For a Smapux, everything exists in its place naturally. “It is natural even mudslide goes to your house.”
Dondon’s great grandmother used to be a registered high-spiritual Smapux in Japanese-occupied period. With the inheritance in his blood and training he gets from Smapux in Tkijin village, Dondon officially ‘receives spirits’ in early 2016 and exercises as a true
Smapux which includes practicing traditional medical ceremony, showing medical power and being a presenter of ‘life of medicine’.
“The meaning of receiving spirits is to connect human beings on the earth and the spirits in the heaven.” Dondon randomly explains several ceremonies and worship words Smapux uses to us. The most impressive one for me is what Pangan phrling refers to:
“It is a prayer to ancestors’ spiritual power.”
“ ‘Pinching’ it from ancestors would allow you to understand the world of nature and ancestors. It would open your eyes to see everything, and the secrets of all. You would have abilities and vocabularies to express those worlds and secrets you see.”
As other tribes, there is no word of ‘artist’ in Tongmon village and Truku tribe. The other word Dondon finds, Seejiq mpseeusa, refers to ‘people who invent or upgrade techniques, or express it percisely in words.’ The more straightforward meaning is ‘people who show direction’.
Whether he’s an artist who only attends his own virtue and development, or a Smapux who wants to live and thrive with his people, Dondon’s practice and search are made for “pinching the once-broken thread and passing it down”. He indicates that the final pattern of weaving and rattan plaiting is always a circle. It is like “we are moving forward to the same direction. It is an original contract. The difference is whether you feel such a power in our lives.”
“The contemporary of our ancestors is our tradition. In traditional spirit, art is to create continuously and not to stick to certain form. As you meet all qualifications also understand the definition, you can practice it in this way. Therefore, no matter how heavy your makeup is, wearing traditional outfits or not, with whatever name you have, you are a Truku.”