RAMO: The Legend
The Ramo legend inspired local narrators to speak of ARUAñ Æ , the great mother goddess, who came to Malanta (Mala'ita Island), and made mount Alasa’a her abode. She was the progenitor of all the gods on the mountain, and mount Alasa’a became known as the ‘home of the gods’. It was built on a monolithic stone foundation of rare quality that stretches right into the heavens.
When the first
Ancestors walked the earth, and crossed land bridges of Australasia to settle on Malanta
around the year 30 ooo BC. The gods on mount Alasa’a abhor their presence. They
mark them to drink from the Kwai Rivers designed to kill them off the island.
The mother goddess, however, saved them from the deluge, and instead make the
water to cause them to speak different dialects.
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| Mount Alasa'a overlooking the borders of west Kwaio and Langalanga lagoon, Malanta (Malaita Island), Solomon Islands 2013 |
One day, the mother goddess took her wrist band, filled them with black water inside a silver disk, and placed it on her temple. At night, during a full moon, a maiden would appear on mount Alasa’a dressed in silver lining skirt, and turquoise coloured wrist band, her skin the colour of honey, which matches her brown eyes and soft flowing golden locks, and lo, with a melodious voice she would chant and sing before retiring at dawn! The gods became suspicious as to the identity of this human like child, and vowed to kill their mother. Pursued by her children, the mother goddess defeated them by throwing their bodies down the mountain. A great whirlwind ensued and swept mount Alasa’a. The sky between earth and heaven lights up, roared with terrifying sound that thunders across the island to a deadening silence, and complete stillness...
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| children of mount Alasa'a, Solomon Islands 2013 |
Sometime
later, a group of naked hunters, and gatherers, came to the mountain to see what had happened, only to find
a girl of astounding beauty lying on top of a stone slab. She had strange
markings on her face and wrist band similar to the ones marked on the face of
the stone. They took her to live with them and over the years she manifest empathy
for her people and taught them many wonders. She
showed them how to cultivate the land and deduce the seasons for planting, and
harvest, and for the first time in their life time, the people of mount Alasa’a centered
their lives on making gardens, and becoming the first of their kind to plant
and grow food crops. Life on the island evolved, and people learn more
about their new way of life, the different types of plants that are cultivated for food, and plants
that are used in medicine, as well as those plants that are poisonous, and those
that can be used to make clothes and build houses.
Not long after, the people settled down and build great villages. They were seen to wear fine clothing, and fancy head dresses. Their women wore skirts and adorn themselves with beautiful ornaments. They recite chants, and sing songs, and dances composed to celebrate the first plantings, and harvest feastings, and to recount the story of the fair and beautiful maiden of mount Alasa’a, her name, they call ‘Aruana’, which means beauty and planting food. She was also known as the mother of the great Ramo – the Giant Slayer. (to be continued...)
Not long after, the people settled down and build great villages. They were seen to wear fine clothing, and fancy head dresses. Their women wore skirts and adorn themselves with beautiful ornaments. They recite chants, and sing songs, and dances composed to celebrate the first plantings, and harvest feastings, and to recount the story of the fair and beautiful maiden of mount Alasa’a, her name, they call ‘Aruana’, which means beauty and planting food. She was also known as the mother of the great Ramo – the Giant Slayer. (to be continued...)
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