be presumed, on the basis of these relations, that the Buton monarchy was under Hindu Javanese influence. This is also indicated by the oral traditions. On the island of Wangi-Wangi the northernmost island of the Tukang-besi group, situated to the south-east of Buton tradition has it that the first monarch of Wanci, a village on the island, was converted to Islam. On his death his body was therefore buried, which gave rise to conflict with his subjects, the majority of whom were still Hindu and would have wanted the body cremated. In any case they did not want the earth polluted by the body. When the sixth raja, Sultan Murhum, embraced Islam, the inhabitants of the kingdom were obliged to become Muslims. Working outwards