The Da'a people are identified as having physical characteristics and non-Austronesian culture. This strongly indicates that the island of Sulawesi was inhabited by modern humans long before the arrival of the Austronesian peoples on the island of Sulawesi around 5,000 years ago. Judging from the facial structure, some of the Da'a people resemble Papuans, who are among the early migration groups from the African continent. They arrived in the Indonesian Archipelago around 50,000 years ago. Most likely, the Da'a people are indeed an Austromelanesoid group with the characteristics of pygmies (short stature), curly hair, and dark skin.[2][3]
The staple food of the Da'a people in the lowlands is rice, which is grown in fields cleared in the forest on the mountain slopes. They call rice plants nyi'i, while rice grains is called ose, which in the Kaili language is called pae. The dryland rice planting cycle is one harvest per year. While waiting for the rice harvest, if the Da'a people are short of food, they also look for sago, kasubi (cassava), toku (sweet potato), talas, and loka (banana). Sago is usually obtained from damp river valleys, while cassava, sweet potatoes, and taro are planted around rice fields. During the rice harvest, they hold a thanksgiving ceremony called vunja. They harvest the rice using a planer (ani-ani). After that, the rice is tied and dried on para-para made of bamboo.
The Da'a people raise manu (chicken), vavu (pig) for consumption, and keep asu (dog) for hunting activities. Unlike the Kaili people in general, they do not know about buffalo livestock. In the beliefs of the Da'a people, the most valuable animal is the pig, which is used as a dowry in wedding ceremonies. The Da'a people also hunt in the forest, especially hunting anoa, wild boar, and birds. The weapons used for hunting are sopu (blowpipe), machete, bamboo spear, and harpoon with a stone tied to a rope (harpon).[4][5]
Language
The language used by the Da'a people is classified as a dialect of the Kaili language, namely the Da'a dialect (Da'a Kaili).[6] The Da'a Kaili is related to other languages found in Central Sulawesi, especially to the Kaili–Pamona languages.[7]
Culture
The Da'a culture differs from Austronesian culture, which does not recognize buffalo domestication like the neighboring Toraja people. They also feared the sea and were completely unfamiliar with boatbuilding, a stark contrast to Austronesian cultures, which possessed maritime expertise. However, despite having non-Austronesian cultural characteristics, the Da'a people are grouped as speakers of Austronesian languages, related to other indigenous peoples in Sulawesi.[1][8]
Traditional house
The traditional house of the Da'a people is a high stilt house called sou langa (high house). This stilt house is built on bamboo poles that are about 4–15 m above ground level. In the past, their houses were built on top of a tree (tree house) made of hard wood with a straight main trunk and many horizontal branches, such as the ketapang tree which has a height of 7–20 m. The floor is made of woven bamboo, the walls are made of planks, and the roof is made of woven coconut leaves. Sometimes, there's a small terrace around the entrance stairs. The house is usually divided into two, the front part functions as a room for receiving guests and the parents' bedroom, while the back of the house usually functions as a kitchen and children's bedroom. To build or complete a tall house, it usually takes about seven days, which can be done by just one person.[5][9]
To determine the right day to build a house, look at the direction of the moon, the supporting pillars and the house must not face away from the sun because the sun is the source of life for them. The number of steps must be odd, the Da'a people believes that God likes odd numbers, so this house made entirely from natural materials with an area of 2×2 meters will be blessed. This tree house, which can last up to 1 year, is very small, but its purpose is only for sleeping because they live on the move to work the fields.[9]
Traditional clothing
The traditional clothing of the Da'a people is made from bark taken from white trees, also known as malo. The bark that will be made into clothing is hit with a hitting stone called an batu ike. The bark beater is made of fired clay stone and is taken from a special location (rock outcrop) in the mountainous region. Unlike other Kaili-speaking people, the Da'a people does not know the traditions of weaving (tenun) and beading.[10]
In the past, the Da'a people followed animism, believing in the existence of spirits. Burials for deceased family members were held in the forest. The bodies were buried in wooden coffins complete with clothing. Due to the transient nature of their dwellings, there are no traces of ancient Da'a burials. In their tradition, if a member dies, they will move from the village to avoid being disturbed by the spirit of the deceased.[11]
The Da'a people began to be settled by the Social Services in the lowland areas around 1986. Settlement in permanent villages is carried out with the aim of reducing shifting agricultural activities which have the potential to reduce the area of protected forests. In that year, they began to practice a religion recognized by the Indonesian government. The Da'a people who live in West Sulawesi are mostly Protestantism, while the Da'a people who live in Central Sulawesi are mostly Islam.[12]
The mumpakoni ceremony is a mandatory ceremony before building a treehouse for the Da'a people. Despite their religious beliefs, animism remains strong among they. There are offerings that must be prepared before the ceremony: lime, areca nut, boiled eggs, betel, and gambier. These offerings symbolize various aspects of life and the heart. In the process of building a tree house, it is usually done in a group and is done on a certain day which is believed to bring blessings.[5]
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