Cakalele Hahi Hulaliu

Cakalele Hahi Hulaliu is a documentary project that explores the Cakalele tradition of Hulaliu, Maluku, Indonesia, through its history, rituals, preparation, and cultural values. The film looks beyond the physical movements, traditional weapons, and intense visual appearance of Cakalele to reveal the beliefs, relationships, responsibilities, and meanings that exist behind the tradition.

At the heart of the project is an effort to challenge common misconceptions surrounding Cakalele, particularly perceptions that reduce the tradition to violence, mysticism, or simply a traditional war dance. By documenting the community and the cultural process surrounding Cakalele, the film presents the tradition from the perspective of the people who inherit, practice, and preserve it.

The project was also developed as a 360° immersive experience designed for viewing through a VR headset. Unlike the conventional film version, the 360° experience places audiences within the environment, allowing them to freely look around and experience the rituals, landscapes, cultural spaces, and atmosphere of Hulaliu from a more immediate perspective. This approach uses immersive storytelling to reduce the distance between the audience and the community being represented.

Markus served as the Screenwriter, Director, and Editor of the project. He developed the narrative structure, directed the documentary production in Hulaliu, and shaped the final story through post-production. Through both conventional filmmaking and immersive 360° media, Markus uses Cakalele Hahi Hulaliu to explore how technology can help document cultural heritage while allowing communities to tell the deeper meanings behind traditions that are often misunderstood from the outside.