The Rule OF Marga in Batak
Someday if we meet someone with his surname (marga) like Situmorang, Sembiring, Nasution and Saragih, surely that he is Batak (one of clan in Noth Sumatera. Batak is classified into Toba, Simalungun, Karo, Mandailing and Pakpak. To name their surname (Marga) based on some things: the name of the family first generation (Sinaga), based on their homefather like Hutabarat, Lumbangaol. Some role of Marga:
1. Tarombi (geneologies)
Tarombo is the list of generation of the clan. It’s consist of the name of first generation to the latest generation. Every family who has this Tarambo can conclude where their hometown is.
2. Identity
This Marga can be differentiated with another Marga/Clan, also can be identification of ourself. If we go from hometown, this Marga can bind up with another Batak family. Marga is our name.
3. As One Big Family
The same marga is one big family based on geneological tree. The Batak man the same Marga has the same “blood”. So a man/woman is brother/sister with another man/woman (same Marga) eventhough they don’t have same parents. There’s a motto “ Sisada anak Sisada Boru”, “one son one daughter”.
The effect a man with same Marga like (Situmorang) is forbidden to marry a woman with the same (Situmorang). This law is adopted in Batak clan.
4. Position In Social Life
When Batak meet at first they intriduce their Marga so that they know how to greet each other. To identify their relation, this is usefel if they are same marga or not. Concept Dalihan Na Tolu ( Batak’s Social Contract) is prnciple of social life, “ Manat Mardongan sabutuha, somba marhula-hula, elek marboru”. Each position has different role and different posistion in social life.
5. The Legacy
Every nation surely has own special cultural. Batak (Bangso Batak) has a lot of kinds of cultural as language, medicine, alphabet, astronomy and musics. Marga is also cultural creation because it has implication Batak in social life.
6. Responsibility
Each of Batak people has responsibilty to make Marga everlasting. Kondar Situmorang (Situmorang Na Bolon) said; “ sebagai warisan budaya marga harus terus dijamin keberlangsungan dan menjadi ciri budaya Batak. Kita ditakdirkan bukan hanya sebagai ahli waris tetapi juga pemelihara dan pewris marga. Sistem marga adalah satu dari karakteristik budaya dulu, sekarang dan kelak. Kita bukan terminal akhir dari marga itu, melainkan satu mata rantai dan satu untaian yang harus berkelanjutan.”
“ melestarikan marga satu proses yang terus berlangsung ada interplay antar marga. Dalihan Na Tolu dan acara-acara adat. Merekalah bagian dari integral dari kehidupan sosial Batak,”
“ Marga harus berfungsi menurut kodratnya, bila ia tidak berfungsi dan tidak memiliki makna ia adalah barang sia-sia, dan wajar diabaikan. Marga harus dibuat berfungsi sesuai kodratnya, dapat berfungsi diwujudkan oleh orang-orang Batak.”
Closing: “ if we agree marga as our way of life or at least we acknowledge it, sooner it will be like “ God’s Gift To Bangso Batak”. To make marga everlasting we need it as mission of life and responsibility to bangso Batak. If Bangso Batak do not care about that, it’s the beginning of Batak becomes extinct. (Hope Not)..
MANGARATUA' PuNcH 