MW6-044 - Interview with Vincent ToLiman, Toma

Tape#1: Traditional Tolai Composition, Song and Dance explained by Vincent ToLiman with supporting comments of Julie ToLiman of Toma. Side A: A "Tena Buai" in its concept and practice applies to a variety of traditional songs and dances namely; Libung, Vutung, Parpari, Pinpidik, Patete, Kulau. The Libung (groups of dancers forming two lines "papa ra vat or two rows of four) for instance is similar in the sounds of singing, theme and style of dancing to the Tubuan but preparation is more public and village based whereas the Tubuan (one dancer) is secretive and from the bush version of song and dance. The "tena buai" is linked to the spiritual world and known as "turangan" where the melodies and inspiration to the traditional dances possesses spiritual connection in the practice of singing and dancing in the particular type of dance prepared and performed to an audience. The "tena buai" follows a practice that each type of dance has a particular line and style of performance from "bita buai" or its foundation. So there is an element of specialisation and identity to that style, sounds, theme and practice of that particular type of dance. The foundation of these dances were and how they are being practiced in Toma area has historical connection to Reimber area of the North Coast of the Gazelle Peninsula. The sones and dances were actually bought and acquired by grandfather, William ToLiman, the paramount chief "Luluai" of Toma clans from Tade Pilipo, paramount chief in the Reimber clans. They were adopted through traditional exchange of significant amounts of rings of shell money to obtain possession of these various songs and dances. The "bita buai" as spiritual foundation is either "ToInara" or "ToPuapuongo" so what was acquired by paramount chief ToLiman was ToInara. Other clans acquired ToPuapuongo also in the Toma area like ToGuria from Rabagi. The ToInara "bita buai" were a package for "buai na malagene" (dances), "malira" (love charm to attracting women". "matmat or tabatabar" (sourcery or poisen for killing people). The process of the acquisition was about 8 selective clansmen led by ToLiman and met with Tade Pilipo and his clansmen to release, train and demonstrate these songs and dances through spiritual connection on a "loga" or alter sent to the spirits of origin of ToInara. It was was the symbol of musicianship linked to ToInara through a big snake to send from North Coast to Toma through the 8 men present to continue as "tena buai" and passing on to next generations include Vincent as a beneficiary and participant of this art and music culture as "buai na minamai". It represents identity and ownership of the ToLiman clan and the art of song and dance becomes like copyright with permission and privileges authorised by ToLiman clan in Toma area. The style, theme and melodies of these ToInara songs and dances will be identical to where it came from and maintained so is recognisable at performances and any copying of these attracts heavy fines traditionally. Any transaction to use these songs and dances will be by set price of shell money and not negotiable. In preparations and performances the leader of the dances usually perform magic or "malira" for attraction by the audience or onlookers. It is referred to a "a gugu" or "langoron" where it presents itself as best liked performances and entertainment to everyone. ToLiman's principle however was pure and actual performance demonstrated to see the quality of song and dance from its creation, preparation and presenting to the audience its attractiveness and power of traditional art and culture. Side B: The pre-dancing performance practice referred to as "a gugu" is separate from the actual dancing performance. Its the painting of dancer's bodies for colouring with common substances of "tar" for red colour, "bubu", "kavavar". The type of items held in hands for the dancing "inaba" helps in the style and practice of dancing "mapina". Inviting and displaying the spiritual power through use of "tegete" and "midal" in the dressing and presentation of dancers. The young coconut juice is used with other magical substances are used by dance leaders or frontliners to spit to the air, to the ground and everywhere whilst waving what they are holding. So the "gugu" is an attraction pulling people to like the dancing and repellent for external forces trying to destroy the dancing through magical means or "malira". Each form or type of dance is unique in beats, melody, pattern or arrangement of song and performance but is always systematic in its nature. The composer of the dance is the mastermind of the performance of song and dance "malagene" and is referred to as "kabiloko" or its metaphor is "spiderweb due to its art of fitting in beats, words, pattern sound, melody of performance in orderly and systematic manner. The "malagene" or traditional song and dance is structured in a format of pattern and tone set for performance in the order of how dance is presented namely; "kao", patapata", a ur" and "mapina". The process of the "malangene" from its movement and arrangement is in the format of 4 men/women line positions of the two rows of left and right for total eight dancers with 1st row "vavaluai", 2nd "a kikip", 3rd "a butur" and 4th "mur bat" and can apply to whichever type of dance performance described earlier. Each dancer will be acknowledged earlier for their part by a "varlapang" with "buai" and "kakulai" as traditional practice. A "kakulai" is a yellow leaf type ( 3 or 4 leaves tips) which is traditionally more significant to the everyday "daka" that goes with buai chewing. This is well prepared before the performance event called "a vartak". A first time type of dance performance is called " a puar kulau" but all the patterns and styles are consistent over the generations in the ToInara song and dance practice from "tena buai", "bita buai", "buai na malagene" process in Tolai song and dance art and culture. The dance performance pattern goes in the process from the two lines moving from back to the front in the order of "garagarana" or introduction, "vatutuk" or next stage prelude to "olaolo" or actual main dancing with optional extension of dancing of "vangvanguna" as seen relevant by composer. The dancers are prepared and selected on level of skill so it is an honour if you pass the test. The outcome of the performance whether excellent, outstanding, average or poor is easily assessed and picked up by a Tolai and is a reflection of credibility and wisdom of the composer, dancers alike and overall the status of the clan where it originates. If you are tagged as "a melem", you are acknowledged for the art of song and dance outstanding or excellent performance, then you are held in high esteem by the Tolai society and the credit given is recognised. (Steven Gagau, January 2019). Language as given:磁带1：文森特·托利曼（Vincent ToLiman）讲解的传统托莱人（Tolai）创作、歌谣与舞蹈，附托马（Toma）地区朱莉·托利曼（Julie ToLiman）的补充评述。 A面：“特纳布艾（Tena Buai）”的概念与实践涵盖多种传统歌舞形式，具体包括Libung、Vutung、Parpari、Pinpidik、Patete、Kulau。例如Libung（舞者排成两列“papa ra vat”，即四人为一行的两列），其歌唱音色、舞蹈主题与风格均与图布安舞（Tubuan）相近，但前者的筹备流程更具公共性，以村落为基础开展；而图布安舞仅由一名舞者表演，流程隐秘，源自丛林版本的歌舞。 “特纳布艾”与精神世界相关联，又被称为“图兰甘（turangan）”。在为观众筹备并表演的特定舞蹈类型中，传统歌舞的旋律与创作灵感与舞蹈实践存在精神联结。“特纳布艾”遵循统一范式：每类舞蹈均源自“比塔布艾（bita buai）”，拥有专属的表演线条与风格。因此，该类舞蹈的风格、音色、主题与实践均带有专业化与身份标识属性。 这些歌舞的起源以及其在托马地区的传承实践，与加泽尔半岛北海岸的赖姆贝尔（Reimber）地区存在历史渊源。托马氏族的最高酋长“卢卢艾（Luluai）”威廉·托利曼（William ToLiman）从赖姆贝尔氏族的最高酋长塔德·皮利波（Tade Pilipo）处购得这些歌舞。双方通过传统交易，以大量贝币环作为交换信物，最终获得这些歌舞的所有权。 “比塔布艾”作为精神基石，分为“托伊纳拉（ToInara）”与“托普阿普翁戈（ToPuapuongo）”两类，托利曼酋长购得的是“托伊纳拉”。托马地区的其他氏族，例如来自拉巴吉（Rabagi）的托古里亚（ToGuria）氏族，则获得了“托普阿普翁戈”。“托伊纳拉”的“比塔布艾”包含三大类内容：“布艾纳马拉格内（buai na malagene）”（舞蹈）、“马里拉（malira）”（吸引女性的爱情符咒）、“马特马特（matmat）”或“塔巴塔巴尔（tabatabar）”（用于杀人的巫术或毒药）。 获取该类歌舞的流程如下：托利曼率领8名经过遴选的氏族成员，与塔德·皮利波及其族人会面，通过“洛加（loga）”——即供奉起源神灵的祭坛——进行精神联结，以此传授、演示这些歌舞。一条巨蛇是与“托伊纳拉”相关的乐舞象征符号，由8名随行男子从北海岸送至托马，以此延续“特纳布艾”的传承，并将该艺术代代相传——文森特作为该乐舞文化的受益者与参与者，以“布艾纳米纳迈（buai na minamai）”的身份参与其中。这代表了托利曼氏族的身份与所有权，托马地区的托利曼氏族授权的歌舞使用许可与特权，类似现代版权制度。此类“托伊纳拉”歌舞的风格、主题与旋律均与原产地保持一致，得以在演出中被辨识；任何未经授权的复制都将招致传统意义上的重罚。使用此类歌舞需按照固定的贝币价格进行交易，不得议价。 在筹备与表演阶段，舞蹈领队通常会施展法术或“马里拉”，以吸引观众或旁观者。该仪式被称为“阿古古（a gugu）”或“兰戈隆（langoron）”，旨在呈现最受欢迎的表演与娱乐效果。但托利曼的理念则纯粹且务实：通过实际表演展现歌舞从创作、筹备到呈现给观众的全过程，彰显传统艺术与文化的吸引力与力量。 B面：被称为“阿古古”的舞前表演仪式，与正式的舞蹈表演相互独立。该仪式包括用“塔尔（tar）”（焦油，用于绘制红色妆容）、“布布（bubu）”、“卡瓦瓦尔（kavavar）”等常见材料为舞者身体彩绘。舞蹈时手持的道具“伊纳巴（inaba）”，有助于塑造舞蹈风格与实践范式。在舞者的装扮与呈现环节，通过使用“泰格泰（tegete）”与“米达尔（midal）”来召唤并展示精神力量。 椰青汁与其他巫术材料，会被舞蹈领队或前排舞者喷洒至空中、地面与各处，同时挥舞手中的道具。因此，“阿古古”仪式兼具吸引观众喜爱舞蹈与抵御试图以巫术手段破坏歌舞的外力的双重作用。 每一种舞蹈形式在节拍、旋律、编排或表演结构上均独具特色，但整体始终遵循系统性范式。舞蹈的创作者是歌舞表演“马拉格内（malagene）”的核心策划者，被称为“卡比洛科（kabiloko）”，其隐喻为“蜘蛛网”——因其能将节拍、歌词、音响编排与表演旋律以有序且系统的方式整合统一。 “马拉格内”即传统歌舞，其表演结构遵循固定的范式与音调，舞蹈呈现顺序依次为：“考（kao）”、“帕塔帕塔（patapata）”、“阿乌尔（a ur）”与“马皮纳（mapina）”。“马拉格内”的动作与编排范式，要求8名舞者分为左右两列，每列4人，具体站位为：第一排“瓦瓦卢艾（vavaluai）”、第二排“阿基基普（a kikip）”、第三排“阿布图尔（a butur）”、第四排“穆尔巴特（mur bat）”，该编排适用于前文提及的所有舞蹈表演类型。 按照传统习俗，会通过“瓦拉潘（varlapang）”与“布艾”、“卡卡莱（kakulai）”来确认每位舞者的职责。“卡卡莱”是一种黄色叶片（取3-4片叶尖），在日常咀嚼“布艾”（槟榔）的习俗中具有特殊意义。该准备工作会在名为“阿瓦塔克（a vartak）”的表演活动前完成。 首次上演的舞蹈表演被称为“普阿尔库劳（a puar kulau）”，但自“特纳布艾”“基石”“马拉格内”流程以来，托莱人歌舞艺术中的“托伊纳拉”歌舞实践，其范式与风格历经数代始终保持一致。舞蹈表演的流程遵循如下顺序：两列舞者从后场移至前场，依次为“加拉加拉纳（garagarana）”（开场介绍）、“瓦图图克（vatutuk）”（下一个阶段的序曲）、“奥拉奥洛（olaolo）”（正式主舞），创作者可根据需要添加“万格万古纳（vangvanguna）”（舞段延伸）作为可选环节。 舞者的选拔与筹备基于其技艺水平，通过考核者将获得荣誉。表演效果无论优秀、杰出、一般还是拙劣，托莱人均能轻易辨识，这直接反映了创作者与舞者的信誉与智慧，以及其所属氏族的整体地位。若被冠以“梅莱姆（a melem）”的称号，则代表其歌舞表演杰出或优秀，将在托莱社会中获得极高的尊崇，其贡献也会得到认可。（史蒂文·加高（Steven Gagau），2019年1月）