Biak Numfor – Papua
The story of Manamakeri (often spelled Manarmakeri) is one of the most sacred and influential folktales and mythologies for the Biak Numfor people in Papua. This story is not merely a fairy tale, but the foundation of the Koreri belief (eternal life or a golden age without suffering).
Here is the complete plot of the story:
1. The Beginning of Yawi Nusyado’s Curse
Long ago, in Sopen Village, West Biak, lived a well-built and handsome man named Yawi Nusyado. One day, Yawi broke a sacred promise to a mystical snake by killing its offspring. As a result of this violation, he was cursed.
His entire body was suddenly covered in scabies, ringworm, and foul-smelling ulcers. Because of his repulsive appearance, the villagers began to ostracize him, and even his family felt ashamed. From then on, the people called him Manamakeri (or Mansar-makeri), which means “The itchy/scabby old man.” Unable to bear the constant insults and rejection, Manamakeri decided to leave his village to live in isolation in the forest.
2. The Mystery of the Palm Sap Thief
To survive in exile, Manamakeri tapped palm sap (tuak) from trees along the coast. However, something strange occurred. Every time he went to harvest his sap in the morning, his bamboo containers were always empty. Someone was deliberately stealing his harvest during the night.
Intrigued, Manamakeri devised a plan. All night long, he hid in a tree, enduring the itching and the cold to catch the thief. Toward dawn, the mystery was finally solved. The thief was neither a human nor a bird, but Sampari (the Morning Star), who had descended from the sky to drink the palm sap.
3. The Pact with the Morning Star
With lightning speed, Manamakeri caught Sampari. The Morning Star struggled and begged to be released immediately because dawn was breaking, and it had to return to its place on the horizon.
Sampari then offered a deal: if Manamakeri let it go, it would grant any request. Manamakeri did not ask for wealth; instead, he asked for healing and the secret to a peaceful life. Sampari granted his request by giving him magical powers and promising that Manamakeri would become the bringer of a golden age for his people. After the agreement, Sampari was released back into the sky.
4. Transformation in the Fire
Following the mystical instructions he received from Sampari, Manamakeri gathered firewood and built a massive, blazing bonfire. Full of conviction, he leaped into the roaring flames.
A miracle occurred. The fire did not burn his body to ashes; instead, it melted away all the skin diseases, ulcers, and curses from his body. When he emerged from the embers, Manamakeri was no longer a dirty old man. He had transformed back into an incredibly handsome, clean young man, endowed with supernatural powers.
5. The Promise of Koreri and His Departure
Even though he was healed and possessed extraordinary power, his community and relatives still did not believe him and continued to look down on him. Realizing that the people were not yet ready to receive the secret of eternal life he brought, Manamakeri finally decided to sail away, leaving Numfor Island with his wife and child in search of a new place.
Before leaving, he left behind a noble promise that is still held firmly by the Biak people today: One day, he will return to his ancestral land to bring about Koreri.
The Meaning Behind the Story
Koreri is a utopian era where humans live eternally—there is no more disease, suffering, starvation, tears, or death. The figure of Manamakeri is considered a liberator (messiah) in the theology of the Biak people. The belief in the coming of the Koreri age is one of the roots of the cultural identity of the Biak people and frequently serves as a symbol of hope for a life that is just, prosperous, and free from all forms of oppression.
Amir Maulana – SKYWORLD
Kisah Manamakeri (sering juga dieja Manarmakeri) adalah salah satu cerita rakyat dan mitologi paling sakral serta berpengaruh bagi masyarakat Biak Numfor di Papua. Kisah ini bukan sekadar dongeng, melainkan fondasi dari kepercayaan Koreri (kehidupan abadi atau zaman keemasan tanpa penderitaan).
Berikut adalah alur lengkap dari kisahnya:
1. Awal Mula Kutukan Yawi Nusyado
Jauh di masa lalu, di Kampung Sopen, Biak Barat, hidup seorang pria bertubuh kekar dan berwajah tampan bernama Yawi Nusyado. Suatu hari, Yawi melanggar sebuah janji suci kepada seekor ular gaib untuk tidak membunuh keturunannya. Akibat pelanggaran tersebut, ia dikutuk.
Seluruh tubuhnya mendadak dipenuhi kudis, kurap, dan borok yang berbau tak sedap. Karena penampilannya yang menjijikkan, orang-orang kampung mulai mengucilkannya, dan keluarganya pun merasa malu. Sejak saat itu, masyarakat memanggilnya Manamakeri (atau Mansar-makeri), yang berarti “Laki-laki tua yang gatal/berkudis”. Karena tak tahan terus dihina dan disingkirkan, Manamakeri memutuskan pergi dari kampungnya untuk hidup menyendiri di hutan.
2. Misteri Pencuri Air Nira
Untuk bertahan hidup di pengasingan, Manamakeri menyadap air nira (tuak) dari pohon di pesisir pantai. Namun, sebuah keanehan terjadi. Setiap kali ia hendak memanen air niranya di pagi hari, wadah bambunya selalu dalam keadaan kosong. Ada yang sengaja mencuri hasil sadapannya di malam hari.
Merasa penasaran, Manamakeri menyusun siasat. Semalaman ia bersembunyi di atas pohon, menahan rasa gatal dan dingin demi menangkap sang pencuri. Menjelang subuh, misteri itu akhirnya terpecahkan. Pencurinya bukanlah manusia atau burung, melainkan Sampari (Bintang Kejora / Bintang Pagi) yang turun dari langit untuk meminum air nira tersebut.
3. Perjanjian dengan Bintang Kejora
Dengan sigap, Manamakeri menangkap Sampari. Sang Bintang Kejora meronta-ronta dan memohon untuk segera dilepaskan karena fajar hampir menyingsing, dan ia harus kembali ke tempatnya di ufuk langit.
Sampari kemudian menawarkan sebuah kesepakatan: jika Manamakeri melepaskannya, ia akan mengabulkan permintaan apa pun. Manamakeri tidak meminta harta benda, melainkan meminta kesembuhan dan rahasia menuju kehidupan yang damai. Sampari pun mengabulkan permintaannya dengan memberikan kekuatan magis dan berjanji bahwa Manamakeri akan menjadi pembawa zaman keemasan bagi kaumnya. Setelah kesepakatan itu, Sampari dilepaskan kembali ke angkasa.
4. Transformasi di Dalam Api
Mengikuti petunjuk gaib yang didapatkannya dari Sampari, Manamakeri mengumpulkan kayu bakar dan membuat api unggun yang menyala sangat besar. Dengan penuh keyakinan, ia melompat ke dalam kobaran api tersebut.
Keajaiban pun terjadi. Api itu tidak membakar tubuhnya menjadi abu, melainkan melunturkan seluruh penyakit kulit, borok, dan kutukan di tubuhnya. Saat keluar dari bara api, Manamakeri bukan lagi pria tua yang kotor, melainkan kembali menjadi sosok pemuda yang sangat tampan, bersih, dan dibekali kekuatan supranatural.
5. Janji Koreri dan Kepergiannya
Walaupun telah sembuh dan memiliki kekuatan luar biasa, masyarakat dan kerabatnya tetap tidak mempercayainya dan terus memandangnya sebelah mata. Menyadari bahwa masyarakat belum siap menerima rahasia kehidupan abadi yang ia bawa, Manamakeri akhirnya memutuskan untuk pergi berlayar meninggalkan Pulau Numfor beserta istri dan anaknya untuk mencari tempat yang baru.
Sebelum pergi, ia meninggalkan sebuah janji luhur yang hingga kini terus dipegang teguh oleh masyarakat Biak: Suatu saat nanti, ia akan kembali ke tanah leluhurnya untuk mendatangkan Koreri.
Makna di Balik Kisah
Koreri adalah sebuah zaman utopia di mana manusia hidup abadi—tidak ada lagi penyakit, penderitaan, kelaparan, air mata, maupun kematian. Sosok Manamakeri dianggap sebagai pembawa pembebasan (mesias) dalam teologi masyarakat Biak. Kepercayaan akan datangnya zaman Koreri ini merupakan salah satu akar identitas kultural masyarakat Biak dan sering kali menjadi simbol harapan akan kehidupan yang adil, makmur, dan merdeka dari segala bentuk penindasan.
Amir Maulana – SKYWORLD