The Legend of the Land

The legend of the land of Bakara began from a place in the heart of the village, named Tombak Sulusulu (Torch Forest). This forest also called Tombak Situan Habonaran, means a forest of place of holiness and the truthness.  This site known as:    

1. The legend of the first Batak's land formed, created by god's daughter Puti Orla Bulan as the mother's of  Batak origins.  

2. The place of mystical golden eagle bird, Manuk Hulambujati or Manuk Patiaraja as the god's messenger.

3. The place of  birth of the First King Sisingamangaraja as the "primus interparest" or "Priest King" of Batak Kingdom. 

Land of Bakara

Land of Bakara (Image, 2010)

There is a small village, about 2.400 hectare wide, laid in the deep rural valley, surrounded by Bukit Barisan Mountain in North Sumatera, Indonesia. Located at the lake side of  Lake Toba in the South East, one of the biggest lake in the world. This land is rich of of spring water, waterfalls, and rivers.  A land of history, land of the Batak Toba ethnic, land of isolated traditions and culture, named Tano Bakara (Land of Bakara).


There are two big rivers flow through the land. First, the biggest one is Aek Silang, starts from waterfall Batubatu, in Desa Hutaraja. This river colour looks red, but the other river Aek Simangira looks white. Aek Simangira originates from two springs. The two rivers to be one river and flows 0.7 kilometres to the Lake Toba.

Bakara is the land of kingdom centre of Sisingamangaraja Kings (I-XI), the Batak's Kingdoms until 1907.   

The Six Leader Si Onom Ompu

Bakara country, is bona ni pasogit of 6 (six) as the hereditary clan customary landowners. Six genera are represented by the elders called the King of Bius. Stunning as the king of traditional leaders, providing the rules and customs that represent the limits of territorial unity of the clan that social identity is a genealogical ties. Stunning king representing each clan in making custom, held a traditional ceremony and the decision to hold a religious ritual which involves belief in ancestors.

Stunning kings in Bakara called Sionom Ompu (Six Elders) which is the elders of each clan: a) Bakara, 2) Sinambela, 3) Sihite, 4) Simanullang, 5) Simamora (al Purba, Manalu), and 6 ) Marbun (Lumbangaol, Banjarnahor). The Stunning Kings Si Onom Ompu recognize and appoint Raja Sisingamangaraja as "primus interpares", which is a leader among leaders, the holder of the highest supremacy of the Kings at the Bakara.

Si Onom Ompu  position as King of Bius until now maintained well as customary holders and other stakeholders in the State Bakara. Any events or ceremonies that were held in the State Bakara must be attended and blessed by the elders, or delegates appointed elders from each clan are descendants of Si Onom Ompu.