More information about “Lingon, the Lost Indonesia’s Wild White Tribe”
Lingon, The Lost Indonesia’s Wild White Tribe
published by : John Halmahera
I’m interested in writing this article after reading Paul Spencer Sochaczweski article which published Friday May 12th 2004 on iht.com and International Herald Tribune newspaper, rubric opinion, May 12th 2004 titled “Meanwhile: In Search of Indonesia’s wild lost white tribe.”
In his article, Paul called his mission looking for Lingon tribe in a remote area of east Halmahera in 1993 through Subaim village. Then he met Pisondodo, a man from the Togutil tribe.
If Paul entered the remote area in 1993, I came more early. In Jakarta May-April 1976, at the time I was 29 years old I met Mr. Song C Choon, American citizen who born in Korea and lives in Hawai while that present time doing business in Jakarta. With service from my friend, (the late) Mr Bram Ambarak who was born in Ternate but growed and do bussiness in Jakarta, who had HPH legal logging concession in West Halmahera.
Song C Choon willing to buy HPH in remote area around Subaim, Dodaga and Gurua in East Halmahera. Our mission was to calculated density of agathis wood –called kayu dammar- manually. If the density accomplishes the business calculating, then Song will bought the HPH.
Later on in Jakarta there’s job contract agreement, I work as a road guide and local language translator, to make a documentation about the density of agathis wood.
On April, me and Song C Choon start, meanwhile Song waited in Ternate, me and a Ternate,s citizen name Don Al Hadar, went to Lolobata village in Teluk Kao coast. I met Ishak Ahdin, about 50 years old, a very respected man in that area, a former village leader (kapala kampong).
I asked him for safety for my mission.
The next day he introduced me with 8 of his bodyguard who are respected fighter and experienced in the jungle to escort my group. They are Togutil men that already lived in coast village but still have family deep in the jungle. Mr. Ishak Ahdin can’t go along with the group but he enclose his sonname Bungtomo, 25 years old, as my bodyguard.
From Ishak Ahdin statement, it is the first time I heard the name of Lingon and Berebere and Togutil, three native tribe that still primitive and lived hiding deep in the jungle. Two years before, in 1974, Ishak Ahdin with some of his men, escort two Swedish people, one of them are woman, entered the jungle to Gogolomo mountain looking for Lingon tribe. But they didn’t find the tribe they’re looking for. Ishak Ahdin said, that according to the Swedish, there’s a strong assumption that Lingon tribe came from Sweden/Scandinavia.
So after prepared in Lolobata, I came back to Ternate. And the next week : me, Song, and Usman Tjan a delegate of forestry ministry Ambon that assign in Ternate especially North Maluku, heading to Lolobata.
Along with 8 bodyguard, plus Bungtomo, we entered the jungle for a month. We aren’t always in the jungle, according to the route sometimes we go out to take a rest for one or two days in coast’s village Lolobata, Foli, Dodaga, Subaim and Gurua.
In Subaim, I saw from just a few meters, three people riding canoe (perahu) on the Subaim river. Two women white skin like Europeean with blue eyes and blonde hair, along with one man whom had yellow mixed with brown skin. According to people, they rarely came to coast, they lived in remote area (jungle) about 10 to 15 kilometers from the coast line. The husband are Togutil. The older woman was a true Lingon. The young girl, their daughter, halfblooded Togutil-Lingon. Unfortunately they appear in very short time, and they didn’t want to meet foreign people. At that time I have no interest to make interview or take photoes.
My conclusion, Lingon tribe was existed. They are wild and lived far deep in the jungle. They never came to coast. According to people, they not cannibals. Their skin white, blonde hair, blue eyes, tall body, more taller than most of Togutil or coast people.
In Dodaga, quite far from the coast, I met an old man, Mr. Baim, about 80 years, means he was born around 1895. From his physical gesture and body movement which is still fast and agile, people believe his age about 60 years old. He was famous for when he was young (about 30 years old) he killed a man from Berebere tribe (about 1925).
He told me, Lingon aren’t cannibals but Berebere the cannibals. Generally, Berebere walks alone, rarely gathering, they huge and tall about 7 feet, black skin, naked. At that time (1976) Berebere are hard to find. More likely almost extinct.
My conclusion, Berebere was existed, this cannibals tribe in years 1976 almost extinct therefore possibly nowadays, 2008, they already extinct. The same thing also happen to fate, growth and population of Lingon tribe. Lingon, white skin like European people, not cannibals and possibly now in 2008 already extinct too.
Among the three native tribes, Togutil have larger population. For many years there’s been war between tribes. Togutil which had greater number hunted Lingon, killed Lingon men, detained Lingon girls and married them. Togutil, very much like origin Dayak tribe, yellow and brown skin, nowadays (2008) are still scattered in East Halmahera jungle.
Published by John Halmahera, October 2008.
