Who is Datagaliwabe?
As much as been talked about Datagaliwabe throughout Hela, nearest provinces and even PNG. Let me take you to who really is this so called “Datagaliwabe”. The Huli have a mixture of myths that explain the origins of the gods, clan founders and the creation of humans, pigs, possums, birds and other vital components of huli life.
The Huli believe that in the beginning, there was land and the deities. The deities, such as Ni and Hana, the sun and moon deities, live in the sky. The Datagaliwabe, the Huli High God was the original supreme male deity to come from the sky who created the land and other deities. He was replaced by Honabi wali, the demiurge from whom all life flowed, and her children, Ni and Hana, who are the focus …show more content…
One of the prophecies that has come to pass is the “Gigira Laitebo” legend called “Kwai Topo”. The wise men of Hela spoke many generations ago in their legend that their land possessed the “Gigira Laitebo” or “everlasting fire”, and that one day this “light or flame” would so shine that the faraway lands would be attracted by it and they would come to their door step. Today the people of Hela are seeing the man with the orange legs from the faraway lands trying to take the fire from …show more content…
Ni is a creator deity who rejuvenates the fertility of the earth and increases the abundance of life for his children, Ni honowini. One of the Ni honowini is the famous huli legend of “Baya Baya” who was regarded as Jesus came down to the earth and stayed among the huli people. Prophecy states that, the descendent from Ni honowini would one day will come and light up the caves and tunnels of the Hela Province. The huli ancestors had spoken that when that day come, it would be the signs of the last days.
Many Huli believe that bible stories were paralleled with Huli legends, to the extent that some became convinced that their ancestors had somehow received the biblical message before even the missionaries came, which resulted in many questions about Church history. Early Methodist missionaries regarded Datagaliwabe as the guardian of the Huli code of ethics and therefore adopted his name for Yahweh. Even though all Christian churches have now adopted the word “Ngode for God”, Datagaliwabe is still equated with Yahweh or God by many Huli Christians