Gunung Tona (ɡu.nuŋ to.na)
"I pity those whose underworlds are under the sea or the ground. Who want to be buried or drowned after this life? I much prefer to be going into the mists of Gunung Tona."
Gunung Tona is the highest point on the island of Sela. It is located a little southwest of the island's center, and is part of the narrow range of mountains that runs the length of Sela from northwest to southeast. It is well known for the mists which wreathe the mountaintop throughout the year. According to legend, the spirits of the ancestors live in the mists above Gunung Tona, and can watch the events on the island below whenever they wish.
In order for their spirit to join the ancestors atop the mountain, a person's body must be brought to Gunung Tona after death. They practice a form a sky burial, where the body is placed upon a high cliff and allowed to decay in the open air. It is important that the deceased be placed somewhere that only birds might access, and not other animals. Birds are believed to help carry the spirit of the dead across into the mists, while other animals could drag the spirit back to the world below. If this happens, it is feared that the spirit will become an Ano Ngora, a malevolent ghost which devours all the food it can reach in order to fill the void within. While food eaten by an Ano Ngora seems to be normal, it can no longer sustain life. People who eat food tainted by the Ano Ngora have been known to starve with full stomachs.
Notable Spirits
The mountain and the mists above it are ruled over by Tuma Tona, the guardian of the ancestors. Tuma Tona manifests as an ancient man with legs and feet of stone, and an upper body made of clouds and shadows. The birds of the mountain are Tuma Tona's eyes and ears, and they carry the spirits of the ancestors to the god. He then swallows them, and they pass into the afterlife above the mountain. Tuma Tona is responsible for the separation of the living and the dead, and guards against those who would seek to enter the realm where they do not belong. However, he can be persuaded to permit messages to pass through. Those who wish to communicate with the dead will make a sacrifice to the god (usually of a goat) and allow the birds of the mountain to feast upon it. While they eat, the petitioner must speak to the birds, telling them who they wish to contact and what they wish to say. If they are lucky and the god agrees, the birds can carry the message into the land of mists and deliver it, and return with a response. Mynah birds are particularly desirable for this duty, as they can repeat the words of the dead clearly, while other birds can convey much vaguer messages.
Geography
Gunung Tona looms over the forests, with its upper slopes covered in mists. The slopes are steep and difficult to climb, and the inhabitants only ascend to perform funeral rites. Bringing the bodies to the remote locations preferred for sky burial is often a difficult challenge, but one that they have long experience with. Several rivers cascade down the mountain, cutting deep valleys through the lower regions and into the foothills.
Geographic Details
Location: Southern RegionLatitude: 1.79 degrees South
Longitude: 19.75 degrees West
Elevation: 4,469 ft
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This article was originally written for Spooktober 2024. You can find all of my Spooktober Articles at Spooktober Central.
This article was originally written for Spooktober 2023. You can find all of my Spooktober Articles at Spooktober Central.
This place sounds enchanting. I particularly like the concept of the Ano Ngora, their effects, and that a body being consumed by any creatures but birds is thought to make this happen. Are any of these spiritual beliefs inspired by real world parallels, or are they completely your original thoughts? Either way, I'm fascinated.
Sky burial is practiced in various cultures around the world, and the Ano Ngora bear a little debt to the "Hungry Ghost" myth (although in that I took the name, and didn't look up the rest of the myth). I'm glad you are enjoying it!