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Nias parrot 'Magiao', official mascot of Ya'ahowu Party 2017
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An old photograph showing three men from Nias tribes. (Facebook/Tanah Para Pendekar)
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rior to the Nias tribe’s Ya’ahowu Party 2017 that will be held from Nov. 23 - 26 in Gunungsitoli, Nias, North Sumatra, the event’s official mascot has recently been launched and it will represent the event for the next five years.
The mascot is called 'Magiao' and bears the official tagline of “Dream Island Nias.”
“The mascot serves for media interaction and promotion of Ya’ahowu Party as well as encouraging tourism business entrepreneurs to make an economic value out of the mascot,” said Nias Regency Chiefs Communication Forum (Forkada) head, Lakhomizaro Zebua who is also the mayor of Gunungsitoli.
The word magiao is Nias’ native language of Nias parrot species.
“It is said that Nias parrot is smarter than other parrot species,” told Gunungsitoli deputy mayor Sowaa Laoli.
Read also: By Mentawai for Mentawai: How community-driven education can save a tribe
Magiao has a bigger body and wider wings compared to other parrot species. The color of its feathers is black with a hint of yellow feathers around the back of its head and under the ears.
“It’s very hard to find magiao birds these days, we are currently in partnership with Heidelberg Zoo and Taman Safari Indonesia for a captive breeding program of magiao,” Sowaa added.
As for Magiao the mascot, it boasts the yellow color on its beak and at back of is head. The yellow color located around the neck area symbolizes the necklace usually worn by kings and royalties of Nias Island.
Meanwhile, the color red symbolizes bravery, unity and gotong royong (mutual cooperation) spirit whilst the black color, which is the primary color of Nias parrot, symbolizes prosperity and a fertile land where most of its people do farming for a living. (asw)
