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Examinee : Risma Natalia ButarButar

Student of Number : 1012150061

Subject : Cross Culture Understanding

Mid-Term Executive Class Thursday, October 22nd 2015

An Ideal Family Bataknese Culture

Family is considered as the basic unit and one of the most important institutions in a

society. Family is classified into two major forms: nuclear and extended. A nuclear family

consists of the father, the mother and the children, while an extended family includes one or

more relatives, such as grandparents, uncles, aunts, cousins, nephews, nieces, and in-laws.

When 13th-century Italian explorer Marco Polo visited the island of Sumatra, in

Indonesia, he described a certain hill-people who, he said, live . . . like beasts . . . and

eat human flesh. It is believed that the people he spoke of were the Batak. According

Bataknese, Family is number one. Batak ethnic is one of the old ethnics in Indonesia
which comes from North Sumatra. Batak has some Elements of the Culture. There are

Language, Society System, Technology, Social Organization, Mean of livelihood,

Religion and Art and Traditional Foods. Bataknese family System is strong. Batak has

extended family and all Bataknese are Family. Marriage tradition in Batak society in the

past born kinship system at the same level of understanding between sub-ethnic of the

Batak with some different terminologies for certain kinship aspects. A large part of Batak

society are monogamy, while polygamy is not practiced, although customary low does

not prohibit this practice.

Philosophical system in Bataknese Culture has three custom philosophies Dalihan Na

Tolu that are Somba Marhula-hula its means respect to wifes family . Bataknese must be

respected to Hula-Hula. Hula-hula is wifes family who occupies the higher position in social life

and in Batakneses customs and traditions. Elek Marboru its means hospitable to sisters or

daughters . Boru is family who takes wife from one clan(other family). Boru occupies the low

position as parhobas(attendant) in daily life or in every custom ceremony. Although Boru are

attendants, the people cannot handle them as pleases. Manat Mardongan Tubu its means close

to same clans. Dongan tubu is brothers in the same clan. Literally, they were born from the same

womb. All of Bataknese is ordered to take care of the same clan. In daily life, Bataknese are still

holding on philosophy firmly and it is a base in their social life. The position of Bataknese can be

a Hula-hula, Boru, or Dongan Tubu and they must put their position in certain place. Dalihan Na

Tolu custom teaches in every family and apply them to each offspring. Dalihan Na Tolu is the

basis for the Batak family.

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