Paiso, a ritual of calling the fish in Gorontalo
Believe it or not, there is an old tradition of catching fish in Gorontalo by calling it. This tradition is known as Paiso. It honestly does not sound right, but it is real and is still practiced in some remote villages in Gorontalo. One of the practicing communities is in East Tulabolo Village of Suwawa District, Bone Bolango.
The ritual of Paiso begins with some strict rules that everyone involved must follow. First, a group of people who want to catch fish forbid to eat from home. It means they have to leave their house with an empty stomach. When they reach the edge of the river, they must obey the rules, that is, stay quiet, except the handler who calls the fish until the rituals are over.
When the summons begins, the fish will come one by one in front of the handler who continues to call. At the same time, other group members joined in collecting fish that came to be put in a basket.
The fishermen who perform Paiso must also fulfill several conditions, namely not cleaning the fish in the evening and must consume all the fish without wasting it. They believe if this is not fulfilled, the fish will turn into dry wood, and it can be dangerous for those who eat it.
The Paiso tradition indeed has a strong connection with the Indigenous tradition of the Gorontalo people. There is wisdom behind the so-called myth of the fish turns to wood and dangerous to eat. In fact, it is sustainable efforts of taking only what we can finish.
The Paiso tradition has existed since ancestors and has been preserved for generations. Many of the handlers learned and was taught about the ritual of calling fish by their father or grandfather since their childhood. Therefore, it is vital to ensure their knowledge is preserved and transmitted to the next generations.
In modern times like today, Gorontalo people rarely perform the Paiso tradition when they want to catch fish. Many people consider Paiso to be a tradition that is close to shirk as it is opposite the Islamic teachings. They believe that the handlers are asking the help of spirits or demons to do the call. Therefore, there are only a few people who keep this tradition nowadays.
source: liputan6
When the summons begins, the fish will come one by one in front of the handler who continues to call. At the same time, other group members joined in collecting fish that came to be put in a basket.
The fishermen who perform Paiso must also fulfill several conditions, namely not cleaning the fish in the evening and must consume all the fish without wasting it. They believe if this is not fulfilled, the fish will turn into dry wood, and it can be dangerous for those who eat it.
The Paiso tradition indeed has a strong connection with the Indigenous tradition of the Gorontalo people. There is wisdom behind the so-called myth of the fish turns to wood and dangerous to eat. In fact, it is sustainable efforts of taking only what we can finish.
The Paiso tradition has existed since ancestors and has been preserved for generations. Many of the handlers learned and was taught about the ritual of calling fish by their father or grandfather since their childhood. Therefore, it is vital to ensure their knowledge is preserved and transmitted to the next generations.
In modern times like today, Gorontalo people rarely perform the Paiso tradition when they want to catch fish. Many people consider Paiso to be a tradition that is close to shirk as it is opposite the Islamic teachings. They believe that the handlers are asking the help of spirits or demons to do the call. Therefore, there are only a few people who keep this tradition nowadays.
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