Page 35 - E-BOOK SEJARAH DAN BUDAYA INDONESIA

Batak Tribe Beliefs

Currently, the majority of the Batak Tribe embraces Protestant Christianity. But long
before they knew this religion, the Batak people adhered to a traditional belief system. They have
a figure who is considered the highest god, named Mulajadi na Bolon.

From this belief, then known 3 concepts, namely:

1. Tendi

Tendi or also known as Tondi is a person's spirit or soul which means strength. Tendi gives
strength to humans and has been possessed by a person since in the mother's womb. If Tendi leaves
a person's body, that person will die. That's when a ceremony must be held to pick up Tendi or a
traditional ceremony to pick up the soul.

2. Sahala

Sahala is a form of power that is possessed by someone, but not everyone can have Sahala.
Sahal is also called by another name Sumanta. Sumanta is a magic that is usually possessed by the
king.

3. Begu

Begu is the soul or Tendi of the deceased. The Batak people believe that Begu have human-
like behavior and habits, but only appear at night.

Batak Language

The Batak people use the Batak language for daily communication. Each sub-ethnic has its
own accent or dialect in pronouncing the Batak language. Quoting Uli Kozok's Ancestral Heritage,
linguists distinguish the Batak language into two branches. The differences between the two
branches are too great, so it does not allow for communication between the two language groups.
The Angkola, Mandailingi, and Toba Bataks form the southern clump. While the Karo and Pakpak-
Dairi Bataks belong to the northern family. The Simalungun Bataks are often classified into the
third clump between the north and south. However, according to Adelaar linguists, the Simalungun
dialect actually comes from the southern family. "All Batak languages come from one ancient
language (proto language) which some of the vocabulary can be reconstructed,"

Art

1. Art of building The Batak people have a traditional house called ruma (ririt in customary law)
or jabu. The meaning of ririt in customary law is a source of customary law and a source of
education for the Batak community. This traditional house has a unique blend of snake carving
with crafts. The shape of the house is a stage that has a pole in the form of a log. At each corner,
there is a pillar with a stone foundation. The largest pillar is called the Persuhi Pillar and the
foundation stone is called the Persuhi Stone. Buffalo horns are installed on the west and east roofs

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