Mandailing Culture (2)

MANDAILING CULTURE: A BRIEF OVERVIEW

By Edi Nasution

ORIGIN 'NAME' OF THE ‘MANDAILING’

A number of legends that contain elements relating to the history and origins of 'marga' (clan) of the Mandailing people, are still living in the community Mandailing, as legend Namora Pande Bosi and Si Baroar that written by WillemIskander - century 18. But such a legend does not provide information regarding the history of significant Mandailing. In some historical records such as the ‘Porang Paderi’ (Padri War) history compiled by M. Radjab (1964), there is mention of the Mandailing Mandailing and involvement in the ‘Porang Paderi’. The historical record is simply related to the Mandailing community in the 18^th century and the beginning of the entry of the Dutch into Mandailing. But what about the history or circumstances Mandailing community in previous centuries there is no record of writing.

Based on existing records, the following briefly outlines the origins of the 'name' and 'existence' Mandailing people, as follows:

1. The Legend of 'Mandala Holing'

According to one oral stories (folklore) are still alive in the midst of society Mandailing until now, the 'Mandailing' word is derived from the 'Mandala Holing' word, is a kingdom which is estimated to have existed since the 12th century. Coverage Mandala Holing empire stretching from Portibi estimated in Padang Lawas up to 'Pidoli' in Panyabungan (Mandailing Godang).

In this connection, in Simangambat (not far from Siabu), there are the ruins of the temple of Shiva (Hindu), which is estimated to have existed since the 18^th century. The temple (called 'cai') is much older than the temples in Portibi (Padang Lawas), but according to estimates by experts built in the 11^th century. With the existence of this temple can raise the question of why and when the Ummah Hindu (hereinafter referred to as 'Hindus') of India came into Mandailing located in Sumatra, which they named Swarna Dwipa (Golden Island)?

It is probable that the Hindus came to Mandailing located in Swarna Dwipa is to look for gold. In the history of India, there is a statement that says that around the first century AD, gold supplies are imported into India from Central Asia stalled, as in Central Asia occurred various wars. Therefore, the kingdoms in India are trying to get gold from other places, from Sumatra (Swarna Dwipa). In this connection, we understand that in the region Mandailing which in the past to the present in it including Pasaman region there are a lot of gold. The evidence on this matter an awful lot. So huge possibility that the destination by the Hindus of India to look for gold in Swarna Dwipa is Mandailing area. At that time this area has not been named 'Mandailing'. But whatever its name when it was not known until now.

Hindus who came to the area Mandailing is derived from the country or the kingdom of Kalingga in India. Hence they are called 'alak holing' or 'alak koling. There is a possibility of them entering the area Singkuang. Because that is where Singkuang boils down to Batang Gadis ('Bayang Gadis' word means 'to trade places') river quite well known as a port. That is why the place is called 'Singkuan' by Chinese traders which means 'new hope'. Because through this port they used to obtain various merchandise (commodity) important that originated from Sumatra such as resin, camphor, elephant ivory, and so on.

According to the allegations that after the 'alak k(h)oling' arrives in Singkuang, then they follow the river upstream towards Batang Gadis river. Thus, they end up in a low-lying fertile region which is now Mandailing Godang. Since prehistoric times in the region and elsewhere in Mandailing natives already there. This is evidenced by the presence of relics from prehistoric times in the form of 'a large stone mortar-mortar' in the woods around Runding across the Batang Gadis river and other evidence at various places. And one fish that is quite famous in 'Batang Gadis' named 'mera'.

When 'alak k(h)oling' up in the Mandailing Godang (then also we do not know the name of the region), they met with the local indigenous population. Naming 'alak k(h)oling' used to refer to the Hindus who came from ‘Kalingga Affairs’ was created by the indigenous population . Upon arrival in the area Mandailing, the ‘k(h)oling’ such find what they are looking for, namely gold. We know from history that the gold was recorded as one of the main capital in the establishment of large kingdoms and gold are also a source of prosperity. After Hindus find a lot of gold in the current Mandailing, they then settled in the region. Because the ‘k(h)oling’ settled in the area, then called Mandala Holing/Koling. Mandala means neighborhood or region. So, Mandala Holing/Koling means neighborhood or residential area the k(h)oling. Until now we still often hear mention of the existence of 'Banua Holing/Koling'. But people do not know where the place is called 'Banua Holing/Koling' it.

Based on the above hypothesis, we can say that the so-called 'Banua Holing/Koling' it is Mandailing area formerly occupied by the ‘k(h)oling’. In other words, 'Banua Holing/Koling' is 'Mandala Holing/Koling'. Centuries later 'Mandala Holing/Koling' known as the 'Kingdom of Holing'. In this connection, Slamet Mulyana (1979) argues that trade and diplomatic relations between China and Java take place starting from the establishment of 'Kingdom of Holing' at the beginning of the 7^th century until the collapse of the Majapahit Empire in the early 16^th century. In line with this statement Slamet Mulyana (1979) we can see the relationship between the 'Kingdom of Holing' with the Shiva temple in Simangambat were awakened in the 8th century. And also it can be argued that from the historical records mention the existence of the ‘Kingdom of Kalingga' and 'Kingdom of Holing'. But until now historians have not determined the exact location where definitive. There are historians who suspect that the 'Kingdom of Kalingga' is located in East Java, but the 'Kingdom of Holing' that was mentioned in the Chinese records the exact location is unknown. Because it can be questioned whether the 'Kingdom of Kalingga' is also called 'Kingdom of Holing'. With arguments that have proposed above, we propose the alleged (hypothesis) that the so-called 'Kingdom of Holing' was formerly located in Mandailing which is also referred to as the 'Kingdom of Mandala Holing/Koling'. It would be reasonable to suspect that the name 'Mandahiling' (Mandailing) as mentioned by Mpu Prapanca in the Negarakertagama book the 14^th century derived from the name 'Mandalaholing' which later changed into a mention of 'Mandahiling' and finally now a 'Mandailing'. To prove the truth of this conjecture or hypothesis would still need to do research. And this is a challenge for  Mandailing people.

Anticipated Hindus settled in 'Kingdom of Mandala Holing' ('Kingdom of Holing'/'Banua Holing') is rich with gold for centuries, ie since they first came in the first centuries AD. Until the 13th century the Hindus still exist who settled in Mandailing present. This is evidenced by the discovery of quite a lot of relics of Hindu/Buddhist in Mandailing region. One of them is the 'rock pile' in Sorik Merapi mountain in 13^th century, and in the Mandailing Godang (Pidoli) there is a rice field location called 'Saba Biara'. As for the so-called 'convent’ or 'monastery' is where the first Hindu - Buddhist religious activities.

Supposedly 'Kingdom of Mandala Holing' which had once contained in Mandailing which now extends to Pasaman region (which formerly was part of the Mandailing). According to information obtained in Pasaman ever, the boundary between regions Mandailing and Minangkabau region located in ‘Si Pisang’ through ‘Palupuh’, but now the boundary between Pasaman and ‘Lima Puluh Koto’ district. Pasaman region, ie at a place called ‘Tanjung Medan’ near Rao are also similar circumstances temple to temple in Portibi. And we know that in the region there are also gold Pasaman required by Hindus. If no one in the area named Manggani. And in that region there is also a gold mine in the Dutch colonial period.

2. 'Tonggo-Tonggo Si Boru Deak Parujar'

In addition to the Kakawin Negarakertagama, the name 'Mandailing' has also been mentioned in the 'Tonggo-Tonggo Si BoruDeak Parujar', namely Toba-old literary classic. 'Tonggo-tonggo' (classical literature) consists of 10 (ten) Article Toba society as a philosophy of culture, and it is quite dense (see: Batara Sangti simanjuntak: 1977) as follows:

"Baen ma gondang ni Ompunta, Tuan Humara-Hiri, Si Humara Naboru, par-aji tamba-tua, par-aji pulung-pulungan; sinonduk ni Ompunta Sibaso Nabolon, na marsigantung ditali siubar, na meat di mombang boru".

"Sian tano hondur, tano malambut, tano hulambu jati, sian tano padang bakkil bandailing, tano siogung-ogung; parsirangan ni tano, pardomuan ni aek; Sian i ma dalan laho tu ginjang, partiatan ni Ompunta: Debata Natolu Suhu, Naopat Harajaon tu banua tonga on".

Disi ma parangin-anginan ni Ompunta 'Siboru Deakparujar', sideak uti-utian, sigodang ujar-ujaran:

1.    Na manjadihon       :  ’Gana na so boi tolonan, bulan naso boi oseon’

2.     Sian i ma mula ni      :    ’Dung-dang’

3.     Mula ni                      :    ’Sahala’

4.     Mula ni                      :    ’Harajaon’

5.     Mula ni                      :    ’Gantang tarajuan, Hatian pamonari’

6.     Mula ni                      :    ’Pungga si sada ihot’

7.     Mula ni                     :    ’Ninggala sibola tali’

8.     Sian i ma mula ni      :    ’Boli ni boru muli dohot si namot ni anak

9.     Mula ni                      :    ’Goar ni bao na so boi dohonan’

10. Nunga disihataon i :    ’Di ninggor ni ruma, dipagohan di pinggol ni Debata’

We don’t know when 'Tonggo-tonggo Siboru Deakparujar' is created or invented. We only know of the mythology of the Toba people, that 'Siboru Deak Parujar' is an important figure because 'Siboru Deak Parujar' is the daughter of 'Debata Mulajadi Nabolon’, which decreed him down from 'banua ginjang' (continent above) to 'banua tonga' (continental middle) with a fistful of earth ground to forge over the ocean. In his efforts to forge the earth, 'Siboru Deak Parujar' disrupted 'Si Raja Padoha' ('King Padoha), but finally he managed to complete the task was. Then 'Debata Mulajadi Nabolon' fattest 'Si Raja Odap-odap' down again to earth to be husband 'Si Boru Deak Parujar'. Of marriage 'Si Boru Deak Parujar' with 'Si Raja Odap-odap', was born a son named 'Si Raja Ihat Manusia', and a daughter named 'Si Boru Ihat Manusia'. Both brothers are married and then got three sons. Each 'Si Raja Miok- miok' , 'Patundal Nabegu' and 'Si Raja Lapas-lapas'. Of descent 'Si Raja Miok-miok' later born 'Si Raja Batak', which is seen as the ancestor of the Toba tribe (community).

In 'Tonggo-tonggo Si Boru Deak Parujar' clearly stated that "land is land bakil Mandailing famous, like the sound of melodious 'gong' (gong sound melodious usually attract attention and can be heard up to distant sites). From there (from the ground Mandailing) way to the top (‘sky’), where we fell from the professor: 'Debata Nan Tiga', 'Nan Tiga Segi', 'Nan Empa Kerajaan', to the middle of the continent (to earth) this".

3. 'Mundailing' and 'Mandalay'

Although the name 'Mandailing' already referred to in the Negarakertagama book around the mid 14^th century, but until now have not obtained any certainty about the 'origin of the name Mandailing' is. In addition Dada Meuraxa (1973) states that there are suspect Mandailing name derived from the word 'Mande Hilang' (Minangkabau language: 'missing mom'), others thought the name 'Mandailing' is derived from the words 'Mundailing', which means 'Munda displaced'. Mentioned that the Munda ‘nation’ in India ago because they did evacuation pressured by the Aryans. In terms of the Munda nation's late decision by the Aryans, Slametmulyana (1979) says, that "before the arrival of the Aryans, Munda peoples occupying northern India. Due to the insistence of the Aryans, the Munda‘nation’ retreated to the south. The occupation of the Aryans took place around the year 1500 BC. Munda ‘nations’ moved out of the area towards Assam India and Southeast Asia, following the occupation of the valley of the Gangga river by the Aryans in its entirety".

In a Munda ‘nation’ displacement of North India to South East Asia as driven by the Aryans, the possibility that there are friends one to Sumatra. And through the port of Barus - on the west coast of Sumatra - they continue his journey up into an area that was later called as 'Mandailing', which is derived from the words 'Mundailing' which means 'Munda displaced' (leaving the country of origin), as proposed Dada Meuraxa (1973) mentioned above.

Regarding the way in the Munda peoples of the west coast of Sumatra, which is the port of Barus, be remembered that the place several centuries before the solar year is already much visited by various nations, and became very famous for its harbor as producer commodity ‘kapur barus’ (camphor). And in Barus in the past there were never colonies Tamils ​​also came from India.

Dada Meuraxa (1973) also states that there is a mention is the origin of the Mandailing name  (words) 'Mandalay’, which is the name of the capital city in Burma. In this connection we can see the opinion of T.E. Tarigan and Emilkam Tambunan (1974) which states that "In Northern Burma there is a center of civilization and city government called Mandalay is almost the same as in Mandailing - South Tapanuli".

From the other side would think that saying the name 'Mandailing' is derived from the words 'Mundailing' (Munda displaced) can be connected also with the idea that ‘Mandailing’ name comes from the word 'Mandalay'. Perhaps the people who urged Munda of their country in India are not directly move to Sumatra. But for the first period of their life in the Burma or 'Mandalay'. Later on they moved new from Mandalay to the Sumatra, and enter areas through road Mandailing as noted above.

Munda process of moving people from Mandalay to Sumatra (Mandailing) can also be connected with the transfer of the nations of South Asia (India Rear) into Indonesia in the past more than 1000 years before Christ. According Mangaradja Onggang Parlindungan in his book is highly controversial it (Tuanku Rao, 1964), that the transfer was due to the insistence of the Mongols from the north. He said also that there are those who sailed from South Burma to Indonesia and partially arrived in Sumatra.

The possibility of such a transfer process, Munda peoples of India who had originally lived in Mandalay (North Burma) as driven by the Mongols and then moved to South Burma, and because they also pressed continuously then sailed to the Indonesian and some arrived in Sumatra and occupies an area that became known as the 'Mandailing'.

4 . 'Mandala' and 'iling'

According to Basyral Hamidy Harahap (2013), Mandailing name comes from two words, namely 'mandala' and 'iling'. Mandala in Sanskrit means the district, regional, and war arena. While the words ‘iling’ contained in the vocabulary Mandailing, Angkola, Karo, Simelungun, and Toba which means 'oblique' when associated with the contour of the land in the form of a gently sloping hill (called 'dolok'), slopes and plains of the valley flowed a river. Warneck (1977) mentions that the word 'iling' means 'zurseite geneight' means 'ramp'. A village in Raya district, Simelungun, named ‘Huta iling’ that coordinate 2^o56'0 " North Latitude and 98^o53'0 " east longitude , about 21 kilometers west Siantar between Panai and Raya. Ecology ‘Huta iling’ was the same as Mandailing. But to known that, in Mandailing language, the word 'ling' means 'high-pitched sound’, something like the sound of birds ‘serindit’ the male sex.

5 . ‘Mandala Hilang’

MangarajaLelo Lubis (1986), one of the traditional leaders and community leaders Mandailing, in the book ‘Sopo Godang dan Silipi Mandailing’, also wrote about the origin of the name 'Mandailing'. In the book raised by Mangaraja Lelo Lubis that according to the old story, the name 'Mandailing' is derived from the word 'Mandala Holing'. In the past 'Mandala Holing' is a kingdom covering areas ranging from Portibi in Padang Lawas up to Pidoli in Mandailing (near Panyabungan). At first, located in the center of the kingdom Portibi, where the discovery of ancient temples. Due to the insistence of Majapahit, then later fled to Pidoli. Once upon a time in Pidoli there are also temples. Among other remnants located in a place called 'Saba Biara' around Pidoli. In this connection it may be remembered that in Portibi temples, also called the 'candi biara' or 'biaro'. The words 'biara' is presumably derived from the 'temple' meaning a place of worship for Buddhism.

The possibility of a kingdom called 'Mandala Holing' of yore in South Tapanuli, as proposed by Mangaraja Lelo Lubis, can be attributed to the expansion of Majapahit for control of the area or the possibility kingdom mentioned in the book of Negarakertagama as 'Mandahiling' (Mandala Holing). If royal 'Mandala Holing' is connected with the temples in Portibi, it is necessary to bear in mind that there are researchers who said that the temples were built since the 10^th century. And there is also a call to the 11^th century. In fact, there is a mention of the construction of temples started century 5. Until now there has been no certainty about the future development of the temples in the Portibi. If royal 'Mandala Holing' is synonymous with the area or 'Kingdom of Mandahiling' mentioned in the Negarakertagama book, it can be noted that the expansion of the kingdom of Majapahit ('Mandailing') that occurred around the mid 14th century.

There are still other information expressed by Mangaraja Lelo Lubis about the origin of the name Mandailing, namely that the name 'Mandailing' is derived from the word 'Mandala Hilang'. In this case, explained that at one time people Mandala, ie persons 'Koling' ('Keling') Mandailing inhabit. At the time of the Malays to enter the area, the people Mandala (Koling = Keling ) go elsewhere. Therefore, the Malay saying 'Mandala Hilang', and over time 'as' was turned into 'Mandailing'. With the opinion thus, we are compelled to think, is it not possible that what is meant by the ‘Mandala' ('Holing') it is the people who in ancient times came from Mandalay (Burma) to ‘Mandailing’ region. And the people who came from Mandalay was none other than those who originally fled Munda from India to Burma as urged by the Aryans as noted earlier. In this connection, the name 'Mandala' right adjacent to the name of 'Mandalay'.

Previously been proposed about the existence of a number of ancient relics in several places in Mandailing. These ancient relics are authentic evidence, that there men who inhabited the region at that time Mandailing, as indigenous Mandailing, where they continue to grow until then Hindus came and settled in Mandailing.

It is probable that among the natives and immigrants (Keling, the Hindus), where they coexist peacefully and then build the kingdom in Mandailing. This conjecture is based on the fact that although many found relics of the Hindu era in Mandailing region, but also found indigenous cultural heritage Mandailing which develops itself without dominated by Hindu influence. For example, 'statues' as found on page Bagas Godang in Panyabungan Tonga-Tonga and 'wooden sculptures' contained in Huta Godang (Ulu Pungkut - Mandailing Julu). Likewise, traditional ornaments (called 'bolang') contained in Bagase Godang and Sopo Godang are very few shows Hindu influence, namely the triangle -shaped ornament called 'bindu' ('pusuk robung') which is a symbol of the social system ie Dalian Na Tolu. In Hindu culture, 'bindu' (triangle shape) is a symbol of the mystical relationship between man and god Trimurti. Other parts of the traditional ornaments do not show the influence of Hinduism. From the shape, the ornaments that existed until now only use geometric lines (straight lines), except ornaments of natural objects, man-made and animals such as the sun, moon, stars, swords, snakes, and others. Shape ornaments using only geometric lines proves the ornaments are from the era was so long ago (primitive). In addition, there are also Hindu influence on Mandailing traditional culture, such as the naming of the ‘desa na ualu’ (‘cardinal directions’) and the knighthood as Raja (Mangaraja), Soripada, Guru, and the name of the mountain like Dolok Malea, and use ‘traditional shampoo’ (called 'pangir' ) well as baths in Batang Gadis river.

Diversity Mandailing language consisting of hata Somal, hata sibaso, hata parkapur, hata teas dohot jampolak and grandmother that each vocabulary showed divergent Mandailing indigenous culture has long been developing. This of course resulted from an already high civilization which is not much influenced by Hindu culture. So it can be concluded that although the Hindus for a long time to settle and develop indigenous Mandailing culture but not dominated by Hindus and freely develop its own culture.

Likewise, all of the above thoughts are still hypothetical and therefore still requires more extensive research and in-depth. It is a challenge for the sons Mandailing to perform further research. Hopefully none of them were interested to examine it, so the origin of the name and existence of this Mandailing people do not live to be 'puzzle' for ever. [EN]