Pakpak people

Pakpak people or Batak Pakpak are one of the ethnic groups found mainly in North Sumatra, Indonesia. They are scattered in a few regencies and cities in North Sumatra and Aceh, such as Dairi Regency, Pakpak Bharat Regency, Humbang Hasundutan Regency and Central Tapanuli Regency of North Sumatra, and also in Aceh Singkil Regency and Subulussalam, Aceh. Pakpak people have some communities in other cities across Indonesia. The term "Batak Pakpak" also refers to the culture and language of the pakpak people.

Batak Pakpak people
Pakpak
Batak Pakpak
Total population
1,200,000[1]
Regions with significant populations
 Indonesia (North Sumatra & Aceh)
Languages
Pakpak language, Indonesian language
Religion
Christianity (mostly Protestant) 70%, Sunni Islam 20%, traditional beliefs 10%[2]
Related ethnic groups
Singkil , Batak Toba, Karo, Batak Simalungun

In administrative governance, most of the Pakpak people settled in Dairi Regency, North Sumatra, which later on July 28, 2003 grew into two regencies, namely:-[3]

The Pakpak people are most likely the descendants of Formosan.[4] Pakpak people with surnames of Tendang, Banurea, Manik, Beringin, Gajah, Berasa is believed to be the sons of Mpu Bada or Mpung Bada or Mpubada.

Sub-ethnics
GKPPD is a Dairi people's church, generally located in Dairi regency

The Pakpak people are divided into five sub-ethnic groups or in local terminology, Pakpak Silima Suak:[5]

Pakpak people refers their homeland as "Tano Pakpak".

Language

Pakpak is both a spoken and written language. It is part of Northern Batak language and has its own Surat Batak Pakpak style writing system and alphabet. However, nowadays are less and less Pakpak people is using the system.

Pakpak surnames

Pakpak surnames are such as:

  • Anakampun
  • Angkat
  • Bako
  • Bancin
  • Banurea
  • Berampu
  • Berasa
  • Beringin
  • Berutu
  • Bintang
  • Boangmanalu
  • Capah
  • Cibro
  • Gajah Manik
  • Gajah
  • Kabeaken
  • Kesogihen
  • Kaloko
  • Kombih
  • Kudadiri
  • Lingga
  • Maha
  • Maharaja
  • Manik
  • Matanari
  • Meka
  • Maibang
  • Padang
  • Padang Batanghari
  • Pasi
  • Penarik Pinayungan
  • Ramin
  • Sambo
  • Saraan
  • Sikettang
  • Sinamo
  • Sitakar
  • Solin
  • Saing
  • Tendang
  • Tinambunan
  • Tinendung
  • Tumangger
  • Turutan
  • Ujung

Society
Sidikalang city hall with motif of Pakpak traditional house
Sopo Jojong, Pakpak traditional house in Taman Mini Indonesia Indah, Jakarta
Pakpaknese men with Genderrang Pakpak (traditional musical instrument)

The Pakpak people are bound by a social structure, which in local terminology is called sulang silima. Sulang silima consists of five elements that are:[6]-

  • Sinina tertua (Perisang-isang, descendants or older generations)
  • Sinina penengah (Pertulan tengah, descendants or middle generations)
  • Sinina terbungsu (Perekur-ekur, youngest generation)
  • Berru (Kinsmen who receive women into their family)
  • Puang (Kinsmen who give women into another family)

Five of these elements are very instrumental in decision making in various aspects of life especially in kinship system and traditional ceremonies, be it in the context of a single surname clan based community (Lebbuh) or village based community (Kuta). Therefore, five of these elements must be involved in order for a decision to be considered as valid in customary terms.[7]

Traditional Pakpak ceremonies are named with "working" terms, however the term "festivals" are also frequently used today. Traditional ceremonies are divided into two major parts, namely:-

  • Traditional ceremonies that involves joyous occasion are referred to as "good works".
  • Traditional ceremonies that involves sorrowful occasion are referred to as "bad works".

Examples of "good works" ceremonies are such as merbayo (wedding ceremony), menanda tahun (paddy planting ceremony), merkottas (initiating a risky task) and so on. While examples of "bad works" ceremonies includes mengrumbang and mate ncayur ntua ceremony (funeral).[8]

References
  1. "Batak Dairi in Indonesia". Ethnologue. Retrieved 2014-10-07.
  2. "Batak Pakpak in Indonesia". Joshua Project. Retrieved 2022-03-16.
  3. "Mengenal Kabupaten Pakpak Bharat yang Bupatinya di-OTT KPK". Kumparan News. 18 November 2018. Retrieved 2020-06-18.
  4. Ronald Findlay & Kevin H. O'Rourke (2009). Power and Plenty: Trade, War, and the World Economy in the Second Millennium. Princeton University Press. p. 67. ISBN 978-1-4008-3188-3.
  5. Lister Berutu (2006). Pertuturen Pakpak: Istilah Dan Adat Sopan Santun Kekerabatan Pada Masyarakat Pakpak. Grasindo Monoratama. OCLC 139777033.
  6. Mariana Makmur; Lister Berutu; Pasder Berutu (2002). Aspek-Aspek Kultural Etnis Pakpak: Suatu Eksplorasi Tentang Potensi Lokal. Monora. ISBN 979-612-106-9.
  7. Lister Berutu (2006). Mengenal Upacara Adat Pada Masyarakat Pakpak Di Sumatera Utara. Grasindo Monoratama. ISBN 978-979-612-114-4.
  8. Lister Berutu; Nurbani Padang (2006). Tradisi Dan Perubahan: Konteks Masyarakat Pakpak. Grasindo Monoratama. ISBN 979-612-205-7.

Further reading
  • Brakel-Papenhuijzen, Clara (2014). Dairi Stories and Pakpak Storytelling. Leiden, The Netherlands: Brill. doi:10.1163/9789004261730.
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