THE LAND OF BATAK

HISTORY OF RELIGION IN THE LAND BATAK

2012-01-30T15:07:00.000+07:00

Religion Parmalim

Before the influence of Hinduism, Islam, and Christianity to the land of Batak, Batak people at first do not know the name and the term "gods". Beliefs of Batak first (ancient) is belief in ancestral spirits and trust in the inanimate objects. Inanimate objects believed to have Tondi (spirit), for example: mountains, trees, rocks, etc. which are considered sacred when used as a sacred place (place of worship).

Batak people believe in ancestral spirits that may cause some illness or misfortune to mankind. Respect for and worship of ancestral spirits will be done to bring the safety, welfare for the people concerned and on the descent. Powers is the most feared in the life of the Batak people in this world and very close to human activity.

Prior to the Batak people familiar figures of the gods of India and the term "Debata", sombaon greatest Batak people (old) called "Ompu Na Bolon" (Grandfather / Grandmother of the Most Great). Ompu Nabolon (at first) is not one god or a god but he is who has been born as the first ancestor of the Batak people who have exceptional ability and also create a custom for men. But after the entry of the trust and the term outside the Hindu religion in particular; Ompu Nabolon is used as a deity who was revered as the ancient Batak grandmother / grandfather who has the uncanny ability. To emphasize that "Ompu Nabolon" as grandfather / grandmother earlier and the first custom created for humans, Ompu Nabolon be "At So Nabolon" or "Mr. Mula So Nabolon". Because the word Sir, At, So is a respected, and which created the first foreign words that have never known by the ancient Batak people. Furthermore, to assert that Ompu Nabolon deification or Mula So Nabolon is one of the biggest god in front of the Batak people ditambahkanlah At Nabolon or Nabolon So the word 'Debata' which means gods (plural) to become "Debata At So Nabolon".

Parmalim is actually a personal identity, while institutional Ugamo called Malim. In most societies, Parmalim as personal identity is more popular than "Ugamo Malim" as the institution's identity Fighting for Parmalim not new, because the ancestral predecessors from the beginning and end of his life always in the struggle. The struggle began in King Sisingamangaraja states "reject" Dutch colonialism which was considered destructive to the lives of indigenous peoples and cultures

King is the Executive Monang Naipospos Ugamo Malim, a religious belief that is born of Batak culture. This religion is a relic of King Batak Sisingamangaraja. Now the largest religious center in the village Parmalim Hutatinggi, 4 kilometers from the district Toba Samosir Laguboti North Sumatra. More people know him as Parmalim Hutatinggi. In this village there is a house of worship of people who called Bale Pasogit Parmalim.

They worship every Saturday and has two major anniversaries each year that is Sipaha Sada and Sipaha Lima. Sipaha Sada is performed when entering a new year which begins each Batak March. And Sipaha Five conducted during the month Purnama conducted between June-July.

In the ceremony, the man who has been married usually use a turban like Muslims, sarongs and Ulos (scarves Batak). While the women gloved and mengonde their hair. All events Parmalin chaired by King Marnokkok Naipospos. Grandfather King is the King Honor Naipospos Marnokkok who became an assistant principal Sisingamangaraja XI. Now the followers of this Parmalin reach 7000 people, including non-Batak people. They are scattered in 39 places in Indonesia including Aceh Singkil.

In Religious Scriptures Parmalim

The Book Guru

This book contains all the secrets of God on the earth and of human nature and human life and the policies reflected in the Guru who has a black symbol.

Book Debata Sorisohaliapan

This book contains the fabric of human life, which can be done and what can not be done in accordance with the precepts and regulations in accordance with their respective cultures.

Book of Moon Mangala

Book of Moon Mangala describes the reflection of the power of God. This book tells the strength of man in life, including the earth and martial arts Batak in everyday life. The book is divided into two types

Debata Asi-Asi

This book explains the core of the book of Guru, Debata Sorisohaliapan, Mangala Month (Debata Natolu) and the mother of all book. This book also contains about the science of man, because man is the incarnation of Debata Asi-asi.

Book Boru Debata

This book contains the lives of women to have children, including daughters of God's incarnation is also about the queen of water.

Book of Treatment

This book explains about how to keep healthy people, for the sick are healed, how to be close to God and how to perform cultural rituals that man is healthy. In life everything including Batak people on treatment are always in line with the cultural rituals and ancestral heirloom antiquity to find out how to get closer to the creator so that people stay healthy and away from danger. The book is divided into four sections.

Philosophy of Batak

This book contains about customs, culture, law, character dance, art music, especially socio-economic areas of the royal government.

Book Pane Nabolon

Since ancient Batak people already know the way the moon and stars every day. Parhalaan pane nabolon Batak is a reflection of natural law to every human being. What will happen tomorrow, what would become the new born child, how one's fate, lost property as well as a good move for the Batak people is already a custom in ancient times is the case in all the ritual feast first opened the book parhalaan (Astrology Book) . The book is divided in two parts.

HISTORY OF SIMALUNGUN

2012-01-30T14:58:00.003+07:00

Since the beginning of the 20th century, the name 'Simalungun' used by the Dutch East Indies government subordinate to the government of the residency of East Sumatra, namely the so-called en Karolanden Simeloengoen. What is meant by Simeloengoen (= Simalungun) is the Kingdom Siantar, Tanoh Javanese kingdom, the Kingdom Panei, Dolog Silou kingdom, the Kingdom of Kingdom, the Kingdom of Ancient and Royal Silimakuta, who each signed such an agreement (known as Korte Verklaring, 'Short Agreement') with the Dutch East Indies government in 1904 (and updated in 1907).

Almost simultaneously with the formation of the government Simeloengoen en Karolanden earlier, the name 'Simalungun' is used as a tribal name for the people who inhabit the seven kingdom kingdom in Simeloengoenlanden earlier. As the name of the tribe, called 'Simalungun' is used for the entire population of the kingdom-the kingdom last seven, although the word 'Simalungun' rarely used the population (and government) each kingdom, because they still distinguish people with the title in the language Simalungun, namely by using the word sin or par, for example sin Kingdom, Panei here, here Purba, par Siantar.

Since that time also the name Simalungun often used as a tribal name. 2) But not only for residents of seven kingdom-the kingdom before, but all residents of North Sumatra that have the same culture with the culture of people who are in seventh kingdom, the Kingdom had, which spread in Deli Serdang (and Bedagai), in Asahan, in Dairi , in Karo.

Along with use of the word 'Simalungun' as the name of the tribe, as previously used, namely 'East Batak', or 'Timoerlanden', the more rarely used.

One tribe is distinguished from other ethnic groups because of cultural differences. I often say to fellow Simalungun, cultures do palegankon Simalungun humbani legan na tribe. Simalungun will remain and exist (although the population is not much) if halak Simalungun maintain a culture that sets it apart from other tribes. Conversely, if no longer willing to maintain a culture that distinguishes it from other tribes, and prefer to 'adapt' itself to the culture of other tribes, halak Simalungun will disappear from this earth.

First, the population halak Simalungun who subject themselves to the culture of ethnic Malays, given the nickname domma gabe pious Malays. Either because the Islamic religion, or because the move to areas populated halak Malay, or because manundalhon arihan (ie, meaningful defected from the kingdom in his tribe, and then subjecting themselves to the authorities in the region outside Simalungun). There is also a pious so Karo, usually because they live in areas with a population of Karo.

Conversely, halak Toba (and or par Naidoo) a lot of pious become Simalungun. That said, according to the TBA Ancient Pond (deceased), since its inception Harajaon Dolog Silou, 3) existing clans and clan Simarmata Sipayung in Dolog Silou, and no clan Sinaga. They had become pious Simalungun. This process occurs because someone left the pious culture of origin and make the local culture into its culture.
So, in the sense of culture do palegankon tribes, Simalungun will continue to exist as one of the ethnic groups in Indonesia (and the world) as long as there are those who maintain their culture, namely the so-called culture Simalungun, as long as there are those who want to become halak Simalungun (in the sense of cultured Simalungun).

As already dikemukan earlier, since the beginning of the 20th century are increasingly being used as Simalungun to a tribe that lived in the seventh kingdom in Simeloengoenlanden region and surrounding areas (which is then inserted into the neighboring territories with 7 Kerjaan earlier (which is now the Deli Serdang, Serdang Bedagai, Tebing high, Asahan District, District Tobasa, Dairi, Karo District). Previously, more commonly used name of a nationality of the population, such as Panei here (for the people of the Kingdom Panei), par Sordang (call for Serdang Sultanate people). While the 'outsiders' who came to visit or to an area inhabited meleliti halak Simalungun, prefer to use the designation of East Batak, probably due to stay in the territory east of the other clump-Batak tribe.
Among the authors halak Simalungun, there are still many who argue that before the Dutch colonial expanded into populated areas Simalungun (and find the fact of the Kingdom 7), there are 4 Empire in Simalungun, called King Maroppat, namely Silou, Panei, Siantar and Tanoh Java. Some even believe that the title of King Maroppat is Simalungun concept. I've pointed out that the title of King Maroppat derived from his concept tuha peuet Sultanate of Aceh now expanding its influence into the region of East Sumatra. But the opinion had not changed. 4)

There is also an opinion, before there was King Maroppat, there is only one kingdom, the kingdom Silou.
But in one respect. it seems everything is agreed, that was only one kingdom, the kingdom Nagur.

If it can later be accepted as historical truth that the people who inherit cultural Nagurlah later known as Simalungun culture, then it means that culture Simalungun been tested in this region for about 14 centuries, since it is said Nagur already listed in the Chinese text of the century to-6, still exist and are recorded by Marco Polo (13th century) with the name 'Nagore' or 'Nakur', still exists at the time noted Pinto (16th century) that Nagur request assistance based on the Malacca Portuguese as it gets attack from Aceh, and that Encyclopedi Ned. Indie record Nagur can withstand the invasion of Johor and Siak. When in the late 19th-century Dutch set foot into a populated area heir folk Nagur him, still met the same culture in the seventh kingdom that later called Simeloengoen region, even as the culture of some of the people who spread around Simeloengoen.

HANGING STONE LEGEND ( TOBA LAKE )

2012-01-30T14:50:00.003+07:00

The plan was set off from Medan Walk at 02.00 am, directly to Lake Toba. But suddenly canceled, leaving the next day finally his. Start of Road Bilal at 10.30 and arrive at Lake Toba around 15:00 pm. Actually already kesorean, but that's okay, I think it will stay at Lake Toba, a new next day back to Medan. Entrance fees, reasonably priced only a thousand dollars per person. To get to the location of Hanging Rock, can be achieved by using a motor boat at a cost of Rp 300,000, - shuttle, to Tomok, on the island.

According to local folklore, the Hanging Stone is supposedly the incarnation of a princess who was forced to marry, but was rejected and therefore decided to jump into the lake to kill himself, then lodged in the trees and be it into stone hanging with her dog. Certainly a story that can not be trusted, but at least I try to appreciate the local folk legends. And the location itself is quite interesting, to visit.

NINE MAJOR CULTURAL VALUE FOR BATAK POEPLE

2012-01-30T14:40:00.001+07:00

"I try to describe (in Anthropological) about 9 The Main Cultural Values in Toba Batak society. It's still a lot of Toba Batak Cultural Values others, which may be subject to other friends?

1. Kinship
Which includes the relationship premordial interest, affection on the basis of blood relationships, harmony Dalihan elements Na Tolu (Hula-hula, Dongan Tubu, Boru), Banana Raut (Son of Son of Boru Boru), Hatobangon (scholars) and everything related links kinship by marriage, clan solidarity and others.

2.RELIGI
Includes religious life, both traditional religion and religion that came later that
manage its relationship with the Creator and its relationship with humans and their environment.

3.HAGABEON
Many offspring and longevity. a traditional expression of the famous Batak presented during the wedding ceremony is an expression that expects to be given later newlywed son 17 and daughter 16. Human resources for the Batak people is very important. Formidable force can only be built in a number of men in great numbers. This is closely connected with the history of Batak tribes were destined to have a very high competitive culture. Hagabeon concept rooted, from culture to compete in ancient times, even recorded in the history of the development, manifested in the war huta. In this traditional war strength is concentrated on the number of
personnel are great. Regarding the longevity of the concept called SAUR Matua hagabeon BULUNG (such as leaves, which fall after the elderly). Can imagine how big the increase in manpower is expected by the Batak people, because apart from each family is expected to bear sons and daughters as much as 33 people, also all expected to elderly.

4.HASANGAPON
Glory, authority, charisma, a core value that gave a strong impetus to achieve greatness. This value gives a strong impetus, especially in people Toba, in this modern era to reach the position and rank that gives glory, authority, charisma and power.

5. HAMORAON
Rich, one of the underlying cultural values and encourage the Batak people, especially the Toba, to find a lot of property.

6.HAMAJUON
Progress, achieved through go abroad and study. Cultural values are very strong hamajuon encourage people to migrate to all corners of the Batak homeland. In the last century, East Sumatra, is seen as an area of shoreline. But in line with the dynamics of the Batak, the purpose of migration has been increasingly extended to the entire country to maintain or increase their competitiveness.

7. LAW
Dohot uhum slave, and the rule of law. Value and uhum dohot slave is strong value in socialized by the Batak people. Culture uphold the truth, engaged in the legal world is the world of the Batak people.
This value may be born from the high frequency of rights violations in the course of life the Batak people since ancient times. So they are proficient in spoken and struggled to fight for human rights. It appeared in the surface of the lives of law in Indonesia that records the name of the Batak people in the list of warrior warrior-law, both as a prosecutor, defender and judge.

8. AEGIS
In socio-cultural life of the Batak people less powerful than the values mentioned earlier. This may be due to high levels of independence. The presence of protector, the protector, the giver of prosperity, only needed in very urgent circumstances.

9. CONFLICT
In life the Batak Toba levels are higher compared to that of the Angkola-Mandailing. This can be understood from the difference in the mentality of these two sub Batak tribe. Source of conflict, especially in the lives of kinship is the life-Mandailing Angkola. Being the Toba people more broadly because it involves the struggle for the results of other cultural values. Among others Hamoraon that inevitably is a perennial source of conflict for the Toba.

HOT SPRING ( TOBA - SAMOSIR )

2012-01-28T12:50:00.001+07:00

The Batak Toba are one of six Batak tribes that inhabit northern and central Sumatra. Each tribe has a distinctive culture and architectural style. Two Batak tribes are Muslim, while the the Toba and another tribe are Christian. The Batak Toba people are concentrated around Lake As we approach the other side of the island, the mainland comes in sight. A large white spot on the crater edge draws our attention. It almost seems like a ski trail, but we suppose it must be chalk or sand. A little later we arrive at the village where the island is connected to the main land by a small bridge. In fact, the bridge was only needed since the Dutch dug a canal to separate the island from the main land in 1906. We pass the bridge and drive up to search for our next goal: the hot springs. The closer we get, the more we realize the white spot is where we will find the hot springs.

Hot Springs near Lake TobaThe hot springs are accompanied by a number of restaurants and a large parking lot. But there are not many tourists. At one of the restaurants we park our motorbikes and order a meal. While we wait we see a little girl playing with to chicks, one of them bright yellow, the other bright green. Funny little animals, although it is sad that they probably have no mother and are obviously artificially colored.

After lunch we search for the hot springs. Every restaurant appears to have a bath of swimming pool fed with hot water from the springs, but we want to find the springs themselves. So we climb up, until we reach a restaurant that only lets us through if we order something. Here is a pool as well, but also a natural bath in the rocks. And as we climb up, we reach the actual source of the hot springs. In some kind of white moon landscape there is a stream of hot, yellow water. It is boiling up from the rocks, although we cannot see exactly where.

After a lovely, purifying, very hot bath, and a cola at the restaurant, we descend to our motorbikes. Although there is a market in the village we pass, we decide to go back to Tuktuk. It takes us two hours to go back, including a few stops for a beautiful view and a drink. We are back before dark, so we can cool off in the lake.

BATAK TOBA HOUSES ( 19th-20th CENTURIES )

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Toba, the world's largest caldera lake. Their houses are among the most distinctive in Indonesia, with their famous boat-shaped roofs and finely-decorated carvings.

Batak Toba houses are found in groups of ten or less, constituting small villages. Because of frequent warfare among the other tribes in the past, the houses are built close together, often side-by-side (though rarely connected). Since much of the area is wet year-round, the Batak place their buildings on stilts to avoid flooding and dampness. A typical village consists of a row of houses flanking a corresponding number of small rice granaries, one for each house. Between the two rows of buildings runs a street called an "alaman", which used to serve as a workyard and as a place for drying out rice in the hot sun. Nowadays, most of the granary buildings have been converted into houses, but their original purpose remains recognizable since the granaries were always built on six pillars, while houses had more.

The Batak Toba house is organized vertically into three distinct zones. The lower zone--the area beneath the house raised on piers--functioned as a work area and as an open-air pen for animals. The next zone—the floor of the house—is a living area where as many as four different families crowded together (nowadays there is usually one family per house). Ladders were once used to access the living area from the ground, so that in times of war the ladder could be quickly retracted and the opening sealed. At present, many families have installed stairs for convenience.

The highest and most important level of the house is the upper storey, which extends about 1/3 of the depth in from the front of the house. In this area family valuables and ancestral shrines are located. In front of this area, facing the street, is a veranda used for open-air storage.

The roofs of the Batak Toba houses are formed of sugar palm fiber thatch, held together with rattan cords. However, many houses have abandoned the labor-intensive thatched roof and have converted to zinc metal roofs, which are far more durable in the humid climate.

PUSUK BUHIT IS THE PLACE DESCEENT OF BATAK KING

2012-01-26T01:06:00.001+07:00

If you're a walk to the tourist area of Lake Toba, but was not enough to just see the beauty of the lake alone, walked toward Pusuk Buhit is the most appropriate destination. Pusuk Buhit is the peak of the former volcanic mountain ranges with an altitude of 1800 masl. Located in the district Naidoo, this place is not to be missed if it was there.

There are two-way street toward Pusuk Buhit mainland. One of the Tomok (Eastern part) and one from the highlands of Tele. Along the way you will see a vast expanse of rice fields. With a high enough position of sea level, your view will not be hindered to see plots of rice or rice-paddy ready for harvest yellow sign. In addition, you also can freely see most of the waters of Lake Toba and Samosir Island has always been a magnet for tourists.

And certainly you can enjoy the panoramic village. Villages were located in the valleys between the hills, such as settlements and Hutaginjang Sagala that stretches wide. In the hills with the township Sagala, you can see and hear the splashing waterfall flow. Still from the hillside winding road is paved but could also pay attention to agricultural activities which is the livelihood of local residents.

However, not only the natural attractions on offer Pusuk Buhit but also history. At the height Pusuk Buhit there is a place called Stone Sawan offerings. Batak people believe the origin of the Batak tribe originated from here.
Batak tribe called Mula So Nabolon. In the XII century descendants of the first person named Siraja Batak Batak Samosir stopover in the region. Siraja Batak have a child named Master Tatea Moon and King Isumbaon.
According to the Batak ethnic lineage, Master Tatea month old is also the ancestor of King Sisingamangaraja. In the mountains there Buhit Pusuk one house that contains a variety of historical relics Batak society. Therefore this area is still considered sacred.

When in Sopo (home) Teacher Tatea Moon will find the statues Siraja Batak with descendants like the Statue of 1000 with his wife a pair of kings, descendants of Limbong Mulana Statue, Sculpture Statue Glare of All the King and the King.
At home with the design of wood and stone stairs from the roof but still made of palm fiber typical Batak society there are also statues as guardians of the home such as elephants, tigers and horses.

Then not far from Sopo Master Tatea Moon, you will see the well but not wells, but wells seven ordinary sense. Called so because it has seven showers wells that have different flavors including water salty, fresh, acidic, abrasive and other flavors. For the Well of the Seven Sense of community is used as the primary source of clean water.
After moving down the streets of the existing range, then the tourists who visit will find a sacred site also called Stone Hobon location. So called because the shape of stones one meter in diameter with the bottom of the hollow. It is estimated that this stone is a hallway that may have shaped cave.

PUSUK BUHIT, THE GOVERMENT'S WATCHED MOUNTAIN

2012-01-26T01:01:00.000+07:00

Around 70,000 years ago, a volcano ‘Megaletusan’ shook the Earth. The eruption was believed to be the largest in the period of 2 million last year.

As the site loaded the U.S. space agency, NASA, in about two weeks, thousands of cubic miles of debris spewed from the Toba caldera in northern Sumatra. Pyroclastic flows – clouds that are a mixture of hot gas, rock fragments and ash – buried the region about 20,000 square kilometers around the caldera.

On the island of Samosir, a thick layer of ash even reach 600 meters. Toba ash also spread throughout the world. In India for instance, the thickness of gray ash up to 6 meters. Post-eruption, Mount Toba collapsed, leaving the modern caldera filled with water – into the Lake Toba. Meanwhile, Samosir Island lifted by the magma under the ground which does not erupt. Mount Pusuk Buhit near the lake were also formed after the eruption.

Now, seeing that meets the lush tropical venetasi these areas, it is difficult to imagine the impact of volcanic eruptions that destroy anything, including human populations. In fact, at that time, very few creatures to survive in large part in Indonesia. The eruption of Toba menyababkan ‘volcanic winter’ for many years, causing global cooling, and resulted in enormous consequences for life on the whole world.

Toba Caldera photos taken by instrumenAdvanced Spaceborne Thermal Emission and Reflection Radiometer (ASTER) is mounted on NASA’s Terra satellite on January 28, 2006. Images from two angles put together to describe the whole area. Now Mount Pusuk Buhit in Toba became one of the three mountains that the government strictly monitored. The other two are Mount Tambora and ‘Anak Krakatau’.

How the results of monitoring while? “Until now, if the alert status of Anak Krakatau, was erupting. The others in the normal condition,” said Head of Volcanology and Geological Hazard Mitigation (PVMBG), when contacted VIVAnews Surono, Tuesday, March 8, 2011. Pusuk Buhit left no record of eruption since 1400. Aktifivas Pusuk Buhit are now much more out of hot water.

ANCIENT TOBA BATAK VILLAGE, LAKE TOBA-SAMOSIR ISLAND

2012-01-26T00:28:00.001+07:00

Simanindo is a small Toba Batak village on the northern part of Lake Toba, about 16 km from Ambarita. Tourists come here to view the restored house of the Toba Batak king. This house has since been turned into a museum. In front of the museum is a row of ancient Toba Batak tombs of the ancient Simanindo kings. Just as in Pematang Purba, the Batak kings of Simanindo are Christians. Hence there are Christian motifs in the design of their tombs.

Next to the Simanindo king's house is a replica of a traditional Simanindo Batak village. Here, traditional Batak dances are performed daily at 10:30am and 11:45am to a crowd that is almost always exclusively foreigners, and most likely Westerners. When I was there with a group of AsiaExplorers members, we were the only Asians watching the show.

I enjoy the visit to Simanindo as it provides an opportunity for visitors like myself to find out more about the unique Batak culture. We arrived here by boat from our hotel in Tuk Tuk. On our way here, we stopped over on tiny Tao Island.

KING OF RAJA PURBA HOME ( SIMALUNGUN )

2012-01-26T00:20:00.000+07:00

Pematang Purba ("Purba" is the dynasty's name) is a village about an hour drive north of Lake Toba, with restored houses of the Simalungan Batak chiefs. The dynasty lasted from 1624 to the late 1940s when it got absorbed in the Indonesian republic.

Among the tribal houses is the Rumah Bolon, or long house of the Batak chief. It was built by the XII Chief of the Bataks, Tuan Rahalim. The long house was built of solid teak and stand on twenty poles. The roof gables are ornately decorated with designs in red, black and white, the traditional Batak colours. These colours carry special significance, white denotes the holy spirit, red denotes the way of life, and black denotes black magic.

In the middle of the living quarters is a pole with buffalo horns. These signify the supremacy of the Batak chiefs. The more horns there are, the more powerful the chief is regarded. The buffalo motif is carried out into the design of the longhouses as well, and appears on the roof ridge.

The inside of the Batak longhouse is dark and a bit spooky. The long house consists of living quarters, with cooking area, and a sleeping quarters with apartments for each of the chief's 24 wives (some accounts say 12 wives, I am not sure which one is correct) ... The Batak kings (or chiefs) are all Christians, so you can see Christian motifs mixed with their age-old animist motifs in the design of their houses as well as in their graves, which are located within the longhouse compound.

STONE CHAIRS ( SAMOSIR ISLAND )

2012-01-26T00:09:00.002+07:00

This site is where Batak tribal matters were discussed and law breakers tried. Several restored homes, stone chairs, and other megaliths survive. The "chairs, arranged under a hariam tree, are 300 years old and were used as a site for village councils, where disputes were settled and punishments decided. The chief would sit in the armchair, whilst other village elders sat in the surrounding chairs. The person on trial would sit on the small chair closest to the table — having been incarcerated for seven days in the small cage close to the stone chairs. A medicine man would consult his diary to decide on the best day for any punishment to be meted out." A stone figure, said to be the god of justice, occupies one of the chairs.

Guides today relish recounting gruesome events that took place in the adjoining courtyard of megaliths. "The criminal sentenced to death would be blindfolded, tied hand and foot and bodily carried to the large stone block. He would then be sliced with a small knife and chilli, garlic, and onion were reputedly rubbed into the wounds before a mallet—like a meat tenderizer—would be used to prepare the 'meat' for consumption (by pounding the man...). Having been suffciently trussed and pummelled, the unfortunate would be carried to the block and his head cut off. The (strength-giving) blood was drunk by the chief [who would also sample certain parts], before the meat was distributed to the villagers," who, the guides claim were required to partake of it. Finally, the bones "were collected up and thrown into the lake — which was unclean for a week and no activity occured during this time." The tradition ended in 1816.

PUPPET HEAD ( SI GALE-GALE )

2012-01-25T23:56:00.000+07:00

Dance performances Puppet Sigale-Gale has been very rare. The number of dolls Sigale-Gale said to live a few. It’s not easy to make. There is a belief in the Batak people who Sigale-Gale doll makers must surrender his soul on a homemade wooden dolls to dolls that can move like live.

How is this mystical show up embedded in Batak society? Fortunately, to this day Sigale-Gale has not extinct at all. There are still a few remaining statues are carved out decades ago. We can still see remnants of a very rare occurrence though.

If you want to watch traditional performances direct from Tanah Batak, go to Samosir. Reportedly there are four places that could mempertontonkannya there. Two of them are within easy reach are the tourist attraction and museum Simanindo Tomok Hutabolon. Visitors can book directly demonstrate Sigale-Gale for a fee.

Visitors who want to watch it without limitation of the number and age. Sometimes two or three people who are interested in, such as tourists, may request the employer to immediately play a show with musical accompaniment gondang Batak eight to ten dancers and escort.

Dance puppet show Sigale-Gale is very interesting and entertaining atmosphere. Imagine, a doll made of wood could dance like humans. It looks like a human if more attention. Doll is one-half feet high given the Batak traditional costumes. In fact, all the movements that appeared during the show to create the impression of a human model example.

His head can be rotated to the right and left side, eyes and tongue move, hands move like a human hand and dancing can reduce the lower body like dancing when squatting. And all that movement just above the coffin, where she kept the doll Sigale-Gale after displayed or played.

Why did it happen? Of course two or three people behind it in the back by pulling the rope line anatomically. First legendary puppeteer, Sigale-Gale played by one puppeteer. Last-known puppeteer is King of the village Garoga Rumahorbo Gaius, Tomok.

He has appeared at festivals in Siantar Sigale-Gale (Simalungun) in the 1930s. Instead, it was reported Sigale-Gale who played at that time was the result itself. Gaius King is known for making Sigale Gale tear-shedding and have the ability to wipe ulos (woven Batak), replace the previous wooden doll’s shoulder. Tears came out of course the water that flows from the head-toned hollow Sigale.

But how technical it is still difficult to imagine, because it is usually filled with a damp cloth or a small container that fits in a hole in it. Rumahorbo heir Gaius King said, Sigale-Gale who played at the festival is now in the Netherlands. One doll, still in heirs, located in Jakarta. Indeed, the National Museum of the Batak culture in a special section was never told to save the statue Sigale-Gale.

THE CENTRE OF THE BATAK CULTURE AT LAKE TOBA

2012-01-25T23:48:00.000+07:00

Our sightseeing trip from Bukit Lawang to Lake Toba was undertaken in a minibus, which by itself was not really uncomfortable but we felt the bad road conditions (potholes etc.) much more strongly. The first part of the trip led us back to Medan, crossing wide plantations of oil palms whose fruits were just being picked and transported to oil mills, and huge plantations of gum trees. The crossing of Medan did not consume too much time, there were relatively few congestions. Our next stop on the way to Lake Toba was Brastagi, a hill resort town established by the Dutch in the early 20th century as a retreat from the heat and humidity of the lowlands. Although the town does not have many specific points of interest, its position, surrounded by active volcanoes, is memorable and the place does not only cater for Western tourists but also attracts the Indonesian middle class, whose presence we saw here for the first time and which should accompany us for some more time. Around Brastagi we encountered a lot of buses which were so packed that regularly people had to sit on the roof, we even saw one guy playing the guitar up.

Sipisopiso waterfallSipisopiso waterfall
Sipisopiso waterfallIt spectacularly falls 120m into the Lake Toba
there. But they did not bother us further because we left the main road and took a smaller and more sinuous one that promised to be very scenic. The road indeed was wonderful leading through pine-clothed slopes and we soon caught glimpses of the immense Lake Toba, for instance at our first sightseeing stop, the Sipisopiso waterfalls, which are pretty spectacular falling 120m into the lake. Unfortunately our driver gave us only five minutes (!) to watch and take photos, so we could not walk around for an even better look and for swimming possibly. The driver did not stop the engine while we were away and it seemed that he had some trouble with the minibus, we later found out that the hand break did not work, for instance. Furthermore he seemed really in a hurry, he interpreted his task to take the tourists safely from A to B and time was very important. So he did not stop at the Simalungun Palace, which we regretted, but since we did not know what we missed and we could not find the palace mentioned in our guidebook at all, we hope that it is not too spectacular.

Edge of Lake TobaEdge of Lake Toba
Edge of Lake TobaIt is so large that you cannot see the other side
early in Prapat for the ferry to Tuk Tuk on Samosir Island, it turned out that the driver had pushed so much because he feared that we would miss the ferry. By the jetty, some hawkers offering accommodation already awaited the tourists, but they were all extremely nice and not pushy at all. A guesthouse had already been recommended to us at the Jungle Inn and somebody from the place was also waiting for the newly arrived, he had pictures with him and accompanied us on the ferry. We promised to have a look and he promised to take us to the other hotel we had taken into consideration, should we not like the Samosir Cottage. But we liked the guesthouse, it was situated directly at the edge of the lake, and we were given a pretty bungalow right by the water, where you could hear the waves lapping in the evening or morning. So we stayed and did not regret our decision. Samosir Cottage is a very nice place for backpackers, with good food, a spacious sitting area with a bar, a ping-pong table and a TV where the travellers could choose a DVD each evening.

Changing weatherChanging weather
Changing weatherUnfortunately the weather was not always at its best, we had our share of rainfall every day during our stay
time there, also due to the daily rainfall, reading, writing and talking to other travellers. We for instance met two young Frenchmen, both of them future social workers, one of whom had close ties to Indonesia due to his father’s job as journalist and photographer. The day we left we saw Lindsay again, had a nice chat and could finally exchange email addresses because we had not seen her on the morning of our departure from Bukit Lawang.

Lake Toba is the largest inland water body of Southeast Asia, it is 87km long and 31km across at its widest point and Klaudia estimated it to be 10 times the size of here native Wörthersee, which already appears large to her. It was formed 75,000 years ago after a massive volcanic explosion, which was so violent that scientists believe it could have triggered the onset of the last ice age. The fact that Lake Toba’s water is quite warm despite its depth (up to 529m) leads one to assume that there must be some hot underwater, which is not out of place in a region studded with volcanoes. Right in the middle of Lake Toba lies Samosir Island.

Ferry to Tuk TukFerry to Tuk Tuk
Ferry to Tuk TukThe best way to move around Lake Toba is on the lake, the ferries call at one hotel complex after the other, like it used to be on some Austrian lakes too
be reached by road at its western side - strictly speaking it is not an island because it is connected to the mainland there - and by ferry from Parapat on the eastern side. It is by far not a small place that you could easily cross and discover on foot being 40km long and 20km wide! On its eastern side, Samosir Island displays the haven for tourists, Tuk Tuk Peninsula (this one is actually small and can be managed on foot). In its heydays, Tuk Tuk must have been a crowded place, offering all imaginable tourist facilities, with its continuous ribbon of hotels, guesthouses, restaurants, minimarts, curio shops, bicycle and motor cycle rents, bookshops, internet cafes and tour companies following the road that skirts the perimeter of the peninsula. Today, with relatively few tourists around, many hotels are closed, coffeeshops have been abandoned and are falling to pieces, many shops and internet cafes are only open when their owners have some time to spare. Although the place sometimes had the feel of a deserted ghost town, we liked it as many efforts had been made not to deface the beautiful lakeside and a high percentage of the hotels.

Fishing
FishingThe lake is still a source of livehood for many fishermen. This one uses a peculiar technique by hitting the water, maybe in order to frighten the fish into the net
guesthouses are built in the local Batak style or integrate at least some architectural elements.

Lake Toba is beautiful, surrounded by pine-clothed mountain slopes, and our first activity was to go swimming, but we were again eager for some cultural sights, and these we could find on Samosir Island. The highland areas around Lake Toba (the lake itself is at 900m) brought forth a specific population, the Bataks, of who today still about 3 million exist and speak the language. The most immediately distinctive element of their culture are the traditional Batak houses, which we decided to explore on foot. The Batak houses are erected on stilts and are furthermore characterised by high prowed roofs covered by thatch, including fine painted wood carvings. The living space consisted of the entire floor, the fire and cooking place being its centre and the sleeping areas were superposed against the roof. The area between the stilts was fenced off with wood and this is where the domestic animals lived and were fed from above with the cooking leftovers. What fascinated us apart from the architectural features is the fact that the traditional houses are still lived in today, though being considered too

Fish HotelFish Hotel
Fish HotelFish everywhere around Lake Toba, not only on the menus
small for today’s needs, they have mostly been enlarged by extensions at the rear. Our first destination was Tomok, around 3km south of the Tuk Tuk Peninsula, which used to be a traditional Batak village. Today there are far more souvenir stalls than Batak houses, which is a pity as we found the remaining ones quite attractive by their style and some very nice decorative wood carvings. But Tomok also offers other vestiges of the past, like carved stone coffins, the most famous of which is the King’s Coffin, a sarcophagus containing the body of the chief of the first tribe to migrate to the area. There are more grave sites to be found here, surrounded by stone elephants, figures, tables and chairs. We tried to find the small museum with Batak implements, but were told that it no longer existed because the traditional house in which it had been housed, had in the meantime crumbled to pieces. The rest of the site also gave a neglected impression, furthermore it seems that some sarcophagi and figures had been moved and arranged differently, quite a pity. As a matter of fact, there were no other tourists around, although this should be
Tourist cottages in Batak styleTourist cottages in Batak style
Tourist cottages in Batak styleMany of the hotels in Tuk Tuk have stuck to the traditional style of roofs
high season, normally attracting also multitudes of Indonesian visitors fleeing from the heat of the big cities into the cool climate of Lake Toba.

We wanted to get to another village, but from Tomok it was rather far and we would have had to walk on the main road skirting the perimeter of Samosir Island, so we tried to catch a bemo to Ambarita. At first every bemo driver at the jetty tried to urge us to charter the vehicle, which we categorically refused and as we stayed firm, we were ‘allowed’ to use a local bemo just like everybody else (i.e. Indonesians). The village is famous for its megalithic complexes, but they are not easy to find. We would probably have missed even the most important one at Siallagan village, had the population not been so helpful. The site also harbours the tomb of the first chief of Ambarita. Batak tombs are very special, usually topped with a restrained Batak house made of brick and stucco, many are comparatively modest affairs, others are grandiose structures, with several storeys, pillars and ostentatious ornamentation combining Christian and traditional symbols. Ambarita also displays a row of well preserved Batak houses.

Small jettySmall jetty
Small jettySome of the better hotels have jetties of their own
of them turned into a modest but still instructive museum. Some of the other houses are still being lived in, we met a girl living in one, a future English teacher studying in Medan, who tried practicing her English with us. In the middle of the area, under a huge tree, 300-year old chairs are arranged, which had been used as the site for village councils, where disputes were settled and punishments decided. The chief would sit in the armchair, whilst other village elders sat in the surrounding chairs, the person on trial finally would sit on the small chair closest to the table. Here was acted out the gruesome part of the traditional legal system, which came to an end in 1816 with the Bataks’ conversion to Christianity. The criminal sentenced to death would be blindfolded, tied hand and foot and carried bodily to a large stone block. He would then be sliced with a small knife, chilli, garlic and onion were reputedly rubbed into the wounds before a mallet - like a meat tenderiser - would be used to prepare the ‘meat’ for consumption (by pounding the man, already, no doubt, in a certain amount of pain). Having

Batak houseBatak house
Batak houseSadly the original thatched roofs are now often replaced by corrugated iron roofs
been sufficiently trussed and pummelled, the unfortunate would be carried to the block and his head cut off. The (strength-giving) blood was collected and drunk by the chief, while the meat was distributed to the villagers. The bones, finally, were collected up and thrown into the lake - which was unclean for a week and no activity occurred during that time. After we recovered from these gruesome stories, we again walked from Ambarita to Tuk Tuk and took our time having close looks at plants and buildings or profiting from nice views on the lake. Lake Toba is a beautiful region with cool climate (not too cool, though, to be pleasant and to swim), which we had enjoyed in spite of the daily rainfall. People here are very nice and although there was always some melancholic strand interwoven into their laughter or music and the locals begged us to come back or recommend the place, such depression as on Sumbawa or Flores was nowhere to be felt. We liked the people on Sumatra very much and hope that the Indonesian government will concentrate its propaganda not only on Bali, there is much more to Indonesia than just its most famous
Batak tombsBatak tombs
Batak tombsThe bigger one on the right shows Christian elements, while the left one displays a typical Batak stone sarcophagus
island.

We left Lake Toba on August 21st and planned to stay in Medan one night, as a flight would take us to Jakarta from there, and arrived as late as possible since we had not kept a positive remembrance of the town. This time we had sworn ourselves to choose a better hotel, and after some negotiating in his best charming manner, Stephan managed to get a good room at an acceptable price. When we arrived at the airport next morning, we learnt that our flight had been cancelled (sounds familiar, doesn’t it?), but unlike Merpati Airlines the Air Asia staff was abundant, efficient and helpful. They offered us either to pay back the money or to book us on the next available Air Asia flight, which was in the late afternoon. We decided to choose the latter alternative and to make the best of one day in Medan, which consisted of using the internet and publishing another entry for our travelblog. Everything worked out perfectly well with the afternoon flight and we arrived safely in Jakarta.

P.S.: We later learnt from the media that there had been huge problems at the Medan airport, it had to
Carved stone coffinCarved stone coffin
Carved stone coffinImpressive Batak way of burying the dead
be closed for seven hours due to problems with the lighting system, and at the beginning of September a plane by Mandala Airlines crashed into a densely populated quarter of Medan.

FUNERAL CEREMONY ON BATAK CULTURE

2012-01-25T23:25:00.001+07:00

Speaking about funeral ceremony on batak culture like Sari Matua, Saur Matua and Mauli Bulung are talking about

somebody death in the context of traditional Batak. Is the axiom, everyone must die, and it is warranted by all religions. Is not the Song of the Church is called “Everyone must die, like dry grass. Living things have to rot, so that the new born. This body would be destroyed, in order to live healed. arose in the afterlife, heaven, the grand entrance. ” In addition to those mentioned above, there are still other types of death such as “Martilaha” (who has not married the child died), “Mate Mangkar” (the deceased husband or wife, but not descent), “Matipul Ulu” (husband or wife dies with children are still small), “Matompas Tataring” (first wife also died leaving small children).

Sari Matua
‘Sari Matua is a person who died if the husband or wife who are both from bercucu son or daughter or both, but still there among children who have not married (hot ripe).

Referring to the definition above, one can not be named (transferred to the status of Sari Saur Matua Matua. However, in practice, when hasuhuton “marpangidoan” (beg) to dongan sahuta, bone, hula-hula and all the berhadir at the jolly king or pangarapotan , so that the deceased was ditolopi Sari Matua (approved) to Saur Matua.

Often hasuhuton reasoned, “Our kids really still exist that have not been hot ripe (mating), but in terms of age it is appropriate that a household, let alone our children are already working and in fact, bear the expense of our children is what our parents who were lying at the funeral home. “Hopefully with this custom event they eventually find a soul mate (tumibu dapotan sirongkap asa ni Tondi, manghirap nadao cyan, cyan manjou najonok). Sari status level to be raised Saur Matua Matua were found on some custom event.

Traditional leaders commented above, the request was already memplesetkan hasuhuton custom value created ancestors. Understanding Sari Matua, the person died, before his duties as parents have not completed the children marry. Not measured in terms of age, rank, position and wealth.

They predict, the status of the transition, driven by an incorrectly interpreted umpasa namely: “Pitu lombu Jones, marhulang-hulanghon Hotang, pinaraja king-king, Matua husuhuton Pandapotan do.” (All depending suhut). Umpasa this goal is to “sibuaton” (parjuhutna-boan), because it could be proposed lombu parjuhutna audience demand sitio-tio or horbo, but because less capable, hasuhuton slaughter simarmiak-miak (B2), or vice versa if able, simarmiak-miak marhuling-hulinghon lombu, simarmiak-miak marhuling-hulinghon horbo. Another factor said to them, the “ambition” of the family to pursue the ideals of the Batak people hamoraon, hagabeon, hasangapon. Furthermore, dongan sahuta, impressed “Mida bohi responsive,” because maybe the hasuhuton the “distinguished”.

Actually, to reduce the “ambition” hasuhuton, the ultimate weapon in the hands of Dongan Sahuta. Umpasa right there that says: “Tinallik landurung bontar gotana, sisada sitaonon dohot do las ni Roha namardongan sahuta, nang pe margana foreign-foreign.” But is not there umpasa the most striking: “Tinallik fur thorn, sajongkal two fingers, do dongan sahuta king panuturi dohot pengajari. “They should explain the negative impact of the transitional status to Saur Matua Matua Sari with respect to the deceased children who have not been hot ripe. This means that if someday in the future, the child is officially married, because it had already considered married, of course dongan sahuta not intervene in all activities / processes of marriage. Perhaps, if it is expressed, perhaps the hasuhuton will think twice, once this is restore the image of indigenous ancestry.

Furthermore, there is also a status “Mate Mangkar” changes to Sari Matua, because some children already are married but not yet blessed with grandchildren. Hasuhuton reasoned, parumaen (law) already contains (“manggora pamuro”). Amazingly, parjuhutna (boan) sigagat duhut (not simarmiak-miak merhuling-hulinghon horbo).

I disagree receive the customary way, “said Ev H Simanjuntak. Born first, then we call Si or Si Butet Unsok, if the person who died was from Mate Mangkar become Sari Matua, then Ompu’s what we call? Ompu Sipaimaon? “, She protested. If only expect manjalo tangiang be partangiangan, why do we hesitate to accept what God gives us, he added. Problem boan sigagat duhut, according Simanjuntak, it has exceeded the normal threshold of traditional Batak. Should simarmiak-miak, because buffalo are the most high livestock in traditional Batak, he said.

ULOS TUJUNG

Tujung ulos, ulos ditujungkan is (placed above the head) to those who menghabaluhon (husband or wife left behind by the deceased). If the deceased was the husband, the wife of the recipient is given tujung hula-hulanya. Conversely, if the deceased was the wife, husband receiver tujung is given bones. Tujung given to women’s widow or widower man because “mangkar mate” or Sari Matua, as a symbol of sorrow and it is kind ulos sibolang.

Formerly, tujung it continues to be used anywhere to go for a day of mourning is usually just a week and thereafter implemented “said tujung” (remove ulos of the head). But now it is not there anymore, because tujung directly exposed (opened) by bone or a hula-hula back from the grave (udean). By ratio, the latter is more precise, because the grief it will be soon be gone, and the husband or wife who left late in a relatively short time was able to earn back their activities. If tujung still attached to the head, chances are concerned dissolve in grief (margudompong) which can be negative eksesnya farther from God, or pessimistic even apathetic.

Old Sampe ulos, ulos is given to the deceased husband or wife who has Saur Matua, but not ditujungkan above the head, but diuloskan to the shoulder by the hula-hula, or bone. This type is also named Sibolang ulos. Ulos Sampe Old meaningful Sampe (came) older (age-long and blessed by God).

Lately the custom event Sari Matua, often seen which should be tujung ulos, ulos until changed into old age. The reason is quite simple, because the husband or the wife who left already received tujung inappropriate, due to aging and the family left behind in order to get old.

Consequences recipient ulos Sampe Parent is a husband or wife may not remarry. If the message implicit in this Old Sampe ulos violated, to remarry and have small children and then die, what are the names ulos. Traditional leaders Ev H Simanjuntak, BMT Pardede, King Partahi Sumurung Janter Aruan SH and Constant Pardede ulos should argue that given the tujung, because we do not know what happened next. Toh tujung immediately opened after returning from the grave, they said.

SAUR MATUA

Someone called Saur Matua, when he died in a position “Titir maranak, titir marboru, marpahompu child cyan, cyan marpahompu Boru”. But as religious people, hagabeon as described above, not necessarily one’s own. That is also the status of a person if his son saur Matua only men or only women, but has all hot ripe and have grandchildren.
Specifically about parjuhutna, Ev H Simanjuntak matching with colleagues say, is suitable to the ina-lombu sitio tio or if I have to horbo, smoothed his name as “lombu sitio-tio-hulinghon marhuling horbo”. For the future, if the father is dead, “boan” it is horbo (sigagat duhut).

Was asked whether the requirement boan response from those who Saur Matua lombu sitio-tio or sigagat duhut, these traditional leaders explained, it is relative depending on the capabilities hasuhuton, could have simarmiak-miak. This is where the use of umpasa “Pitu lombu Jones, marhulang-hulanghon Hotang, pinaraja king-king, Matua hasuhuton do Pandapotan”. The hula-hula, especially dongan sahuta must understand the conditions of hasuhuton in order to really “tinallik landorung bontar gotana, sitaonon do sada na nang mardongan sahuta pe-public nature of margana public nature”. Do not place such a story, Toba, due to customs ingested they eventually run tonight (bungkas) they said.

Rounding out Saur Matua particularly to the father, beloved wife of the predicate, to remarry and have offspring. Later when the father dies, then abandoned child single status, in accordance with the definition set forth at the beginning of this paper, the father became Sari Matua.

MAULI BULUNG

Mauli Bulung, is someone who died in a position titir maranak, titir marboru, marpahompu child cyan, cyan marpahompu boru Sahat namar-nini tu, tu Sahat namar-nono and the possibility to “marondok-ondok” who during his life, none of the descendants who died (manjoloi) (Someone who breed, bercucu, Twitter may be down to the great-grandfather).
Predictable, age Mauli Bulung already very long, perhaps 90 years or older, in terms of generations. Those who achieved full Mauli bulung now very rare.

In Batak traditions, bodies of people who already Mauli Bulung in the coffin was laid straight with both hands parallel to the body (not folded).

The death of a person with Mauli bulung status, according to its own traditional Batak is happiness for their offspring. No more sobs. They may be glad and rejoice, celebrate but not a rah-rah, hitting Godang ogung sabangunan, wind instruments, dancing, as an expression of gratitude and thanks to God the Most Merciful Love again.

HORJA BIUS CEREMONY TRADITIONAL CULTURE OF TOBA BATAK

2012-01-25T23:20:00.002+07:00

Batak Toba is a community of fellowship that most small communities are formed by genera. At first they lived at home parent but because the population continues to grow causing huta-huta formed new ones. To set the shared interests of a few villages or huta form a federation or association that are still bound to one another. Huta collection called horja.

United horja is more care of matters relating to the worldly. Stunning performances Horja party in whose name held Hahomion.

Stunning performances Horja party in whose name held HAHOMION

Hahomion Ritual is a ceremony performed by our ancestors early intended for the worship of ancestral spirits and supernatural powers. The purpose of ritual Hahomion to give offerings / offerings to ancestral spirits and supernatural powers. Our ancestors once believed that ancestral spirits still have a role in the lives of his descendants.

They also believe that the spirits of ancestors continuously monitoring social life. Dedication is intended as a tangible proof of the citizens for the recognition of a supernatural power that accompanies life.

HAHOMION for ritual purposes begged the spirit and power of supernatural forces continue to monitor the lives of citizens and appealed to Mulajadi Na Bolon to always maintain, bring prosperity, and tranquility of life of citizens.

Supplies include food from animals, fish, rice flour, fruits of which are:

ONE TAILED WHITE GOAT (HAMBING NABONTAR) cooked and cut to pieces of goat bone joints, the head, neck, chest / body, upper thigh, middle thigh front and rear legs. This goat meat cooked with spices such as chili, salt, ginger, galangal, SERE, onion garlic, coriander gonseng, pepper, nutmeg and cumin. All materials are made to taste like curry spices, served, arranged in order of when these animals lived in dish tubs / big plate of ceramic.

CHICKEN WHITE MALES ( MANUK MIRA), cut to the bone joints of chicken chunks, bits of the form; the head, neck, chest, good luck / back, rempelo / section in the abdomen, wings, thighs base, lower thighs, legs and tail cooked with chili seasoning, salt, ginger, galangal, SERE, onion, garlic, coriander gonseng, pepper, nutmeg and cumin. All materials are made to taste like curry spices arranged in order of when the animals lived in the bowl or dish tubs regular / medium-size white ceramic plate.

Red Rooster Grill (MANUK MIRA NARARA ) cut to the bone joints of chicken pieces, pieces of the form; the head, neck, chest, good luck / back, rempelo / section in the abdomen, wings, thighs base, lower thighs, legs, tail, chicken washed and baked, his blood is mixed into spices and covered thoroughly. This chicken is cooking a special husband and only the husbands are allowed to eat chicken is later when the ritual is complete. Presented in dish tubs with a chicken sitting position.

ROOSTERS (MANUK FAROE BOLGANG ). This whole chicken is addressed to a powerful, split chicken cut / removed part of his stomach, boiled / steamed until cooked, flavored rendang before boiling but not use coconut milk.

SAGU-SAGU. Material of this cake of rice flour cooked without sugar then compacted clot formed / rounded. Kueh is intended as a symbol of encouragement.

ITAK NANI HOPINGAN,from rice flour mixed with bananas, white sugar, brown sugar crushed / printed could be placed on the plate is round. Above itak nani hopingan given eggs, hibiscus and roddang (corn flower), bananas and putting mangeni Kueh is intended as a symbol of blessing asked for.

ITAK GURGUR OR POHUL-POHUL. Material of this cake of rice flour, white sugar, half-cooked roasted coconut mixed up together and can be formed, using the fingers / grip.

IHAN BATAK of Lake Toba special fish that is cooked whole tail with the first one cleared the stomach and flavored with chilies, salt, ginger, galangal, Serre, onion garlic, coriander gonseng, pepper, nutmeg and cumin. All materials are made to taste like curry spices, served over yellow rice flavored with bananas in included, itak gurgur and other materials.

ANGGIR PANGURASON the water mixed with lime, hibiscus and foliage for bidders and other materials, placed in a container in the form of a white cup.

ASSIMUN PANGALAMBOHI is a material made of cucumber cut length intended as a refreshing feeling.

TANDUK NI HORBO PAUNG made of large-sized banana as banana / banana Batak are intended as a refreshing feeling.

HAJUT / KAMPIL; white chopsticks filled with rice, money fractions (hepeng) the largest value of Rp 100,000, -, covered with betel leaf. Hajut this as a key symbolic offerings brought by Datu / shaman and the offerings placed on the table along with other sadjen materials.

Aek naso to MIDA Matani ari (coconut water) water is clean and sterile. The way of presentation of young coconut dilobangi top, above the hole was placed kaffir lime and red hibiscus.

Supplies of betel leaf chewing betel nut, gambier, lime, cloves, betel nuts and tobacco.

Supplies of clothing for all participants of the ceremony are wearing traditional Batak Toba (ulos), for women ulos diselendangkan slung or in lieu of clothing, for men and slung ulos sheathed without clothes.

For certain people wearing headbands showing the position in social institutions. Special Datu wearing a black dress which symbolizes that the datu was as if acting as a symbol of the presence Debata Guru (one of Debata Na Tolu) which is a form of radiant love Debata Mulajadi Na Bolon about the policy, while at the head wearing a red headband which represents Debata Brick Moon which is a form of radiant love Debata Mulajadi Na Bolon about power.

Other equipment is “DUPA” censer, filled the container of ashes, coals, incense and sprinkled a little. Distinctive aroma of incense is meant to invite the presence of supernatural creatures / supernatural powers to be present and united in the ritual performed.

PARGONDANGAN is preparing a Gordang (gondang large), 5 pieces topong (gondang a smaller size) 1 fruit kesik (hesek-hesek) and 2 pieces ogungdoal (Gong), and 1 ogung ihutan ogung Oloan panggor and a fruit sarune

BATAK PEOPLE

2012-01-25T23:09:00.002+07:00

The term "Batak" is used to refer the original resident of North Sumatra. The areas referred to as their country is stretching from Medan up to the areas around lake Toba and further South in Mandailing regency, the border of West and North Sumatra.

Four sub-group is known for this Batak tribe those are Batak Karo, Batak Toba, Batak Mandailing, and Batak Simalungun. There is no physical and social differences, just a slight different in not visible behavior and dialect. Their different names refers the area where they live. Most of them are a Christian or Catholic, since around 18th century many Christian missionaries live in North Sumatra.

They also have Mongoloid characters, and speak Malayu- Polinesian language as the other part of Sumatra. Among them Toba was the latest area to open with other part of Sumatra, but soon getting so famous due to their natural beauty around Lake Toba with Samosir island on it. Historical remains of the Batak Toba in the past is still preserved well such as ancient king burial, slaughting altar, and the Tor Tor dance. These are all on the beach of Samosir island.

Now on the beach of Samosir island and across the lake called city of Parapat have been developing very fast as a tourists resort area with dozens of hotel small and big, nice roofed boats to cross the lake or sight seeing between island and places on the bank of the lake. The people of Batak is the resident of North Sumatra highland such as the present district of Tanah Karo, Simalungun, Tapanuli utara, Tapanuli Tengah, Tapanuli Selatan, Dairi and Ashan. That is also the ethnic of Batak is further grouped according to their district into sub ethnic of Karo, Simalungun, Pakpak, Toba, Angkola, and Mandailing. According to the record in 1930, the Karo were 120.000 persons, the Simalungun were 50.000, the Toba were 400.000, the Mandailing were 160.000 persons.

Batak language also has the variation which are spoken by sub ethnics such Karo dialect, Pakpak dialect, Simalungun dialect, and Toba dialect spoken by the Toba, angkola and Mandailing. Figure in 1930 for the whole North Sumatra in 1930 was 2.500.000 and only 30 years later had double the number into 5.000.000 Compared to the size of North Sumatra which is 70.787 square kms, the density is only 70 person per square meter.

As other ethnic of Indonesia the Batak also has house and village certain pattern which is specific for them. Terminologies such as huta at Batak Toba refers a territory of one clan, The Karo use the name kesain, while kreta for the Karo is bigger then huta in Toba, which consist of various clans. In the past both kuta and huta were enclosed by tight woods as a wall of resistence against the attack of other huta or kuta. Within a kuta or a huta there are some rows of houses among which is open place as a yard for the place of ceremony of marriage, death and others. Some hutas had deep canal around, or high wall for their resistance. In it's court yard also built the farming rice granary which was also used as sleeping place by younger generations.

Every villages of Karo, Simalungun and Mandailing have public hall for meeting, while for Batak Toba they have a spot of land near the main gate of huta. A typical mark of huta is a banyan tree at the front, which is considered as the symbol of nature. This idea reminds about villages in Bali. The pattern has now experienced much changes especially those resistance aspects as the war among kuta and huta has been in exist anymore. Lumban refers to an area settled by part of clan, and only exist in Toba. Sasor is a new small settlement, built because the huta has been full. The sasor after years can be developed into a huta if physical and spiritual characters have been fulfilled, and is given the approval by the bius.

The terms of bius, partahian, urung and partumpukan each is used by the Batak of Toba, Angkola, Karo, Simalungun and Pakpak refers a unit of some hutas or kutas. In this case clannish border is neglected. The establishment of a huta must be followed by a ritual and paid the debt to the main huta. The ritual is started with the offering to the god of the earth called Boraspati ni tano. The offering consist of Batak land product, and conducted by a shaman called "datu". This ceremony reminds about the same process of building a house in Bali which is called "Ngeruak" which is addressed to the god of rice "Dewi Sri", or the mother earth "Pertiwi". The son of Pertiwi is often referred as "Banaspati". So it should have been relation between the Batak and Balinese in some aspect of life under the Hindu influence.

Batak house is called "Uma" or "Jabu" Toba, which shows they have same root with Balinese and other Indonesian ethnics. The Uma or Jabu is built on many wooden poles, but do not as high as those house on stilt on the islands. Their wooden board wall is made sloping, with roof made of palm black fibres. The size around 10 to 10 meters elongated east-west orientation. Doors are constructed on the west and east sides at Karo and Simalungun, while at Toba entrance is from the roof, and on the west and east side of the house have high caps the place to put buffalo horns. The peak of the house is made half circle. At Karo there is an ayo beside on Uma. An ayo is decorated with geometric ornamentations with colors red, white, yellow and black. On the right and left are put sculptures, human head or lion's head sculptures. The wall is tied with rope made of black palm fibre to look like lizard. A typical aspect of Karo house which can not be found at other Batak houses is the bamboo terrace constructed at the front of the house as the place of the girl to meet with youth for a visit.

A Batak house in general is a home for more than one families connected on genealogy, only in Toba that a house is for big families, as they live in virilocal system. In general the Batak live as farmer, grow rice with irrigation system, except at Karo and Simalungun there are still working at dry land by clearing and burn forest. At the dry land the owner of the land is the Kuta or huta, they have the right on the land, but there also land owned individually, for example what is called panjaean land, which is given to their son after his marriage as the capital for their life while pauseang land is the land given to a daughter after her marriage with same purpose as Panjaean.

In general the Batak still cultivate the land by simple way, only once a year s harvest can be yielded. Women do not involve in process of cultivation. Other short live horticultures are not grown except on the shore of lake Toba. Their tools of cultivating land is still simple such as ; hue, plough, poles, and knife to harvest. The plough in Batak language is called "tenggala" exactly the same name as Balinese used in Batak, the tenggala is drown by buffalowm while in Bali by 2 cows. Other subsistence for most of Batak society is growing pigs, cows, and chicken, for , meat supply to big city like Medan as well as the need of ceremony.

The land of Batak Toba has the most beautiful scenery such as the view of Lake Toba with it's Samosir island. On the northern wall of Toba crater is a magnificent water fall called Sipiso-piso. This natural setting combined with tradition of the Batak on the island of Samosir has been one of the most visited destination is Indonesia. Combined with specific fauna of Orangutans at Mount Leuser national park, north Sumatra has become very famous destination. An example of tour program to this natural beauty can be visited here Bohorok tour.

Marriage tradition in Batak society in the past born kinship system at the same level of understanding between sub-ethnic of the Batak with some different terminologies for certain kinship aspects. The ideal marriage according to Batak old tradition is merry the daughter of mother's broder's daughter. A youth was not free to choose his partner, he must follow the family tradition. Today this tradition is not followed by a large part of the society anymore. The initiative of delivering a plan of marriage was taken by the family of the youth by sending a formal messengers to the family of the girl. If the plan has been accepted by the family of the girl, then a discussion will take place between the family of the youth and the girl. This is concerning the amount of gift to be given to girl family, which were consist of sum of money, accessories, buffaloes, and pigs. The amount of gift that will be given to the brother of girl's mother, the amount of gift that will be given to the brother of girl's grand mother. The amount of gift to be given to the sisters of girl's mother, the amount of gift to be given to the brother of girl's mother. Besides the family of the girl there are also gift for brothers of girl's father. During the feast of marriage, usually the buffaloes and pigs were cooked for the members of Kuta or Huta that participated the feast. During the feast that the gift is given according to the tradition. Living tradition after marriage normally with the family of husband or virilocal, while there were some live with wife family or uxorilocal when the family of husband was poor.

A large part of Batak society are monogamy, while polygamy is not practiced, although customary low does not prohibit this practice. In case a window with her children then married a second husband, she and her children have no right on the wealth of the family. If the husband is dead, the widow must merry the brother of her husband or one of husband relative. If she doesn't want to, she ask divorce, and only the son can decide the divorce, or the grandchild. Procedure of normal divorce is that, the husband present his problem to the head of the customs who will call an elders to call the family of both sides. In this meeting will be decided who has been wrong. If the wife has been wrong she has to return double of the amount of gift received during marriage ceremony. If the husband is wrong, all his lost as a result of giving gifts and other will not be returned.

The clan of Batak people. Batak people introduces clan before western tradition influenced them which is shown by their naming tradition.

Sub-ethnic Family group Family Sub-family

Batak Karo - Makaro-Karo Sitepu
Barus
Sinulingga
etc.

Ginting Suka
Munte
Manik
etc.

Sembiring Keloko
Muhan
Pandea
Etc.

Parangin-angin Kutabuluh
Sebayang
Bangun
Singarimbun
Etc.

Tarigan Tambun
Silangit
Etc.

Batak Toba Lontung Situmorang
Sinaga
Pandiangan
Nainggolan
Simatupang
Aritonang
Siregar Lumban Pande
Bonar
Pandiangan
Lumban Raja
Togatorup
Ompu Sunggu
Silo.

Suruba Nai Ambaton
Nai Rasaon Simbolon
Manurung
Sibagot Nipohan

Borbor Lubis
Pulungan
Tanjung
Harahap
Sipahutar
Batubara

Simalungun
Purba
Saragih
Damanik
Sinaga
Sipajung Girsang
Simarmata
Manik

Batak society also introduces social layers, which is not noticeable as Bali. Their social layers based on : age, title, original resident of an area, marriage status. The older the person more privilege the have in society. There are some profession considered more respectable then others, and those who built the Kuta considered have more privilege compared to those coming later. Although the people of Batak have been following Christianity and Islam, the original ideas on belief which is written on a wood skin is still alive. This concept is called "Tarombo", Tarombo explain about the creation of man kind, genealogical lineages, and the concept of universe creation, and the spirit who control nature's phenomena. Concept about psyche are two types, one is the spirit got from the women of the mother called "Tondi" which make human being alive, and spirit got at the same time as Tondi, but it makes human being respected by others called "Sahala". Sahala can decreasing or increasing which shows by the full and increase of human grace. If Tondi left the body temporary will cause sickness, and leaving forever means death. When human being is dead his/her Tondi become "Begu". The Bagu can act as human being, only it acts in the night. Ancient Batak knew many kind of Begu or holy spirit from dead person and also Begus that reside the mountain, dense forest big trees and others

Sub-ethnic	Family group	Family	Sub-family
Batak Karo	-	Makaro-Karo	Sitepu Barus Sinulingga etc.
		Ginting	Suka Munte Manik etc.
Sembiring	Keloko Muhan Pandea Etc.
Parangin-angin	Kutabuluh Sebayang Bangun Singarimbun Etc.
Tarigan	Tambun Silangit Etc.
Batak Toba	Lontung	Situmorang Sinaga Pandiangan Nainggolan Simatupang Aritonang Siregar	Lumban Pande Bonar Pandiangan Lumban Raja Togatorup Ompu Sunggu Silo.
	Suruba	Nai Ambaton Nai Rasaon	Simbolon Manurung Sibagot Nipohan
Borbor	Lubis Pulungan Tanjung Harahap Sipahutar Batubara
Simalungun		Purba Saragih Damanik Sinaga Sipajung	Girsang Simarmata Manik

SAMOSIR ISLAND

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Samosir Island , in the middle of Lake Toba is the size of Singapore. Lake toba is the largest and deepest crater lake in world.906 meter above sea level, a water surface area of 1,265 square km, 90 km long with a coastline of 285 km, and with an average depth of 450 meters. Samosir island is the home of Batak people. The population of Samosir Island is approximately 130.568, or 91 per square kilometer .

The island measures 45 by 20 km, and originally was a peninsula. It only became a peninsula after the Dutch arrived and dug a canal across the small piece of land of 200 metres in 1906. This action seemed to have a lot to do among the local population, because they thought the island would slip away towards the middle of the lake and simply dissappear. The eastern coast of the island rises steeply from a small bank towards a central plateau with an altitude of 780 metres. This gradually descends towards the southern and western coast of the island and is scattered with small villages which dangerously lean against the rock, and cross ravains.

The Samosir plateau mainly is clear rock, with some scattered forests, swamps and a small lake. There is a road parallel with the shores of the island, but this can be bad at certain points, with a number of bad bridges in the southwestern corner. From Pangururan, the kecamatan-centre at the western side, a bridge connects the island with mainland Sumatera. The road ascends to an altitude of 1800 metres after that. Here, the village of Tele offers a good view over the lake and the island. During the northeastern monsoon (September until January), a strong wind usually arrived from the high altitudes, the alogo bolong or 'big wind'. This produces waves of over one metre high, which can made traffic over water very hard. Local ferries, most of the time overloaded with freight and people, can be lost during these storms.

Earlier the Batak used big tree-trunk canoos (solu) made of a single tree to cross the lake. Noaways only very small canoos are used. F.M. Schnitget, author of 'Forgotten Kingdoms in Sumatera', visited Samosir in the 1930's and described the adathouses, stone graves and coffins of no less than 26 villages. Looking for these villages is hard, because many of the names have been changed since them; others were abandoned and some of the stone sarcofagusses were removed from their original location. Outside the paved roads time and patience are an important factor to find the graves. But for many people a visit to Samosir is no more than a quiet ferry fare to Tomok, where the most famous of all Toba Bakat sarcofasussus are just on a few minutes away from the pier.

Horas is the local greeting delivered with enthusiasm. The Batak people love their lake and island, and many traditional local songs are written about it. You are sure to hear some of these Batak songs on visit to Samosir island Lake Toba, singing is a strong part of the local culture walk past (or into) a toddy shop any evening after local men have consumed a few glasses of Tuak, or palm wine , and hear it for your self.

Lissoi is their saying for cheers. There are also some fine woodcarvers on Samosir Island, as a glance at any of the souvenir shops will verify.

TUK TUK (SAMOSIR ISLAND)

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The visitor also could visit Tuk Tuk to look for accommodation (inns and hotels), 42 km from Pangururan to Tuk Tuk or one-hour trip on car. Approximately 50 inns and hotels in various classes are available in Tuk Tuk. There are also several high-class hotels here. From the positive aspect, clearly tourism supported the local business. On the other hand, the physical development practical ignored principles of the business and town planning when businessmen rushes to built hotels, guesthouses, etc.

Entered Tuk Tuk is like visiting Legian or Sanur Bali in the early stage. With several shops displayed clothes and art objects, followed by cafes, discos and hotels. At night, a lot of rejoicing tourists (mostly domestic) surrounded campfire while playing the musical instrument and the typical Batak song.

THREE BATAK MEGALITHIC

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The three megalithic sites on Samosir bear witness to the glory and horror of Batak history. The three consist of 300-year-old stone seats and benches arrayed in a circle. The first set of ruins was used as a conference area for Batak kings. At the second site, the kings would sit in judgment of a criminal or enemy prisoner. If the accused were found guilty, the assembly would move to the third set, which features the ghastly addition of a central stone execution block.
Other, less gruesome attraction can occupy many days of exploration and discovery. All over the island are superb examples of traditional Batak houses, with elaborate carvings and decorations. Performance of life-size is Gale-gale wooden puppet are held frequently, and at any moment, the musical Batak might break into an impromptu song, the seeming effortless, multi-part harmonies belying the casual setting.

Now, students and young professionals on tight budget have a good value accommodation, restaurants and general cosmopolitan atmosphere remain. With few motor vehicles, the island is a walker's paradise. Local guides are available for numerous hikes of varying difficulty around the island and surrounding lakeshore. Those who complete the 1600 meter climb up muddy trails to the village of Roonggurni need not be proud of their accomplishment: village children descend and re-climb the mountain every day to attend school.

PARAPAT TOWN

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Parapat town is the main tourist resort and lies on the very shore of Toba Lake. This lake is about 50 miles long and 16 miles across, with about 1,400 feet depth. In Parapat, live Batak Toba and Batak Simalungun tribes, and are happy and easygoing people. They are known for their lively and sentimental love songs. Recreational sports in Parapat are among others swimming, water skiing, motor boating, canoeing, and fishing.

Golf is at Sally golf course (19 holes), about 5 km from Parapat. Parapat is 176 from Medan and can be reached in 4 hours by bus. The climate in Parapat is cool and dry, making Parapat become an ideal place to relax. There are many hotels, bungalows, villas, and rest houses welcome visitors. Small shops sell souvenirs such as Ulos (local woven cloths) and specific fruits locally grown.

NORTH SUMATERA-INDONESIA

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North Sumatra is a large province stretching from the indian Ocean in the west to the Straits of Malaka in the East and from Aceh in the north to West Sumatra in the south. It is thick with virgin forests, lush vegetation and jungle covered hills, terraced ricefields, cool mountain streams, strong rivers, beautiful waterfalls, peaceful white sandy beaches and large ancient lakes.

The people of the region are hospitable and warm and can be divided into five main ethnic groups; the Coastal Malays living along the Malaka Straits; the Bataks consisting of the sub-tribes of Toba, Simalungun, Pak Pak (Dairi) and Karon of the highlands around Lake Toba and Samosir Island; the Pesisirs of Central Tapanuli along the Indian Ocean coastline; the Mandailings and Angkolas from southern Tapanuli and Nias Islanders off the western coast of the province.

These groups each have their own dialects, religious beliefs and traditional arts, customs and culture. There are also several ethnic groups who live in Medan and other towns of North Sumatra, the largest of these being Chinese and Indian. Other parts of archipelago are represented, but non more strongly than the Acehnese, Minangkabau and Javanese who now live in many parts of the area. As a result the area is often regarded as constituting a natural museum of Indonesia's proto-Malay heritage in which ancient customs and traditions have been preserved.

The diversity of arts and cultures literally make this region a Garden of Eden for social scientists and culture seekers. It is a treasure chest of culture and tradition waiting to be explored, with ancient graves of Batak kings, unique dances and ceremonies, and beautiful arts and crafts. North Sumatra is also one of the riches provinces in Indonesia for flora and fauna with a wealth of birds, butterflies, buffalo and deer. The province proudly boats of its Orang Utan Rehabilitation Center in the Gunung Leuser National Park which is bordered by the fast flowing Bohorok River and some delightful countryside and of course lake Toba, legendary birthplace of the mountain-dwelling Bataks and the largest inland lake in Southest Asia.

The region also produces more than 30% of Indonesia's export commodities and handles about 60% of them, making it vital cag in the Indonesian economy. Tabacco, palm oil, tea and rubber are produced in large quantities, particulary around Medan in the north of the province.

LEGEND OF LAKE TOBA

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Once upon a time, lived a young orphan farmer in the northern part of the Sumatran Island. This area was very dry. The young man lived from farming and fishing. One day he went fishing, he already fishing for half of the day but still not getting any fish yet. So he returned home for the day turns to night, but when he nearly left he saw a big beautiful golden fish, he then caught the fish and brought it home.

He intended to cook the fish right away but watched the beauty of this fish he then cancelled his intention. He chose to keep it as pet, and then he placed it in a big pond and feed it. On the next day, like usual, he went to his farm, and on the noon he comeback home, to have lunch. But when he arrived in his house he was very startled for the meal had prepared to be eaten. He then fears that the fish might be stolen, and then hastily he ran to the back of his house.

However, the fish was still in place, for a long time he thinks, “Who cooks those meals”, but because his is very hungry, he ate those meals. But this incident continued to occur again repeatedly, every time he came home for lunch, the meals are prepared on the table. Then one day this young man made a strategy to find out who cooks those meals, the next day he then began to commence his strategy, he then hide around the trees close to his house. He was waiting for a long time, but the smoke in his kitchen still has not been seen, and when he then intended to return home, he began to see the smoke in the kitchen.

"Hey woman, who are you, and where are you came from?” the woman began to drop tears, and then the young man saw his fish was no longer in the pond. He asked the woman, “hey woman, where is the fish in that pond?” the Woman cried intensely, but this young man continued to ask and finally the woman answers, “I was the fish that was caught by you”. The young man then startled, but because he felt that he had hurt the feelings this woman, then he said, “Hey woman, did you want to become my wife??” the Woman then startled, he stay quiet, then the young man said “Why are you silent??” Then the woman said, “I wanted to become your wife. But with one condition.” ”What is the condition?” the young man quickly asked, the woman then said, “In the future if our child was born and grew, never even once you said that he/she was anakni Dekke (child of a fish) ”. The young man then agreed to that condition and swore he will never say it.

Then they were married and granted a child. When the child was 6 years old, this child turn to be very naughty. Then one day the mother told her child to deliver meals to his father field, the child then went to deliver rice to his father. But in the middle of the trip, this child was felt hungry, then the child opened food package for his father, and ate the food. After finished eating, the child then wrapped it back and continued the trip to his father's field. On arrival the child gave the food package to the father, the father was very happy, the father then sat and immediately opened the food package that was sent by his wife to be carried by his child. But he was very startled when he opened the package there is only bones remained. The father then asked his child “Hay my child, why there are only bones left in this package??” And the child answers,” In my trip I felt hungry, so I ate the food.” Listened to that the father was very angry, he then slap his child and said, "Botul maho anakni dekke (Why you child of a fish),".

The child is then ran home crying and ask to his mother “Mak, Olo do na in dokkon amangi, botul do au anakni dekke? (Mother, is it true what father said, that I am a child from a fish?) ” Heard his child's words his mother was startled. While dropping tears and saying in her heart, “My husband has violated his swore, and now I must return to my place.” Then the sky was suddenly become dark followed with lightning, thunder, storm, and rain. The child and the mother disappeared, from their footprint emerged a spring that flowed water as swiftly as possible. Until this area was turned into a lake, that was named as “Tuba Lake” the lake without mercy, but because of the bataks was difficult to say “Tuba”, then this lake was mentioned as

HISTORY OF LAKE TOBA

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The world famous crater lake of Danau (Lake) Toba is the third biggest tourist destination of Indonesia. The island in the huge lake, Pulau Samosir, attracts many tourists. Lake Toba is the largest lake in Southeast Asia, once created by an enormous eruption less than 100.000 years ago. The eruption was approximately 8.000 times more powerful than the eruption of Mount St. Helen in 1981. Ashes in the stratosphere circled around the earth for years and changed the climate. As things began to settle another volcanic eruption happened about 25.000 years later and built up a secondary volcano inside the caldera. The cone of that volcano collapsed and formed the island Samosir while the crater of the first eruption filled with water, what to become Danau Toba.

The lake covers approximately 1.265 square km excluding Samosir and is 90 km long. The depth is in on average 450m and up to 900m in some places. The lake is situated at an altitude of 906 m above sea level. The steep coastline interspersed with small valleys creates fantastic scenery and isolated areas. The deepest end and the highest mountains are at its northeastern end. The Dutchman H.N. van der Tuuk was the first European who saw and reported about the lake, in 1847.

There are of course legends on how Lake Toba was formed. The following is a Batak Toba legend: Once upon a time there was a man living in the area of the present day Danau Toba. No one knew when or from where he came. He lived in a simple hut in a farming area. He had a garden and did some fishing. One day he caught a big fish in his trap. It was the biggest catch ever in his life. Back home the fish turned into a beautiful princess decorated with jewels. He fell in love with her and proposed to her. She nodded romantically, however, the princess had one condition. The man had to promise never to tell anyone that she had been a fish. If he would, there would be a disaster. They married and got a daughter and lived happily. The daughter always brought lunch to her father out in the fields. The girl was however very greedy and one day she ate all her father's lunch. Her father got angry and scolded: "You damned daughter of a fish!" The princess started to cry when she heard what her husband had said. She told her daughter to go to the hills, as there would be a disaster. When the daughter had left for safety the princess prayed. Soon there was an earthquake, rain started to fall and springs appeared everywhere. The whole area got flooded and became Lake Toba. The princess turned into a fish again and the father became the island of Samosir.

According to a Simalungun legend, told in Pematang Raya, there was once a mountain called Gunung Tuhaweoba in the area where Lake Toba is now. (Tuhaweoba is also the name of a kind of pepper). A long time ago the mountain exploded, Lake Toba was formed and the people were divided. Those on the western side of the lake became the Batak Toba and on the eastern side Batak Simalungun. The word Tuhaweoba changed over time to Tuba and later to Toba.

The traditional Batak canoe, the solu, was 10-15m long. All had the same width. The canoes of the chiefs were decorated with carvings. The captain, the Chief, sat in front and gave orders. The solu had its own spirit and when a new canoe was built offerings were made for both the canoe spirit and to Boru Saniang Naga, the Goddess of the water. Bataks feared her as disasters could easily happen when she was angry.

Three years ago Lake Toba reached its lowest water level ever, which caused problems, for example for tourism. The level had then fallen several meters and the lake was a rather depressing sight for people who had seen it before. The reasons for the falling water level were deforestation and over consumption of water by a pulp factory and a hydroelectric power plant near Porsea. The companies consumed more water than the capacity of Lake Toba allowed. After strong and sometimes violent protests from the local communities, the pulp factory, Indorayon, was closed down. The protests were based on many different interests and concerns, amongst others of course environmental concern. The water level is however, also controlled by the big dams of PT Inalum. Since the closure of Indorayon, the water level in Lake Toba has reached its normal level and the lake has regained its original beauty.

THE LAND OF BATAK

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BATAK RELIGION is found among the Batak societies around Lake Toba in north Sumatra. It is ethnically diverse, syncretic, liable to change, and linked with village organisations and the monotheistic Indonesian culture.

Myths and rituals focus on rice cultivation and the local kinship system. These two spheres are integrated into a cosmological order represented in religious art forms, dance, oratory, and gift-giving ceremonies.

The kinship system is based on marriage alliances linking lineages of patrilineal clans called marga. There are holy ritually superior wife-providing lineages and mundane ritually inferior wife-receiving lineages. This marriage system is an important part of Batak religion and involves hours of ritual oratory.

There is an upper world inhabited by gods, a middle world lived in by men, and a lower world that is the home of a dragon. The creator is Mula Jati, who links the three worlds and is Lord of the Universe. Mula Jati is both good and evil, male and female.
Belief in complementary opposites such as life and death, humans and animals, masculinity and femininity, village and forest, warfare and farming, metal and cloth, permeate the religion and commonly occur in myths and rituals. These opposites are thought to have once been one and ritual attempts to unite the opposites for a moment to release power from the centre. For example, ritual gift exchanges at weddings between the bride-giving and bride-receiving factions increases fertility in the marriage.

There are extensive soul concepts. If a soul is startled it can escape from the head and wander in the countryside. Soul-capture ceremonies performed by datu or guru, diviner-sorcerers, bring the soul back to the body. These datu also protect the village during war, epidemic, and crop failure by means of sacrificial rituals, occult knowlege, and divination with the use of the Hindu zodiac and magic tables.

It is debated whether there was occasional ritual cannibalism. Marco Polo wrote in 1292 that the Batak ate their parents when they became too old for work, and Raffles in the nineteenth century stated that for certain crimes a criminal would be eaten alive.
Indian influence can be detected in the religion and its art. The Batak came into contact with both Hinduism and Buddhism.
Batak religion is bound up with Islam and Christianity and the majority of Batak are Muslim or Christian. Contact with the monotheistic religions differs greatly from one Batak society to another.

Origin myths of the Toba Batak are of Si Raja Batak, the first human, who was born on a holy mountain near Lake Toba. He had two sons, Guru Tateabulan and Raja Isumbaon, who were the fathers of the ancestors of the major Toba patrilineal clans. Other related myths are of the origin of farming and weaving, and clans are associated with certain valleys and uplands.
The Batak encountered Indian religions at an early period through trading colonies near Barus and a temple community near Portibi. There was also influence coming from the indianised ancient kingdoms of south Sumatra.
Batak religion practised before the early nineteenth century was related to the indigenous religions of the Dayaks in Kalimantan, highland societies in Sulawesi, and the people of eastern Indonesia.

Contact with Islam and Christianity varied considerably in the Batak societies. In the 1820′s Islam came to the southern Angkola and Mandailing homelands, and in the 1850′s and 1860′s Christianity arrived in the Angkola and Toba region with Dutch missionaries and the German Rheinische Mission Gesellschaft. The first German missionary, Nommensen, arrived in 1861 with only a Bible and a violin. Nommensen caused the Dutch to stop Batak communal sacrificial rituals and music, which was a major blow to the traditional religion. These early conversions included large numbers of slave descendents. Karo has many animists, with conversions only in the 1930′s. Dutch colonial policy favoured Christian villages. Such a background of conversion has left southern Batak Christianity filled with disputes by different factions. In 1965 the national government identified Indonesian patriotism with belief in a monotheistic religion. This has accelerated the number of converts to Islam and Christianity.

Pre-monotheistic Batak religion cannot be reconstructed in detail from available evidence since Islam and Christianity have thoroughly reshaped village ritual and folk memories.
At the time of the Suharto regime a number of class and ethnic based new denominations split from the parent church of the German-sponsored missionary church, the HKBP (Huria Kristen Batak Protestan). In areas with both Muslims and Christians, church members align with Muslims along class lines.

An important area of present and future dynamism is the meeting ground of adat, village custom, and monotheism. In Muslim Mandailing and Christian Toba, adat is seen as conflicting with monotheism, while in Angkola the common heritage of the adat is emphasised over monotheistic differences and the village ritual in adat leads to much syncretism.

The cosmological order is represented in religious art forms. The gable ends of traditional houses are richly decorated with the cosmic serpent Naga Padoha carved in wood or in mosaic, lizards, double spirals, female breasts, and the head of the singa, a monster with protruding eyes that is part human, part water buffalo, and part crocodile or lizard. Other wooden sculptures, dances, ritual speeches, and gift-giving ceremonies reflect this cosmological order. Even the layout of the village symbolises the Batak cosmos. Many of these symbols found in wooden sculptures are magic signs or fertility symbols, such as female breasts.

Other symbols of Batak mythology include the baringin or banyan tree as the cosmic tree uniting the levels of the Batak cosmos, the hornbill, aboriginal boy-girl twins, star constellations, magic numbers, and the magic colours red, white, and black.
Besides the traditional houses, these symbols are found on textiles, funerary masks, boats with hornbill figureheads, the wooden staffs of datu, and megalithic monuments.