RAYMOND KOMIS GIRANA
An entry in the Crocodile Prize
Cleland Family Award for Heritage Writing
TSUTSU, which means cleansing by water in the Buka languages, is one of the traditional practices common to the people of Bougainville.
In the past, tsutsu was only applied to born chiefs to show the value and the respect of the people towards chiefs.
In the Catholic Church, of course, foot washing is incorporated into the Mass, especially on Holy Thursday, and parishes choose to dramatise it as a powerful symbol.
It has its scriptural roots in the thirteenth chapter of John’s Gospel which tells the story of how Jesus washes his disciples’ feet.
As I come from a culture that practices tsutsu, I am always struck by that Mass on Holy Thursdays with its Christian meaning of humble service and its traditional Buka meaning of welcome, respect and humility.
In New Zealand, the Maori’s ceremonial practice of rubbing noses known as hongi is also a ritual of encounter and it symbolises peace and unity between the two parties.
I was told by a Maori friend that hongi also symbolises oneness amongst people. When people press their noses against one another in the Maori culture, they breathe in one another’s spirit becoming as one and confirming peace between them.
In the ancient world, the washing of the feet was a task reserved for the lowest slave of the house. The washing of the disciples’ feet by Christ, an act of humility, contradicted what was normal practice and provided us with a notion of transformation.
The Buka practice of tsutsu goes back to time immemorial. Nowadays, it is no longer restricted to chieftains. The master to slave or a bikman to liklikman notion has been eroded. Today it is practiced regardless of status and anyone is allowed to share in the act.
What is preserved and maintained is the concept of welcoming ones’ spirit and casting off foreign spirits through the washing of the feet.
It was common in the past that when chiefs left their village to visit a foreign place, they would be welcomed upon return with containers of water indicating welcome while washing away spirits that might cause harm to the chief and the community.
Bomai Witne’s article, Exchanging bilums: wedding symbolises national unity, expressed the significance of the promise and the bond between couples in marriage.
National unity is rooted first and foremost in marriage and the nuclear family, which form the basis of a national community. The wedding is also symbolic of oneness.
In a democratic society, the priority is the common good. As power is vested in the people, full participation by each citizen is everyone’s role and duty. If we are humble and empowered to work for the good of all in the community, then our world can be transformed.
I am glad that tsutsu has reached a point where it is no longer restricted to chiefs but is available to ordinary people. Accepting such changes is a sign of good and positive leadership.
I am sure we can learn many good practices from our traditional cultures as we continue to build our communities as a family: for our own betterment and for the good of all.