Pesegem's Animism
The valley in the western part of the Dani is also named after their language. The Wolo Dani dialect is spoken around the Wolo River on the slopes of Mount Piramid. The Kimbim Dani dialect is spoken around the Kimbim and Wosi rivers. The Ibele Dani dialect is spoken around the Bele River. The Aikhe Dani dialect is spoken around the Aikhe River. The Hablifuri Dani dialect is spoken in the Hablifuri area. The Dani people's religious foundation is honoring ancestral spirits and holding ceremonies centered on pig feasts. According to mythology, the Dani descend from a married couple who inhabited a lake near the Maina village in the South Baliem Valley. To honor their ancestors, the Dani create ancestral symbols called kaneka. The Dani people of South Baliem always strive to bring their ancestors' past into the present, a constant and relentless endeavor. The author's impression is that the mythology and historical conception of the people of Jayawi Jaya are full of symbolism, ...