Batak (Indonesia)

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Batak


Total population	6 million (2000 census)
Regions with significant populations	North Sumatra: 4.9 million
Language	Batak languages (Alas-Kluet, Angkola, Dairi, Karo, Mandailing, Simalungun, Toba), Malay, Indonesian
Religion	Christian, Muslim, Parmalim, Hinduism <tr> <th style="background-color:#fee8ab;">Related ethnic groups</th> <td style="background-color:#fff6d9;">Malay</td> </tr>

Batak is a collective term used to identify a number of ethnic groups found in the highlands of North Sumatra Indonesia. Their heartland lies to the west of Medan centred on Lake Toba. In fact the "Batak" include several groups with distinct, albeit related, languages and customs (adat). While the term is used to include the Toba, Karo, Pak Pak, Simalungun, Angkola and Mandailing groups, some of these peoples prefer not to be known as Batak.

Before they became subjects of the colonial Dutch East Indies government, the Batak had a reputation for being fierce warriors. Afterwards Christianity was embraced widely, and the HKBP (Huria Kristen Batak Protestan) Christian church is presently the largest Christian congregation in Indonesia.

Batak societies are patriarchal with family names or Marga in Bataknese from the male line. They believe they originate from one ancestor "Si Raja Batak", with all Margas, descended from him. For detailed information about Batak Margas check www.tarombo.net. Batak are known traditionally for their weaving, wood carving and especially ornate stone tombs. Their burial and marriage traditions are very rich and complex. The burial tradition includes a ceremony in which the bones of one's ancestors are reinterred several years after death (mangongkal holi).

Image:IMG 3013.JPG

The Bataks themselves today are mostly Christian with a Muslim minority. The dominant Christian theology was brought by Lutheran German missionaries in the 19th century. One of the most famous German missionaries involved was Ludwig Ingwer Nommensen. Christianity was introduced to the Karo by Dutch Calvinist missionaries and their largest church is GBKP (Gereja Batak Karo Protestan). Mandailing Batak from the part of North Sumatra bordering with West Sumatra province, are descended from Toba Batak but stand out for being majority Muslim.

Bataks speak a variety of closely related languages, all members of the Austronesian language family. The PakPak and Karo languages are similar to each other but distinctly different from Toba Batak. The Simalungun, Angkola and Mandailing dialects are all mutually intelligable and could be described as dialects of the Toba Batak language.