Implementation of Tavol
Before making any plans or implementing Tavol in an area, a few
aspects have to be taken note of to ensure the plans can be carried out
well and successfully. Before an area is implemented with Tavol,
discussions must be carried out by the community to obtain consensus.
Tavol cannot happen if there is any internal problems or conflict in the
community.
Management of Tavol is under the jurisdiction of the individual
who has the need, and endorsed by the village chief. When an area is
determined for Tavol, the village chief will be responsible for announcing to
the community and the neighbouring villages of the Tavol boundaries and
time period.
In implementing Tavol, elders and experts have to be consulted as
well. Consulting elders who are more knowledgeable of the area is
essential. Usually, the information obtained from the experts are of
boundaries with other villages and historical sites.
Normally, the areas chosen for Tavol include hunting grounds,
water catchment areas and Iningaan Mai areas. Areas for Umoon-mai
(rotational farming) and for daily resource collection, as well as areas for
collection of handicraft materials and traditional medicine are not included
in the Tavol area.
In the past, the boundaries of a Tavol area is determined by
rivers, ridges and hills. The advancement of technology in current times
has helped in determining the Tavol area through a mapping process in
the Iningaan Mai. This mapping enables our community to see the Tavol
area in the customary territory as a whole in the map produced.
The size of a Tavol area cannot be valued in numbers, but what is
certain is that it is found within the Iningaan Mai and includes hunting
grounds, the community forest and water catchment areas. Adding to the
Tavol area can be done based on the needs of the community and will be
discussed within the community.
In a situation such as a wedding ceremony, the time period an
area is placed with Tavol correlates with the period of engagement for the
13 | PRACTICES OF THE MURUT TAHOL IN ALUTOK, ULU TOMANI