Marapu Identity
Not just the traditional religion of Sumba, it is the way of life.
In the beginning, the sky was so close to the earth that the top of a man’s head could touch it
The Prai Marapu lived together with the Great Mother and Great Father (Mother Moon and Father Sun) and would cross freely between heaven and earth using the ladder of eight
Sumba was the earth, and the earth was Sumba
Life was suitable in Sumba for the people, but they had no water
God empathetic, decided to let it rain until Sumba was entirely covered and submerged underwater. The people had to escape from the earth to the heavens
As God desired to be alone, he removed some of the water, giving access to the earth
With the land habitable once more, the people returned to the earth from the sky and the house of eight levels
Upon returning to Sumba, the Marapu decided to split up and go separate ways, some to seek the lands in the east, settling Melolo and Rende, while many of the Rato (Priest) Marapu ventured west to settle Sodan
Before these new lands could be settled, the Marapu needed to cleanse them. Uma Marapu were built so these cleansing ceremonies could be performed
Finally having satisfied God with what they accomplished, God introduced the concepts of life and death. Death being the vehicle to carry the spirit of the Sumbanese to their immortal life beside God