Batak Toba People (English Version)

BATAK TOBA PEOPLE

by: Wendy Hutahaean

Batak Toba people or sometimes called Batak Toba par-Holbung is a Batak ethnic that live in Kabupaten Toba Samosir of North Sumatra Province, Indonesia. Long time ago, foreign people classify all people who live in North Tapanuli and Central Tapanuli as Batak Toba. However, there are five different batak ethnics that live in those areas which are Batak Toba, Batak Samosir, Batak Silindung, and Batak Sibolga. They have the same cultures and language with some differences because of geographical position and district division for decades. 

Traditional Clothes of Batak Toba

A. The Land

The land of Batak Toba people covered some districts (kecamatan) in Kabupaten Toba Samosir, which are:

1. Kec. Ajibata, ibukota di Pardamean Ajibata

2. Kec. Balige, ibukota di Balige III

3. Kec. Borbor, ibukota di Borbor

4. Kec. Habinsaran, ibukota di Parsoburan

5. Kec. Lagu Boti, ibukota di Pasar laguboti

6. Kec. Lumban Julu, ibukota di Pasar Lumbanjulu

7. Kec. Nassau, ibukota di Lumban Rau Tengah

8. Kec. Pintu Pohan Meranti, ibukota di Pasar Pintu Pohan

9. Kec. Porsea, ibukota di Pasar Posea

10. Kec. Siantar Narumonda, ibukota di Siantar Dangsina

11. Kec. Sigumpar, ibukota di Sigumpar Dangsina

12. Kec. Silaen, ibukota di Silaen

13. Kec. Tampahan, ibukota di Tarabunga

14. Kec. Uluan, ibukota di Lumban Binanga

15. Kec. Parmaksian, ibukota di Pangombusan

16. Kec. Bonatua Lunasi, ibukota di Lumban Lobu

Kabupaten Toba Samosir

Batak Toba people are related to Batak Samosir, Batak Humbang, Batak Silindung and Batak Sibolga because they were in a same regency of North Tapanuli. Sometimes foreign people classify those five batak ethnics as Batak Tapanuli. Some Batak Toba People has the same ancestor  with Batak Angkola and Batak Mandailing. For example, Nasution in Batak Toba and  Batak Mandailing come from the same ancestor. Siregar in Batak Humbang and Batak Angkola also come from the same ancestor. There are another ancestor similarity among those Batak ethics.

B. Marga

Batak Toba people have "marga" that shows the identity of their original ancestor or family. This familiy name is derived from  father lineage (patrilineal) that will be continued to his male descent continiously. Female descent will follow the family name of her husband after mariage. The example of marga in Batak Toba that live (marbona pasogit) in Toba Samosir is Pangulu Ponggok Naiborngin who has three sons, Hutahaean, Hutajulu and Aruan. Those three "marga" occupied Laguboti district in Kabupaten Toba Samosir.

1.    Marga Aruan

2.    Marga Batubara

3.    Marga Butarbutar

4.    Marga Baringbing

5.    Marga Doloksaribu

6.    Marga Dabukke

7.    Marga Banjarnahor

8.    Marga Gultom

9.    Marga Hutagaol

10. Marga Hutahaean

11. Marga Hutajulu

12. Marga Hutapea

13. Marga Manurung

14. Marga Marpaung

15. Marga Manik

16. Marga Nadapdap

17. Marga Napitupulu

18. Marga Pangaribuan

19. Marga Panjaitan

20. Marga Pardede

21. Marga Pardosi

22. Marga Pohan

23. Marga Nababan

24. Marga Pasaribu

25. Marga Rumapea

26. Marga Rumahorbo

27. Marga Sarumpaet

28. Marga Siagian

29. Marga Siahaan

30. Marga Siallagan

31. Marga Sianipar

32. Marga Sibarani

33. Marga Sibuea

34. Marga Silitonga

35. Marga Silaen

36. Marga Simangunsong

37. Marga Simajuntak

38. Marga Sinurat

39. Marga Sirait

40. Marga Sitorus

41. Marga Sipahutar

42. Marga Tambun

43. Marga Tambunan

44. Marga Tampubolon

Traditional House of Batak Toba

C. Language

Batak Toba language with Toba Holbung dialect is the language spoken by Batak Toba people in Kabupaten Toba Samosir. Batak Toba language is also spoken by Batak Samosir, Humbang, Silindung, and Sibolga with some different dialect. Batak Toba language is related to Batak Mandailing/ Angkola langauge that is spoken by Batak Mandailing and Batak Angkola people in the southern Tapanuli. Those two languages basically are similar with some different in dialect because of the separation of the regencies long time ago. Batak Simalungun language is also related to Batak Toba language. 

Traditional Dance of Batak Toba

The habbit of roaming all over the world is popular among Batak Toba people. Because of the habbit, Batak Toba People is well known everywhere. The term of "Horas", a greetings from Batak Toba, Samosir, Humbang, Silindung, Sibolga, Angkola, Mandailing and Simalungun is also popular to greet all Batak people. Batak Toba people is spreading all over Indonesia and Worldwide.

D. Religion

The religion of Batak mostly Christian that introduced by German Missionarist, IL Nomensen hundred years ago. The biggest Christian church in the world, HKBP (Huria Kristen Batak Protestant) comes from this area. There are only few people of Malim and Parbegu as the traditional Batak religion. Besides that, there are also few number of  Islam from interracial marriage.

Batak Church

Basically, Batak Toba people live as farmer and fisherman, especially for people who lives around Toba Lake coast. Nowadays, they also work in different types job such as merchandise,  office jobs, in private and public sector. There are a lot of Batak Toba People who become successful person in foreign country such as having an important position in government and having a successful business.

Refference:

1.    http://id.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kabupaten_Toba_Samosir

2.    http://id.wikipedia.org/wiki/Suku_Batak_Toba

3.    http://protomalayans.blogspot.com/2012/09/suku-batak-toba.html

4.    http://pardedejabijabi.wordpress.com/2012/03/31/bahasa-batak-toba/

Batak Toba Dance - Tortor Hata Sopisik

Batak Soba Song - Tano Toba

Batak Toba Song - Ajibata Nauli