Donggala, Central Sulawesi - It was a hot morning and the roads were already busy in Watunonju village of Donggala regency, around 25 kilometers from Palu, the capital of Central Sulawesi.
The community was abuzz with activity as people headed toward the nearby rice fields. On the banks of the rivers that passed through the area, women could be seen washing as men sharpened their machetes ready for a day of work in the fields.
In Watunonju, there is a famous archaeological site the government has named the Watunonju Olden Days Archaeological Site Park. The location has been well organized; it is neat and looks attractive - contrasting with other archaeological sites in the region.
For those keen on conducting research on megaliths, or large stone structures, the Watunonju Olden Days Archaeological Site Park is a must-see.
Visitors to the park are often astonished by the positioning of the stones, which are of various shapes and sizes, and present a picture of the region's past.
According to members of the community, those with a strong sixth sense are able to feel a mysterious life force at the site.
"Seventy students from the Biromaru and Palu State high schools were possessed by a spirit when they came on a field tour not long ago," A H Laturadja, 38, a community member, told The Jakarta Post recently.
Furthermore, he said, a young man who didn't believe in spirits deliberately fooled around at the location and after jumping the barrier fence did not return to his home for five days.
He could not be found, even though community members searched for him tirelessly. He was eventually found sleeping atop one of the megaliths in the park.
Inside the park, which is almost a hectare square, there are 14 stones of various sizes. Information on the discovery of these stones was first published in 1898 by Dr Kruyt in his book Poso naar Sigi en Lindu.
Apart from the megaliths, there is also the grave of Karandja Lemba, a member of a noble family and freedom fighter. Karandja fought against the Dutch and was exiled to Java, where he passed away. Two years ago, his skeleton was returned to Watunonju and buried in the park.
A main building located in the center of the park is used as a rest room for visitors and functions as a place for customary law meetings. At the back of the building are two smaller structures, known as gampiri.
A gampiri, traditionally made from tree branches and sago palms, is a structure that stores harvested rice. The two gampiri in the park are thought to be from the Sigi Kingdom period.
The Watunonju Olden Days Archaeological Site Park is maintained and guarded by six local community members who look after the stones and provide information about the heritage site to visitors.
The park is well maintained; compared to other megalith sites in the villages of Doda, Bada, Pendolo, South Lore and North Lore of Poso regency, and in Tulo, Kulawi, Pipikiro and Bangga of Donggala Regency, which have long been neglected.
Lacking proper maintenance, these historically rich sites are deteriorating at a rapid rate, with many of the heritage stones being stolen and shipped to other islands - and countries - for sale. Ruslan Sangadji
Source: http://old.thejakartapost.com (October 08, 2008)
