Folklore from Central Sulawesi
ONCE upon a time in Tolitoli, Central Sulawesi, lived a man with his son in a hut.
The man’s name was Intobu and his son’s name was Impalak. Intobu’s wife passed away when Impalak was a baby.
Impalak was a diligent and obedient son. Intobu and Impalak were fishermen and they were poor. They did not have a big ship to go fishing. They only used a small sampan. They really wanted to have a big ship so they could have a lot of fish. The local people there named the big ship as bagga.
Impalak wanted to be rich. He asked permission from his father to leave him to find better life. Though it was very difficult, his father let him go. Impalak promised to his father that he would come back after he was rich.
Impalak went to a port. He saw a bagga or a sailboat. He came to the owner and said, “May I join you to sail in your bagga? I will work hard, Sir,” said Impalak.
The owner agreed. He let Impalak join his bagga. Impalak was happy. His dream to be a rich man would soon come true.
Impalak worked very hard. The bagga’s owner was very happy with him. Impalak was also skillful in fishing. After Impalak joined, they always got a lot of fish.
The bagga’s owner planned to ask Impalak to marry his daughter. So when they arrived in the bagga’s owner place, they held a wedding. Impalak’s dream really came true. He was a rich man and he had a big bagga!
Several years had passed, but Impalak never returned home. Sadly he already forgot his promise to his father.
In the mean time, Impalak’s father, Intobu, always thought of his son. Everyday he went to the port. Whenever a bagga came, he always looked for him. But he never found his son.
One day Impalak’s wife asked Impalak to sail in his bagga. Stormed attacked and it accidentally arrived in Impalak’s hometown.
Intobu saw a big bagga. He felt that Impalak was inside the bagga. And he was right! Impalak was there!
“Impalak? Impalak?“ said his father.
“I’m your father!”
“Who is that old man?” asked Impalak’s wife.
“I don’t know. Maybe he is just an old crazy man,” said Impalak.
Actually he recognized his father. But he was ashamed with his wife.
“Go away, you crazy man! You are not my father!” said Impalak.
“Impalak! Wait for me!” Intobu rowed his sampan. He wanted to meet his son.
However, Impalak asked his crew to leave. They left Intobu.
Intobu was very sad. He knew Impalak had already forgotten him. He prayed to God to punish him.
Again storm attacked Impalak’s bagga. This time it was very hard. Finally the bagga was stranded. Slowly the bagga turned into a big stone. Until now the stone is still in Tolitoli, Central Sulawesi. People named the stone as Bagga Stone. ***
The moral message in this story is about the importance of remembering one's roots and promises, and the consequences of neglecting one's family for the sake of wealth and pride. Here’s how you can express this moral in both languages:
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Moral Message:
The story of Impalak and his father, Intobu, teaches us the importance of honoring our promises and maintaining our connections with family. Even though Impalak achieved wealth and success, his neglect of his father and failure to return home led to a tragic end. It reminds us that true success is not just about personal gain but also about staying true to our commitments and valuing the relationships that matter most.
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