War dance in Nias - an attraction of a nias tribes as a sparta in Indonesia

war dance with the great warriors

Indonesia is a collection of thousands of islands and consists of five major islands and other are small islands than largely inhabited by humans. One small island located at one of the large islands is Sumatra island of Indonesia is precisely on the western is Nias island. The island, located about 85 miles from sibolga port on the island of Sumatera made up of a wide variety of other small islands and Nias island as this is the biggest island and inhabited about 600,000 of human. As well as the wide variety of natural resources contained like sorake beach with the best waves and number two in the world after Hawaii,
Tureloto as the best snorkeling place in Nias , the Nias island was also enhanced with a variety of art culture and various heritage sites and one of them is the Bawomataluo Village.

Art and culture that is still preserved on the island of Nias and spectacle every tourists both local and foreign tourists who come and visit to the island of Nias is like stone jumping or better known as Hombo batu by the community of nias with a variety of typical dance like Moyo dance, mogaele dance, wars dance and various other dances.

On this opportunity we will discuss throughly about nias war dance that has raised the name of the Nias island to the world.

Nias war dance is a war dance performed by a group of powerful men, great and mighty by using war equipment such as:

1. armor with a blend color of red, yellow and black

2. Tologu Swor

3. Shield or in a nias language known with baluse

4. Hats war or crown, and other various decoration

5. Spear or Toho for the people of Nias with a length about 2 meters

War dance, or better known as Fatele by the Nias community is a dance that is unique, rare and can not be found in other places anywhere. This dance has become a hallmark of the Nias community generally and only found in Bawomataluo Village as one of the centers where a variety of art and culture can be found in the island of Nias

History of Nias war dance

Nias war dance as embodiment of the characteristics and habits of the nias people in ancient times. Long time ago the Nias island have a form of government system and headed by the equivalent of a king with the title as Balugu. According to Nias tradition someone knighted if the person has a higher education or also have been doing a massive party by slaughtered pigs in large numbers and entertain the whole community around the area while announcing himself as a nobleman. This was proved by the discovery of a jaw pigs that have hung on the wall kings’s house in Bawomataluo Village

At the time, Nias communities have a habit of fighting against other tribes in the Nias island. They fought against the village with the village and usually the cause of the war was due to land boundaries or because they also competes to power. Nias tribe can also catergories as one of the Spartans with war habit and often took the head as one of the traditional rituals for the people of Nias when the funeral of a nobleman who had died.

Nias tribes in ancient times a tribe that is very clever in war strategy. Over there the soldiers village at that time suplied with a strong physical exercise such as silat martial training and physical exercise Hombo batu or stone jumping.

War dance performed by forming elongated rectangular formation and led by the command of the war. As the war strategy in general, a war commander would give to other soldiers what to do next. This dance starts with pounding feet on the ground simultaneously so as to produce sounds and chant the words carried a compact manner as a symbol of unity that is highly valued nias society. Swing swords and spears in their hands every knight become a symbol of strength, agility and ingenuity of the soldier to defend their area from the enemy's attack. Besides, traditional music will be companions since the beginning until the end of this dance.

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War dance in this Time

In age of this day, the tradition of fighting between tribes in the island had long been left behind as the entry of religion to Nias island. War dance which became one of the characteristic of Nias is usually used to welcome greeter guests and displayed on a specific custom event. In addition, this dance is held at the cultural festival and Government event.