Wednesday reading--singing to the trees

[asakiyume]

More Timor ca. 1960:

They also chant "songs of instruction" to the trees before they are hewn down, asking that they provide strong supports for the house and allow no harm to come to the family who will ultimately live within; and there are songs to encourage the Nautilus pompilius, to leave their sea bed and decorate the roofs of the most important houses with their shells.

That is a mighty fine tradition, and I wish we had it here. (I wonder if they still have it there.)

Here's a picture taken in 2006 by Flickr user giantpandinha of a house going up in Timor-Leste



And here's another by her from the same year, looking up at those strong supports:



There are different styles of house in different parts of Timor, but the ones King was talking about are the very distinctive house of Lospalos. Here's a photo taken in 1988 by Flickr user incitio.vacations

Comments

[sartorias]

Those are spectacular!

[asakiyume]

I wasn't in this part of Timor-Leste when I was there, so I've never seen anything like these in person, but if I ever go back, I'd love to see them.

[kore]

Wow, gorgeous!

[asakiyume]

Definitely!

[sovay]

and there are songs to encourage the Nautilus pompilius, to leave their sea bed and decorate the roofs of the most important houses with their shells.

I like that.

Thanks for the photographs!

[asakiyume]

Those are very good-natured nautiluses that answer that request!

You're very welcome; I had fun looking for them.

[wayfaringwordhack]

What enchanting traditions and lovely architecture. :D

[asakiyume]

Yeah. It makes me want to sing to things!

[wayfaringwordhack]

That's exactly what I thought of doing, too. Sing to my fowl, sing to my garden, sing to the pond-to-be-reborn...

[amaebi]

OMG, if we in the US could learn that kind of respect for our world and all its creatures.

I love the joist joints in particular.

[asakiyume]

Now it's itching in the back of my mind to think if I know any childhood songs that come close to doing this. Off the top of my head, not really! But one that does come to mind--still not really close, but it popped in--was oats and beans and barley grow (I had to search a bit to find a version that had the tune I know; the top-showing videos have a different tune.)

It's descriptive rather than direct address, and what I like so much about the Timorese songs is that they're direct address. Still, it's something sort of in the same direction...