Bakara Archive

Bakara Archive is written heritage of Kingdom Sisingamangaraja in Bakara, contains about: 

1. History of Batak Kingdom up to Sisingamangaraja as King.

2. Batak rejection of Si Bontar Mata (Batak call the Dutch as Si Bontar Mata, means the white eyes)  

3. An official reports and government documents of Sisingamangaraja XI in detail, completely and accurately the events along the year.

4. The Work Plan to rebuild and reconstruction the land of Bakara after war.

Bakara Archive is hand written using Batak script and language, wrote use qualified waterproof Chinese ink on foolscap size paper made in Italy. All the material sent to Bakara through over Aceh.  Batak script and language which was the archive of Sisingamangaraja XI.

There are 23 volumes, each + 5cm thick. Every books covered with buffalo leather and cotton.  Very neat, like a row set of Encyclopedia Book. The thickness of all the book around 1.5m.

The Archice rescued by Reverend Pilgram in 1884, then saved by Joustra and subsequently handed over Poortman in Voorburg Holland.

Betel Nut (Sirih)

Betel Nut or Sirih (Image, 2012)

Betel nut or Sirih is a type of green vines or climbing a tree trunk, in the Batak language, called:

1. Demban

2. Sirumatabulung

3. Napuran

4. Burangir 

Betel has a function and its benefits for the Batak tribe :

1. Customs. On customary marriages, dowry money submission (sinamot / tuhor) in the betel leaf is placed in a dish containing rice.

2. Respect. To welcome guests, and stay in touch with a dish and eat betel (marnapuran) together. Chewed betel leaf spread with lime after (hapur), areca and gambier.

3. Ritual. Prostration prayer (martonggo) to Ompu Mulajadi Nabolon, with the hands to worship, where the betel leaf is placed in the palm and fingers, folded betel leaves two closed top surface.

4. Herbal. Ingredients for taoar (herbal medicine).

5. Status. After the procession mangalontik Ipon, *) boy or girl must be given and betel chewing, a sign has entered a mature level.

In Batak mythology (turi-turian):

1. The Moon and the Sun.  The sun was struck on the lips of the Moon that flushed from chewing betel nut, so to have the charm, the sun was willing to swallow seven children of the sun.

2. Siboru Deang Parujar conquered  Naga 

Padoha the dragon, by betel chewing to attract him so the dragon follow her will.  

Napuran Tano Tano, betel creeper that grows in the soil (tano=ground). Small leaf size, smaller than the betel vine upward or tree.

_______

*) Click here"Mangalontik Ipon"

Pelebegu

Pelebegu, Pelbegu, Sipelebegu or Hasipelebeguan derived from the word "pele" and "begu". Pele means give offerings, while begu is spirit. Sipelebegu is the perpetrator the "gift offerings" to the good spirit in the form of food, drink or something to the tombs, a large tree, which is believed also to the sacred (sacred) or armature (spooky, scary). Pelebegu or Mamele Begu = function of providing offerings. Hasipelebeguan are things about giving or offering  (Pelean) to the spirits. "Pelean" is gifts or donations, derived from the word "lean" = give, given, convey.


Sipelebegu, Pelbegu, Hasipelebeguan not as a cult Batak, and not as a religion among the ancient Batak tribe. Ancient Batak tribes are said to be Sipelebegu because the sacrifice of activities aimed at offering to the spirits in a ritual.

Stone of Footstep Print of Gaja Puti

Stone of footstep print of  Gaja Puti
in Huta Ginjang, Bakara (Foto, 2006)

Stone of footstep print of Gaja Puti (White Elephant) found in Bakara. Located on the slopes, Huta Ginjang, Bakara, and there beside the springs emanating from the crack rocks. Until now, local people still use it as a source of drinking water.

In Ancient Batak this site is a place of "ritual" and drinking Gaja Puti. This footprint is not a work of sculpture, but is formed through the footrests Gaja Puti the "sacred" and the magic power of King Sisingamangaraja. So is the spring that flows through the fountain splashed after I plugged the treasures of King Sisingamangaraja Hujur Siringis / Hujur Sitonggo Mual with the request to Ompu Mulajadi Na Bolon, as the highest God of Batak.  

This Gaja Puti was one of the symbol royal succession from Raja Uti Mutiaraja (Kingdom Barus) to Sisingamangaraja of Bakara, to become a new rising Kingdom. White Elephant is an animal "special" and are considered "sacred", so it becomes a symbol, legend and mythology.  

According to Hindu belief, the white elephant is the king of elephants, and white elephant named Airawata is the god Indra's steeds. As for the Buddhist population of this animal as a symbol of knowledge and goodness, in connection with the dream of "white elephant" Queen Maya's mother before the birth of the Buddha.

Thailand is called the white elephant country, where the white elephant symbol of prosperity and happiness. For Myanmar (Burma Nations), the white elephant as a symbol of power and good fortune. In Indonesia, High plains Gayo, Aceh, is called the White Elephant World (Bumi Gajah Puteh), has its own tale and legend of the White Elephant.

Harangan Situan Habonaran (Tombak Sulusulu)

Harangan Situan Habonaran or Tombak Sulusulu (Image, 2006)

Harangan Situan Habonaran or Tombak Sulusulu is the sacred places of Bakara’s history. In this Tombak Sulusulu  mother of the First Sisingamangaraja prayed a request to Ompu Mulajadi Na Bolon to get a son,and granted. In this place he went on to his son who became King in the Land of Batak,"King Sisingamangaraja." Harangan or tombak means forest, Situan Habonaran means place of the truth and sulu-sulu means torch lights.

Small forest on the rocky hill country rock at Bakara is overgrown ith various species of plants shrubs and trees, one of which Hau Sangkam Madeha, the biggest three there. There was Aek Manuruk (small well) but is now dry. 

In the midst of this forest there is a stone cave formed from boulders gap. This cave is where the place of King Sisingamangaraja to pray (martonggo/prayer request).

In one of tonggo  (prayer) King Sisingamangaraja, Tombak Sulu-sulu stated:

“Adian ni Batara Guru, Parmanuk-manuk Patia Raja

Parsombaon harangan sulu-sulu, paraek na manuruk,

Sulu-sulu ni Debata, sulu-sulu ni sombaon

Si sulu ni hata na pintor, si sulu ni hata na geduk.

Means, Tombak Sulu-sulu is the place of rest Batara Guru (the God), as the owner of Heaven Bird, name Patia Raja (Hulambu Jati Bird); sacred place the holiness of Sulu-sulu forest, where the water dived; the truth of Gods and the holiness, the giver of wise words and the truth.

It may be also Spear Sulusulu is nowhere mentioned by William Marsden, in his History of Sumatra (1811), about the location of the first man fall to the earth, the daughter ofGuru, named Puti Orla Bulan, in the Bakara:

“…Batara Guru, had a daughter named Puti-Orla-Bulan, who requested permission to descend to these lower regions, and accordingly came down on a white owl, accompanied by a dog; but not being able, by reason of the waters, to continue there, her father let fall from heaven a lofty mountain, named Bakarra, now situated in the Batta country, as a dwelling for his child; and from this mountain all other land gradually proceeded.”

Parik and Harbangan Ni Huta

Parik & Harabangan ni Huta
in Lumban Raja, Land of Bakara (Image, 2006)

Characteristic of each huta (village) in Batak Land in ancient times was surrounded by a wall of earth or stone on top of it planted with thorny bamboo tree which grows tight. This wall is called  "parik ni huta" (fortress of the village), serves as a fortress to protect the village settlement area against possible enemy attack on the outside and from exposure to strong winds and attacks "evil mystical"

There is only one entrance and exit huta, a narrow gap that can only be passed by oneperson as the gate called "harbangan ni huta" (gate of the fortress). To pass, each person had to queue in front harbangan

Raja Isumbaon

Family Tree of  Raja Isombaon

Raja Isumbaon is the second son of King of Si Raja Batak. Meaning of the name "king who is worshiped." All of his descendants came to be called as a class of Sumba Descendants.

Son of King Isumbaon there are three, namely:

1. Tuan Sori Mangaraja

2. Raja Asiasi (ni stumps Juji)

3. Sangkar Somalidang (Langka Somalidang)

Raja Asiasi and his younger brother, Sangkar Somalidang before marriage has left his hometown merantau Pusuk Buhit.

Heritage which is given by Si Raja Batak to his son King Isumbaon, is Pustaha Tumbaga holing, contain about slave dohot uhum habatahon, harajaon, partiga-tigaan (precepts and laws Batak, empire and commerce)