FLOATING STONE
Before we begin, it is important to know that this story follows a real event that occurred in the Bonto Biraeng Hamlet, Bulukumba Regency, South Sulawesi Province. This story has been passed down from generation to generation in my family. The meaning of the story is that you should always be careful of your actions.
In the village of Bonto Biraeng, a group of “ana Pakkalahaki” (Shepherd's son) gathered beneath a tokka tree. Tokka trees, or cempedak trees are tall, with a rough, leathery texture and wide, dense leaves. Their fruit is soft and slightly slimy to the touch when ripe. Everyone who passes underneath it yearns to taste the sweet fruit.
One day the children were Pakkalahaki playing a game together following the rules of inai riolo kulle aa tora injo tokka a na dabbung ri tanayya iya minjo pemenangna. Meaning: Who first about the cempedak fruit until it fell into the dining land he was the winner). They took turns hitting the cempedak tree, using wooden branches and throwing stones.
One of the stones became stuck in the tree. After a while, the children grew tied to trying to knock down the fruit and went home. The stone remained caught in the tree.
Many years later, the stone was still in the tokka tree. The leaves had wrapped around it and it had grown so big that the tree trunk was now curved from its weight. Those who passed the tree would say 'angura rie batu kua injo na tasampe ri poko tokka a nu toeng pole do'e’, meaning: ‘how can there be a stone stuck in the cempedak tree?’ This is why the tree was called Batu Toeng (the stone that floats). The tree became recognised as sacred.
When the stone grew so large that the tree was no longer able to bear its weight, the community saved the it. It’s size was comparable to a 'Balla Pata Latta' house (a four story house). A natural spring appeared around the stone, and it became an important life source for the community. This stone is a symbol of Lamantang Hamlet, Bonto Village, Biraeng, Kajang District, Bulukumba Regency.
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