The Legend of Laowomaru

Definition, social function, and structure

Narrative fiction is an imaginative story text. Indicator 6.6.1 asks you to describe its definition, purpose, and features ([A] 11–12).

Its social function, in this unit, is to tell a legend and carry a moral. The student guide asks you to identify the communicative purpose and social function of a narrative ([S] 13). The guide’s worksheet also asks for the social function, but it does not print an answer key ([G] 39).

The generic structure used for this fiction text is orientation, complication, and resolution ([A] 33; [S] 13). Reorientation or coda is included when a text has it ([G] 40).

Language features

The guide asks the teacher to explain ciri kebahasaan, but the four source books do not list grammar items such as a tense table. This page only names what the sources themselves name.

Narrative texts use direct speech, or dialogue. The Laowomaru reflection asks whether you know the impact of a dialog or direct speech in a story ([A] 34). In the legend, speech shows the ritual rule, Haria’s request, and the secret of the nine hairs.

The reading texts tell events as something that already happened. Time phrases in the Buku Ajar include “Long ago”, “One day”, “Later in life”, and “Today”. A fuller grammar list still needs the partner’s materials.

Reading text

Long ago, a powerful ancestor of the Nias people was known as Sirao. According to the legend, Sirao had nine sons. One of them was Lahari, Laowomaru’s father. When Lahari was born, his navel was made of stone.

Lahari married Iwowotonasi, the daughter of a king who ruled the coast. They lived in harmony. They were not greedy, and they treated each other with respect. Their son was Laowomaru. He had thick hair, and nine strands of it were like iron. Those strands could not be cut. They gave him extraordinary strength and made him impervious to harm.

Because nothing could hurt him, Laowomaru began to take goods that were not his. He seized gold from merchants who came from distant lands, including merchants from Johor, and he hid the valuable things in a cave. People chased him, but he shook himself free. Even when they tied him, he stayed unharmed. What he did next is not shown.

He married Sihoi, and they had a son. The boy’s name was not kept, because people did not want to remember Laowomaru’s deeds. Laowomaru wanted to pass his invulnerability to his son. He heated a large iron pot and set a rule: the boy must look forward and must not look left or right. Someone called out about a big fish. The boy did not turn. The person called again about a boat of gold and silver. Desire made the boy turn. Because he broke the rule, he died. The comic leaves that moment off the page.

Laowomaru was devastated. He said he would pull Nias toward Sumatra so the sea could no longer separate the islands. Two companions helped him. They were not allowed to step backward. One companion, who held a grudge, stepped back on purpose. The pull failed. The portion of land that had moved became the cape called Lembaru. The companion was hurt and could not go on. Nias was never joined to Sumatra. They wept.

Laowomaru returned to taking other people’s goods. He also built a small canoe so he could fish and comfort Sihoi, who had grown sad and thin. One day, under a crescent moon, he rowed out, caught a large fish, and wanted to hurry home. A huge wave rose, and an enormous snake lifted its head. The snake was Haria, king of the snakes at the bottom of the sea. Haria said he had experienced nothing but suffering and asked to rest, using the canoe as a pillow. Laowomaru doubted the canoe would be comfortable, because Haria was so large. Haria made his body smaller and laid his head on the canoe.

What Laowomaru did next is not shown. Sihoi heard an incredible rumbling from their home. Laowomaru returned to the cave. They embraced. She was amazed by his courage. She kept asking for the secret of his strength. He told her: nine iron strands in his hair, and if they are pulled out he becomes an ordinary man. She swore to tell no one.

Months later, fifty merchant boats arrived from Johor. Laowomaru seized their treasures and fled to the cave. Working together, the merchants captured him and Sihoi. Sihoi was taken into the cave. Laowomaru was tied to a tree and stayed calm, because weapons could not pierce his skin. The merchants threatened Sihoi. What they did next is not shown. Frightened, she revealed the secret and broke her promise. They pulled out the nine strands. His strength disappeared. He was defeated and parted from Sihoi forever. When she learned that he had died, she wept and deeply regretted what she had done.