BATAK

Batak is one of the ethnic groups in Indonesia. This name is a collective theme to identify some tribes who live and come from Tapanuli and East Sumatra, North Sumatra. Ethnic groups are categorized as Batak: Toba Batak, Batak Karo Batak Pakpak, Simalungun Batak, Batak Angkola, and Batak Mandailing.

Nowadays most people adhere Batak Protestant Christianity, Catholicism, and Sunni Islam. But some are embracing the belief tadisional: Malim tradition and also embracing animist beliefs (called Sipelebegu or Parbegu), although now the number of the adherents of these teachings waned.

Greetings Typical Batak

Each tribe has Batak greeting each signature. Although the Batak tribe famous for greeting “Horas” but there are still two more greetings less popular in the community and “Njuah Mejuah Juah Juah”. Horas itself still has a reference to each tribe by the use

1.    Pakpak “Njuah-juah Mo Banta Karina!”

2.    Karo “Mejuah-juah Kita Krina!”

3.    Toba “Horas Jala Gabe Ma Di Hita Saluhutna!”

4.    Simalungun “Horas banta Haganupan, Salam Habonaran Do Bona!”

5.    Mandailing dan Angkola “Horas Tondi Madingin Pir Ma Tondi Matogu, Sayur Matua Bulung!”

Kinship

Kinship is related to the legal relationship between people in social life. There are two forms of kinship to the Batak tribe, which is based on lineage (genealogy) and based on sociological, while no territorial kinship.

Forms of kinship based on lineage (genealogy) is visible from the clan genealogy ranging from Si Raja Batak, Batak tribes which all have a clan. While kinship based on sociological occur through agreement (match between a particular clan) or by marriage. In Batak traditions, the unity is the bond of blood in Indigenous clans, and clan. This means for example Harahap, unity is customary Marga Harahap vs another. Given that Indigenous Batak / Batak traditions are dynamic which is often tailored to the time and place influence the differences between the traditional style of the area.

The existence of philosophy in the parable of the Toba Batak language that reads “Jonok dongan partubu jonokan do dongan parhundul” is a philosophy that we always maintain good relations with its neighbors, because they’re the closest friends. However, in the implementation of custom, the first look is a one clan, although basically neighbors should not be overlooked in the implementation of Indigenous Peoples.