Baramu language

Overview

The name Baramu covers three tribes: the eastern tribe Odag or Odai (Yahud) composed of Madame, Wederehiamo, Tirio (Madir) villages, the middle tribe (Levi) composed of Baramu and Tapila villages and the western tribe (Benei) composed of Lewada, Suame and Bitur villages (Gomoga 2007). These tribes are located on the southern banks of the Fly River, between Kouoro and Bitur rivers (Gomoga 2007).

The Baramu speaking people use dugout outrigger canoes for everyday activities such as fishing, hunting and transportation and until the mid-twentieth century, the tribes and clans living in villages typically consisted of a single communal thatched-roof longhouse.

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History

About the mid-century, the Baramu speaking tribes were reduced to just one (1) village that had only one (1) long house due to the battles against the neighboring tribes. To the east with the Kiwai (Zebus) speaking tribes, to the west with Suki (Kamakaram) and Bine speaking tribes (Benei) who called themselves "Headhunters" and to the south with Gidra and Abom speaking tribes. The three (3) Baramu speaking tribes combined as one (1) man and eventually drove out the warriors from the east and the southern tribes and with the help from the Gogodala warriors, Baramu speaking tribe eventually subdued the Headhunters at Kaisaware, Zair (Somogi) Island and saved Weredai or Were (Kiunum) speaking tribe from been annihilated from the tribes in Western Province (Gomoga, 2007).

From oral histories, the Baramu speaking ancestors were part of the other tribes, the Gogodala to the north across the fly river, Kiwai to the east, the Weredai or Were (Kiunum) and Suki (Kamakaram) towards the west and the Bine, Gidra and Abom speaking tribes to the south. Baramu speakers trace their lineage to the original members of the tribe who settled in the area after the break away from Iyasa or Isa (Israel) and Samari (Samara) villages, Kiwai Islands. All of the tribes in Western Province trace their lineage to the two (2) boats which their ancestors used to travel to Western Province, Papua New Guinea (Wilde 2004). It is said that these original boats are still intact, but hidden (Gomoga, 2007).

The Baramu tribes have a tribe-based kinship system and trace their origins to the three (3) tribes said to originate from their ancestors (Wilde 2004). It is said that when King Solomon knew that Jerusalem was to be destroyed, he ordered eleven (11) copies of the Ark of the Covenant Box be made and filled with gold, brass and iron. These copies with the original were put on twelve (12) boats and sent across the globe. Three (3) boats were destined for Papua New Guinea, however, only two (2) made it because one (1) sunk at the port of departure (Gomoga, 2007).

With the knowledge of Ezras, the earth been round, some of the 12 boats went east across the Sokara (Indian Ocean) to Dese (Australia) where the Australian Aborigines were left and eventually into Papua New Guinea and West Papua. From Papua New Guinea, Solomon Islands and Fijians went further east. The boats that went west, sailed across the Atlantic Ocean and into America and there American Aborigines (Native Indians) settled, however, the Samoans, Tongans and Maoris travel further west eventually rejoining the boats that traveled east and settled in New Zealand (Gomoga, 2007). These were the first Israeli tribes that went out from Israel before the slave trade (mostly of the Israeli tribes) in the 1600 to the 1800.

Within each of the three (3) tribes, people are further divided into eight (8)-clans, which trace their lineage back to the primary ancestors and tribes. The premise of this tribal system is a marriage practice that continues to be organized along the lines of a prescribed tribe exchange system adhering to bloodlines and referred to as 'sister-exchange and the men are not allowed to intermarry within their own tribes but are allowed to take wives from the other two (2) tribes and exchange sisters. The bloodlines are kept sacred (Wilde 2004, Gomoga 2007).

The eight (8) clans are divided according to the tribes, the Umaidi and Pidimo clans belong to the Odag or Odei tribe (Yahud), Idudmo, Bugumo and Ebaimo clans belong to the middle tribe (Levi) and Binamon, Banarom and Tapamo clans belong to the western tribe (Benei) (Gomoga 2007). Moreover, it is said that all plants and creatures on the land, fish and creatures of the seas and the birds and creatures of the air are classified according to these eight clans and these clans have their own eight colours (Gomoga, 2007).

The Bible and the Tribes

When the first Unevangelized Field Mission (UFM) missionaries from the London Mission Society (LMS) came into Papua New Guinea, they settled at Madiri and begun to teach the tribe the Biblical History (Torah) and the Gospel. The tribes recognized the Biblical History (Torah), however, the elders rejected it because they found that the Biblical History (Torah) had been tempered with and the missionaries were teaching half the truth. There is a tribal punishment for people spreading half truths and lies. Why would the creator be really angry and banish Adam and Eve from the Garden of Eden? I was told that after Eve ate of the tree of knowledge she committed a sexual sin with the fallen angel who seduced her and later Adam took part in a sexual orgy. The tribal elders executed the tribal punishment on the missionaries wife and she visited many of the elders around the tribe. For this reason the LMS moved their missionaries from Madiri to Wasuwa and eventually into Balimo (Gomoga, 2007). I was told by the elders that apart from the Torah, there are other ancient books that give these histories in detail (Gomoga, 2007).

Today the tribe still awaits the true Biblical History account and the Gospel and believe that only the truth will set them free.

Baramu is Papuan language of New Guinea.