Gunung Buku (ɡu.nuŋ bu.ku)

"Every stone within Gunung Buku is a memory and a story, placed there by the grandmothers. That is how vast our tradition is."

— from the tale of Suma Afolangi

Gunung Buku is the highest point in the Nofo Islands, located on the island of Labiruta. It is located in the central part of the island, and is one of the most culturally significant locations to the Mangimoi of the former Kingdom of Biku. Hundreds of shrines to their ancestors can be found on its slopes, and it is believed to contain their entire history, written deep within the stones themselves. The name "Gunung Buku" roughly means "Mountain of Stories". It is also sometimes known as "Gunung Suma", which means "Grandmother Mountain", for the important role the grandmothers of Labiruta play in the preserving and passing on the tales and the histories.

Notable Spirits

The Hyang of Gunung Buku is called Suma Afolangi, which roughly means Grandmother Storykeeper. Among the people of Labiruta, it is the role of grandmothers to remember and pass on the stories of their family and their people to the children. Similarly, it is the role of Suma Afolangi to gather and preserve those stories, so that they are not forgotten or lost accidentally, and to return them to the people when they need them. Every year, the sacred holiday of Fongara Moi draws the grandmothers of the island to the base of the mountain to tell their stories to Suma Afolangi. Many of the storytellers are accompanied by their families, and children are especially welcome, so that they can listen to as many of the tales as possible. The stories will be a mix of new tales gathered over the last year, and old ones that recall the lives of their honored ancestors, told and retold many times over. According to the legend, Suma Afolangi takes each tale told and makes it into a stone, which she places within the mountain. Some even say that if you visit the echo of Gunung Buku within the Dream, holding the stones will let you hear and even see the story buried within.

Geography

Gunung Buku dominates the central region of Labiruta, and can be seen from nearly every part of the island. It was a volcano once, but has long been inactive. The mountainside is steep and rugged, with tropical forest covering it wherever the trees could take root. Several streams and rivers wind their way down the slope, and the people have constructed dozens of paths that climb the mountainside to gain access to the ancestral shrines built beneath canopy.

Alternative Name(s)

Gunung Suma

Type

Mountain / Hill

Location under

Labiruta

Geographic Details

Location: Southern Region
Latitude: 0.03 degrees North
Longitude: 16.18 degrees West 
Average Elevation: 417 ft
Highest Point: 6,749 ft

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