THE BATAK PEOPLE
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 difference, just a slight different in not visible behavior and dialect. Their different names refer the area where they live. Most of them are a Christian or Catholic, since around 18th century many Christian missionaries live in 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 difference, just a slight different in not visible behavior and dialect. Their different names refer the area where they live. Most of them are a Christian or Catholic, since around 18th century many Christian missionaries live in North Sumatra.
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 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.
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 resistance 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.
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 houses on stilt on the islands. Their wooden board wall is made sloping, with roof made of palm black fibers. 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 fiber 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.
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 houses on stilt on the islands. Their wooden board wall is made sloping, with roof made of palm black fibers. 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 fiber 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.
The land of Batak Toba has the most beautiful scenery such as the view of Lake Toba with its 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.
Marriage tradition in Batak society in the past had 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 brother'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 messenger 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 was consisting 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.
The clan of Batak people. Batak people introduces clan before western tradition influenced them which is shown by their naming tradition.
The land of Batak Toba has the most beautiful scenery such as the view of Lake Toba with its 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.
Marriage tradition in Batak society in the past had 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 brother'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 messenger 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 was consisting 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.
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 person more
privileges 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 decrease 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.
see the original here http://www.balitouring.com
LIST OF VOCABULARY
·
Resident : penduduk
·
Stretching : bagian
·
Further :
lebih lanjut
·
Visible : tampak
·
Dozens : lusin
·
Roofed : beratap
·
Highland : pegunungan
·
Territory : daerah
·
Clans : suku
·
Resistance : perlawanan
·
Granary : lumbung
·
Stilt :
jangkauan
·
Entrance : mempesona, jalan masuk
·
Peak : pencak
·
Terrace : petak
·
Magnificent : bagus sekali
·
Noticeable : nyata
·
Respectable : terhormat
·
Lineages : garis silsilah
·
Temporary : sementara
·
Ancient : kuno
EXECISE
1.
What is the purpose of the
text above?
2.
What is the main idea of the
fourth paragraph?
3.
How many sub group in Batak
Tribe? And what is the different of each tribe?
4.
What is Kuta and Huta based
on the text above?
5.
What is Uma and Jabu
according to the text?
6.
How is the marriage tradition
in Batak?
7.
What is sipiso-piso
according the text?
8.
What is virilocal and uxorilocal
according to the text?
9.
Sinaga is the kind of family
from simalungun sub ethnic, what is the sub-family of Sinaga?
1. What is tarombo, tondi, sahala and begu according to the text?
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