Origin of the narrative: Yamas Village
Narrated by: Mr. N. Owse
Translated by: Yufen A. Biakai
In Asmat history, past warfare led to the extinction of several villages and even entire confederations. Among the most tragic was the annihilation of the Kaimes group, which comprised the villages of Canir, Sinamer, Watep, Osar, Yaremar, Sikao, Jamau, Pis, One, Jae, Sar, and Kaimes itself. This group was destroyed at the hands of the Joerat group—composed of Yamas, Yeni, Yufri, Yaun, As, Atat, Nakai, Kapi, and Ao.
It is said that the Joerat group succeeded in vanquishing the Kaimes through the intervention of Ucukamor. Ucu denotes the banyan tree, while Kamor signifies the manifestation of an ancestral spirit. Ucukamor is a spirit manifestation dwelling within the hollow of a banyan tree; indeed, according to Asmat belief, it is the spiritual embodiment of the banyan tree itself. Two brothers of the Joerat group, namely Butukfimar and Karani, established the foundation of this faith among the Joerat people to defeat the Kaimes group. How precisely did this event unfold?
Butukfimar and Karani lived in the upper reaches of the Onep River, a tributary of the Asaman River. The Asaman itself is a tributary of the Pi River, connecting Yufri Village to what is now the Sawa Erma District Outpost. The Asaman River was the initial settlement of the Joerat group after migrating from the Sirets River, the ancestral homeland of the Asmat people in ancient times before dispersing to their present locations.
One day, Karani went with his wife to the sago groves to pound sago. Butukfimar's wife, named Sipimerakat and often called Sipi, accompanied them. Meanwhile, Butukfimar remained alone at the bivouac to fashion a canoe.
While carving the canoe, his ancestral ci fom (curved adze, an instrument for gouging and shaping canoes) fractured. This misfortune plunged Butukfimar into profound sorrow. He murmured: “Alas, what has befallen this adze? I have nothing left.” Butukfimar lamented all day, heaping reproaches upon himself. He wept aloud, recounting the lineage of the adze through verses and poetic chants. Birds atop the surrounding banyan trees answered in chorus, as though mourning the fate of the ci fom. In the midst of this sorrow, a voice suddenly called out: “Butuk a, Butuk a.” Butukfimar looked to his left, to his right, and all about the camp, yet he saw no one. He stood astonished and confounded by the strange sound. He observed his surroundings once more, and suddenly the same voice called again from the hollow of a banyan tree. It was the voice of Ucukamor, who said: “Butuk, do not be afraid; I am your elder brother.”
Initially, Butukfimar dared not turn toward the origin of the strange voice. Yet Ucukamor sought to reassure and fortify Butukfimar's spirit, saying: “Butuk, my beloved brother, I bear you no malice, for I am your elder brother. Therefore come, behold my face, and do not fear.” Hearing these words, Butukfimar at last dared to turn toward the voice, saying: “Ah, how can this be? It is wondrous indeed. Now I am in the clutches of death.” Upon hearing this, Ucukamor smiled and laughed: “Ha, ha, ha, dormomoo, Dorootipit am oce,” meaning: “Ah, take heart, my beloved brother.” Then Butukfimar inquired further: “Is it truly so that you will do me no harm?” Ucukamor answered: “Indeed, I will bring no harm upon you. I was deeply moved by your lamentation over the broken adze. I willingly grant you a new adze in its place, for we are brothers after all.”
To instill deeper certainty in Butukfimar's heart, Ucukamor gave counsel: “You may employ this cifom well; I shall continually accompany you and your people in times of war against your enemies.” Even so, Butukfimar remained doubtful of Ucukamor's proclamation. Perceiving this hesitation, Ucukamor spoke once more: “When you enter the forest, you shall find a wild sow caught in the snare you have laid. You and your kin shall continually hear my voice resounding behind the village, directing the strategy you must devise against the enemy. As proof of my word, our kinsman Cau Epmak Sanpai (the red one), guardian and keeper of the sago groves, shall reveal to you visions of the confederations destined to be vanquished by your people—namely the Kaimes group, comprising the villages of Cainir, Sinameer, Watep, Yaremar, Sikao, One, Jae, Pis, Sar, Jamau, and Kaimes itself. Finally, you shall fall ill until you are reduced to mere skin and bone. Yet you shall recover once you have recounted all these events before all the villagers assembled within the Jeu ceremonial house.”
With the discourse concluded, Ucukamor bestowed the new cifom upon Butukfimar, and subsequently retreated back into the hollow of the banyan tree.
Following Ucukamor's departure, Butukfimar pondered the dialogue that had just transpired. He still questioned the veracity of the message. To test its truth, he concealed the cifom before setting out for the forest. To his mind, should the adze vanish, all that had been spoken was false and he was in peril. Yet in the forest groves, he found everything precisely as foretold. Upon returning, he discovered that the hidden cifom remained in its place.
No longer did he doubt the revelation of Ucukamor. He endured the ordeal of illness as a trial for the preservation and ascendancy of his village. Upon his recovery, Butukfimar proclaimed his conviction to the villagers that Ucukamor was a spirit of empowerment, fulfilling the decree that the Joerat group would vanquish the Kaimes confederation.
Note: For this reason, the Joerat people became renowned as those who annihilated the Kaimes group, whose surviving descendants remain dispersed across various villages throughout the Asmat and Mimika regions today.
