Since I was a kid, there were not only spooky and scary stories about suanggi (frightening ghosts) that filled my imagination, but also stories about a mysterious community in Halmahera, or more broadly, North Maluku. This community was believed to exist in the supernatural world and was known as ‘the people of Moro’. Stories about the people of Moro were often told to us as a way to stop us from playing or wandering too far from home.
The people of Moro
Based on the stories passed around the community, the people of Moro are a group of people who mysteriously disappeared and became invisible to humans. They have their own dimension. Their physical appearance is similar to that of human beings. However, there is a slight difference in their faces: they do not have the small groove between the nose and upper lip that humans normally have. The people of Moro also intentionally enter the human world and mingle with people in the community. They have a variety of dwelling places. Some people say that they live inside large rocks near the beach or inside large rocks near cliffs along rivers with waterfalls deep in the forests.
As frightening figures to young children, the people of Moro are often described in stories as beings who kidnap both children and adults. When they kidnap a child, they take the child into their own dimension and raise the child as their own. For adults, the reason is usually that the people of Moro like them and want to marry them. Once taken into their world, these adults never return to the human world.
In Halmahera, especially in Tobelo, there is a large river called Kali Mede, where the story of the people of Moro is believed to have originated. According to the stories told by our Elders, once upon a time, the people of Moro were a highly advanced civilisation. They had sophisticated technology, such as motorbikes, cars, and even planes and helicopters. Mysteriously, they disappeared after losing a war. Kali Mede is believed to be one of their dwelling places. Some stories say that people in the area sometimes hear the sound of drums and the footsteps of marching soldiers, as if an army were preparing to go to war.
Besides Kali Mede, there are many stories about the people of Moro in other places, including Morotai Island. In fact, many places on Morotai Island are considered haunted because they are believed to be dwelling places of the people of Moro. Many stories also say that people from Morotai Island have been kidnapped by the people of Moro. Some of those who were kidnapped managed to escape and return to the human world. According to their stories, when they were kidnapped or disappeared, they suddenly saw a strange and unfamiliar place and began walking towards it. However, as they approached, they suddenly became aware of what was happening, and the strange place disappeared. Others accidentally encountered mysterious strangers believed to be the people of Moro, who invited them to visit their homes. If someone lost awareness of their surroundings and followed these strangers into their homes, they would certainly disappear or be kidnapped. Even today, it is believed that some people from Morotai Island are still able to interact with the people of Moro.
The possessed girl
In my village, in Tobelo, there was a girl who was often possessed by the people of Moro. According to the villagers, the beings who possessed her were the good people of Moro. Every time the girl became possessed, people in my village would come to watch her. During these moments, some people who believed in the people of Moro used the opportunity to seek help with the difficulties they were facing in life. Some asked about their chances of starting a successful business. Others asked about their missing belongings and where they might find them. Some asked what medicine they should take for their illnesses. There were also many other questions about things that could not be explained by human logic.
There was a time when I also witnessed one of those nail-biting moments. That afternoon, while I was enjoying playing with my friends, the atmosphere suddenly became tense as villagers began walking quickly and whispering to one another. We could hear them whispering, “Anak itu so kemasukan lagi” (“That girl is possessed again”). We stopped playing and followed the villagers to the house where the possessed girl was.
As evening approached and more people gathered, the noise of the crowd gradually faded into silence. People spoke only in whispers, exchanging worried glances that showed their deep concern. The village felt quiet, with only the girl’s hoarse, low-pitched voice breaking the silence. Her eyes were sharp and wild as she stared around her. Her strange laughter caught everyone’s attention.
From behind the crowd, I tried to push my way to the front row, simply to satisfy my curiosity and wild imagination. As soon as I reached the front and was about to look at her, her piercing eyes seemed to have been waiting for me. For a split second, I froze as our eyes met. With a frightening smile, she looked at me and said, “Ngana pahe, pigi pulang sana, ngana pe mama ada cari tu” (“You naughty child, go home! Your mother is looking for you”). After seeing and hearing that, I turned around without saying a word and immediately ran away from the place.
Living together with others
Until now, the people of Moro remain mysterious, unseen beings among the people of Halmahera. Although their history remains unclear and no one has been able to scientifically prove their existence, some mythological literature suggests that they were once a community that isolated itself deep in the forests of Halmahera because they were frequently disturbed by Portuguese and Dutch colonisers. However, for the people of North Maluku, we believe that the people of Moro are also God’s creations, living in a different dimension from us human beings.
On the other hand, whether the people of Moro are real or not, their stories have greatly influenced my childhood. Without realising it, these stories helped shape my character and taught me to become a more cautious person, especially when exploring the forests or places far from home. The stories about the people of Moro living inside rocks, among the trees in the forests, and along the coastal headlands have brought us to a meaningful realisation: this universe does not belong only to us humans, but to all the beings that exist within it, including the people of Moro.
In the end, the chants and oral traditions passed down by our Elders since childhood have taught us the importance of protecting nature and not destroying it. They have also taught us to always be cautious, because perhaps among the rocks, the trees, and the flowing river waters, the people of Moro are living and dwelling alongside us.