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Over
the past 100 years the mass consumption of turtles at festivals
in Bali has increased rapidly. Once turtle meat was a
luxury and turtles were a non-ritualistic food. Traditionally
it was believed that the temple priest was only able to consume
turtle meat. As the wealth of the Balinese has increased demand
for turtles for ceremonies and everyday consumption has increased.
The current scarcity of turtles has forced turtle hunters and
traders travel as far as Timor and Irian Jaya to find their supplies.
The ten-day boat journey home to Bali has a high mortality rate
for captured turtles with losses up to 50% of the catch. Some
boat have the capacity to carry three hundred turtles and are
timed to return for important festivals and celebrations.
The Governor of Nusa Tenggara Barat banned the exploitation of
turtles for commercial consumption in 2002. Prior to this ruling
5000 turtles were consumed annually. This number has dropped to
500 for religious ceremonies. Some Moslem communities are involved
in the turtle trade but don't eat them due to religious prohibition
against animals that dwell in two realms.
In recent times the island of Serangan, Bali has become
a site of controversy. The island and its shallow waters
are the holding pens for hundreds of turtles captured during the
breeding season. These turtles are kept for temple festivals all
over the island. Turtles are required for Manusa Yadnya
- the core human rituals. They belong to a group of core sacrificial
animals used to celebrate the rites of passage when a child reaches
three months, for teeth filing, for marriage and death and during
Nyika, when the ashes are dispersed. Other animals in
this category include river turtles, geese, chickens, wild birds,
cows, pigs and dogs. At festival time these creatures are carried
three times around the shrine and then sacrificed. The people
of Benoa still remember a time when children were transported
around the temple on the back of a turtle and then the turtle
was released. The sacrifice of the turtle is a more recent interpretation
of religious laws.
In the isolated communities of Australia turtles have
always been linked to survival and ceremony. The meat
and eggs were an important source of protein and the turtle oil
was used as a medicine or tonic. Today a weekly ship may bring
these necessities but traditional hunting practices are still
important to the community. In the Torres Straits on special occasions
turtle meat and eggs are shared equally amongst the relatives
and friends of the hunters. Cooked on hot stones, Kup Maori
style; the freshly killed turtle is laid on its back, covered
with leaves and steamed all day.
Green turtles and Hawksbill turtles are valued for different purposes
with Prapa, Green turtle, being more hunted more than
any other species. There are traditions linked to turtle hunting.
During the turtle fest (mating seasons) when turtles
are at their fattest, nice fat young female turtles with bright
yellow throats and chests are the most highly sought. The
Migi Koebul, short tailed male can be caught but Gathaw
Warn, old man reef turtle is not eaten at all. Oonoewa,
Hawksbill turtle are less hunted because they can be poisonous
if the gall bladder and intestines are consumed. Pregnant women
are not allowed are not allowed to eat Hawksbill or the child
will become darnsika, mischievous. As the shell of the
Hawksbill is stronger and more beautiful than other turtles, it
is used for masks, fish hooks, bracelets and body ornaments.
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