YOGYAKARTA - The Batak tribe is known as the clan or naming the family tree. There are many clans in the Batak tribe spread across North Sumatra, to all regions in Indonesia. But where is the oldest Batak clan?

Knowing the oldest Batak clan is important to study the history of ethnicity and culture in the archipelago. To identify it, we read the history of its origin. Marga Sinaga is one of the oldest clans in the Batak tribe.

Derived from the Batak Sinaga clan, it continues to be energetic until now. You never know people with only the'sinaga clan' in its name, whether they are in the entertainment industry, government, or civil society.

Then what is the history or origin of Marga Sinaga as the oldest Batak clan?

Marga Sinaga, the oldest clan in the Batak Toba tribe, comes from Urat Village, Samosir Island. When withdrawn from his ancestral line, the Sinaga clan began with the descendants of the fifth generation of the King of Batak.

The King of Batak later had descendants or children, namely the teacher of Tateabulan. After that, the teacher of Tateabulan produced the descendants of Mr. Sariburaja. Then Tua Saribiraja produced the descendants of King Lontung. King Lontung is the father of Sinaga.

The King of Lontung has nine children. Of the nine children, 2 daughters namely, Siboru Amak Pandan and Siboru Panggabean. 7 sons, namely Toga Sinaga, Tuan Situmorang, Toga Pandiangan, Toga Nainggolan, Toga Simatupang, Toga Aritonang, Toga Siregar.

In the book Sekelumit Regarding the Community of Batak Toba and Culture, EH Tambunan the writer, writes that most of the descendants of King Lontung live in Samosir. They spread to live in Tanah Batak.

Anthropologist Richard Sinaga noted in the book Silsila Marga-Marga Batak, there are those who say Marga Situmorang is the eldest King of Lontung. Then Marga Sinaga was born in second place. However, according to the kisan that was said to have passed down from generation to generation, Sinaga was the first child and Situmorang was the second.

Sinaga has the descent of 3 sons, namely the King of Bonor, the King of Ratus, and the King of Uruk. Then they each have the descendants of three sons. Cultural observer Sitor Situmorang, in the book Toba Na Sae: History of Political Social Institutions of the XIII-XX Century, wrote about the existence of Marga Situmorang and Marga Sinaga during the XII Singamangaraja.

Sitor noted that both of them are of Lontung descent, but have disputes in several parts of government. Sinaga and Situmorang play different cultural and political roles.

"From the tree, it is known that the relationship between the two brothers and sisters in the Lontung environment is marked by internal competition, namely the struggle for hegemony in the parbaringin organization (Batak religion) in all Lontung anesthetics," wrote Sitor.

Sitor also reveals in his writings that the Situmorang clan and Marga Sinaga often compete in the race for positions as the Bolon Pandita (main pioneer). The Balong Pandita is the person who leads the parbaringin organization in their anesthetic (population covering certain areas).

Descendants of Toga Sinaga still exist today. Marga Sinaga's sense of kinship and solidarity is very well maintained. All of his descendants are still in the same clan, namely Marga Sinaga. Unlike the sixth clan of his brother who developed into several clans.

The generation of Toga Sinaga made the association in a bond called Parsadaan Pomparan Toga Sinaga dohot Boruna (PPTSB). This association is spread across various regions in Indonesia, at the national, provincial, district, and sub-district levels.

The PPTSB association also established the Toga Sinaga monument in 1966 in Urat Village, Samosir. The monument was inaugurated in June 1970.

This is the origin of Marga Batak's oldest origin. The history of the birth of the oldest clan in the Batak tribe, Marga Sinaga, is very long, and is related to culture and politics.

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