I bring to you my own book, Horas: The Tale of Toba Batak Emblems in which I chronicled the five common cultural emblems mentioned by the key informants in my master’s thesis entitled Cultural Approach to Batak Toba Folklore. This is my way of bringing back my hear of gratitude to the Indonesian community particularly the Toba Batak ethnic group who welcomed me in 2019-2021 when I was still doing my research.
It has been five years since my last visit to Samosir Island, North Sumatra, Indonesia. I went there on September 2019 with my three Batak friends, Diah, Ruru, and Elvira. I was supposed to come back for a two-month immersion on April to May 2020, but COVID-19 happened and travel restrictions across the world made it impossible for me to push through with my field work.
Instead, I continued my study by interviewing my informants using Zoom meeting app. It was a challenge but these informants were very accommodating and I would like to thank my friends Diah, Ruru, Elvira, Sinta, Delila, and Nenti for helping me every step of the way.
And now, I bring to you my book as I launch it at Cebu City for my degree in Doctor of Arts in Literature and Communication at Cebu Normal University. If you wish to get a copy, please email me at tuesdayrulona1985@gmail.com
Order a book now and get a free bookmark designed by the author.
On my last day at Medan City, Indonesia, I visited the biggest and oldest mosque in the city called Masjid Raya Al-Mashun or the Great Mosque of Medan. It was second time to go to this historical structure. I was accompanied by two of my Indonesian friends Yanti and Delila.
The History of this Mosque
The original design of this mosque was created by the same architect of the Maimun Palace (Instana Maimun) which I featured in my previous blog. The Dutch architect, Theodoor Van Erp designed this but he was reassigned to another project in the province of Indonesia. So, he handed over the design to another Architect named JA Tinderman. Originally, this mosque was supposed to be an extension of the Maimun Palace, the home of the sultan. However, the Sultan at that time, Al Mashun, wanted this mosque to be built more elegantly and exquisitely than his residence.
This mosque was financed by the richest businessman at that time, Tjong A Fie (right, he’s the owner of that mansion we visited in my previous vlog). It was also built in honor of the Sultanate of Deli, Sultan Ma’mun Al Rashid Perkasa Alam. This was built in 1906 but it was only completed three years after. Thus, the mosque was first used in September 1909.
The Architectural Design and Influences
The mosque was designed with an octagonal symmetrical layout that has combined elements of Morocco, European, and Middle East style. Indonesia was once under Dutch colony so, a lot of their structures were built during the Dutch era. That explains why most of the historical buildings here have European influences in their architecture and interior design. The mosque is divided into the following: the main room, ablution, entry gates, and towers.
Some Rules inside this Mosque:
Wear a Bushiyya or Veil on the head for women.
Leave your sepatu or shoes at the designated area.
Observe silence especially when there are visitors.
Wear an ankle-knee bottom. Women are allowed to wear pants or long skirts.
There is no entrance fee for this mosque but they have a donation box, it’s good to be generous though it’s voluntary.
For my complete vlog on this mosque, kindly check out my YouTube link here:
On my second day at Medan, Indonesia, I went to the city’s famous landmark called Instana Maimun or Maimun Palace. This was the former home of the Sultanate of Deli but today, it serves a museum and tourist spot in Medan. I got the chance to wear a Melayu traditional attire for princesses, which is called “songket”. Let’s get to know more about my experience here:
Instana Maimun’s Front Area
Maimun Palace or Instana Maimun
Instana is the Bahasa Indonesian word that means royal palace. In English, this place is known as Maimun Palace which was built in 1887 to 1891. During that time, the Sultanate of Deli was Sultan Ma’mun Al Rashid Perkasa Alamyah. He ordered a Dutch architect named Theodoor van Erp to design the palace which has a total of 2,772 m² and this palace consists of 30 rooms.
The palace is known for its historical heritage and the unique architectural design that is a combination of Malay, Indian, Islamic, Spanish, and Italian styles. It was constructed during the time of the Dutch colonization but it was preserved by the current tourism agency and government. In fact, it went through a renovation in 2011.
Songket: A Melayu Princess’ Attire
One interesting thing to do while inside the palace is to rent out a songket which is a Malay textile. It comes from the Malay word sungkit or in English it means to hook. The songket is a handwoven silk or cotton fabric with intricate patterned style of silver and gold threads. Aside from Indonesia, songket is also worn in Malaysia, Brunei, Singapore, and Thailand.
When I rented my songket, I spent around $3 to $4 but it’s worth it. You can tour the palace and wear that royal attire while striking a pose. My Instagram and Facebook accounts were flooded with songket post during the time I visited. My friends and followers were very curious about the attire and they began asking about it.
Macehat Avocado Coffee Float
The tempting Avocado Coffee Float of Macehat.
My tour at Maimun Palace was not the only exciting part of today’s blog or vlog. My friends took me to my favorite Indonesian gourmet coffee shop called Macehat. I already tried their coffee during my first visit in 2016. Hence, I came back to drink my favorite Avocado Coffee Float. It’s very delectable drink because it has a combination of the sweet taste of the avocado and the bitter taste and strong aroma of a Sumatran coffee.
To know more about this trip, check out my YouTube vlog or blog below. Again, if you have questions, you can hit the comment section and I will get back to you soon.
Vlog #29 of Biyaherang Tuesday. Visit the YouTube channel for more vlogs.
Let me continue with my blogs on my Indonesia trip last September 2019. Here is an informational article on two of the oldest structures in Medan City, North Sumatra, Indonesia. I had a chance to visit Tjong A Fie Mansion, a 120-year-old mansion owned by one of the most influential businessman and community leader of Medan City. I also visited a Tip Top restaurant, which was established in 1929 and it started out as a small bakery but now, it’s the city’s oldest restaurant and cake shop.
Who is Tjong A Fie?
Before we tour his famous historical mansion, first, let’s get to know who is Tjong A Fie. He was a Chinese merchant who moved to Sumatra, Indonesia to join his older brother who had established some businesses there. He was only 18 when he left his hometown in Canton Province, China.
He built a large plantation business in Sumatra during the Dutch colony period of Indonesia. His successful business employed 10,000 labor workers and it contributed to Medan city’s economy at that time. He had a good relationship with the Sultan of Deli and other Dutch authorities.
Tjong A Fie married an Indonesian and they had seven offspring. This mansion was built to honor his wife and children. In 1911, he was appointed as Kapitana Cina or Majoor de Chinezen, a Chinese leader in the city of Medan. At that time, Chinese citizens were growing in Medan and he led them. His business invested in palm oil, sugar factories, banks, and railroads. The major contribution he had was financing the construction of the Great Mosque of Medan which was built by the Sultanate of Deli. (That mosque would be shown in my next blog).
Tjong A Fie’s 120-year-old Mansion
This iconic mansion was built in 1895 and completed in the 1900 and it is situated at Jl. Jend. Ahmad Yani No.105, Kesawan, Kec. Medan Bar., Kota Medan, North Sumatra, Indonesia. It is best known as the Historical Jewel of Medan and it’s now converted into a museum.
This two-storey building was built observing Feng Shui principles. It has 35 to 40 rooms but most of these rooms were now converted into galleries. It has three architectural influences such as Malay, European, and Chinese styles. He intended to built a huge structure for his seven children.
When I toured the mansion, I had a personal guide named Nazar who showed me around the house. (See my vlog after this article for complete tour). He was able to explain the different significant areas of the house that includes a huge ballroom at the second floor, where Tjong A Fie hosted his social gatherings during his time. The mansion’s size is 8000 sq. meter. Today, it is registered historical landmark as well as a cultural heritage building and museum at Medan City.
Tip Top Restaurant
This is a story of a humble bakeshop to one of Medan’s most successful restaurant today. It is located just a few steps across Tjong A Fie mansion. So, whenever you tour the mansion, you better drop by at this restaurant.
Tip-Top restaurant was founded by Mr. Jangkie who opened a bakery in 1929 at Pandu Street. It was first named after him, “Jangkie”. But in 1934 he moves his bakery to Kesawan Street and adopted the name Tip-Top. They serve delectable Indonesian cuisines. But what I really love most was their cake shop or bakeshop which sells a lot of sweets. Since my friends and I visited during the late afternoon, we decided to buy a box of Tip-Top sweet treat. (Again, check out the vlog to know more)
Here’s my YouTube vlog on my trip to these two historical structures:
Vlog #28: Tjong A Fie Mansion tour with our guide, Nazar.
One of the best things when you’re traveling is to tasting the local dishes of the country you are visiting. In 2016, I stayed in Medan for more than two weeks so, I had several favorite cuisines. But what I missed the most was the dish Ayam Penyet, a kind of friend chicken dish in Indonesia. In this blog or vlog, I will show you around Merdeka Walk where my friends and I dine in at Ayam Penyet Ria. I will also feature my cheap homestay Oyo 279 where I stayed for three days in Medan.
Oyo 279 Deli Homestay
There are plenty of cheap hostels in Medan City. But there are also elegant four to five star hotels here. In 2016, I used to stay in Cambridge Hotel Medan (formerly Swiss Bell Hotel) but since I had a tight budget on my 2019 trip, I intentionally booked a cheap hotel using the Agoda app. I found Oyo 279 Deli Homestay located at 25-27 Jalan Seli Deli No. 25, Silalas, Medan Barat, Kota Medan. I booked a hotel room for only Php 450 (around ($9 or nine dollars) per night. It’s crazy because the place is clean, accessible, and the WiFi is really good.
My Bed at Oyo 279 Deli Homestay
But the downside of it is that it has no elevator and I stayed at the fifth floor (room 508 to be exact) so, I had to climb the stairs all the way to the fifth floor. Hmmm. It’s like I am exercising. This homestay serves food and they also have laundry service. The KFC shop s just a 15-minute walking distance. So, I really enjoyed this place.
Merdeka Walk
Merdeka means “freedom” in English. So, whenever you visit this place, it’s as if you are having a freedom walk here. It is located at the heart of Medan City and it’s open for 24 hours. It’s exact location is at Jl Balai Kota, Medan. In here, there are many restaurants and fast food stores. There are many food choices at a reasonable price too. But when I visited the place, it was a Saturday night so there are many diners in most restaurants. I prefer to visit it at night since it’s good to take photos of their colorful signage at the front area.
Ayam Penyet Ria
But my main purpose of coming to Merdeka Walk was to meet my Indonesian friends Frisca and Nenti at Ayam Penyet Ria. They both know I miss eating Ayam Penyet in Medan. In Bahasa Indonesian language, the word ayam means chicken. So, the dish, Ayam Penyet is a kind of Javenese cuisine which is a smashed chicken. The cook uses a mortar and pestle to smash the chicken so it would become tender or softer.
The ayam penyet is served with sambal, fried tofu, slices of cucumbers, and a very spicy sauce. It is believed that ayam penyet originated from Surabaya, the capital city of East Java. But since, I have not been there yet, this ayam penyet at Medan, is more than what I could ask for. Ayam penyet is best eaten with Nasi Puti or in English, plain or white rice. We also ordered ayam sate or chicken satay, a kind of barbecue skewer with Malay sauce.
Meanwhile, here’s the vlog on my delectable night at Ayam Penyet Ria. It also features my hotel room at Oyo 279 Deli Homestay. Enjoy watching! Don’t forget to subscribe to my YouTube channel.
“Horas” is a traditional greeting for Batak Toba which means good health or goodbye. This word was commonly used in Samosir Island where most of the Batak Toba people lived. In this blog, I will share to you how rich is the culture and tradition of Batak, one of the largest ethnic group of the Indonesian archipelago. When I had the chance to return to North Sumatra in September 2019, I decided to visit the Batak villages in Samosir Island. Together with my Indonesian and Batak friends Diah, Ruru, and Elvira, we visited two local villages of Batak Toba.
The Ancient Huta Siallagan
The first village we visited was Huta Siallagan. In Bahasa Indonesian, huta means village or settlement and the word Siallagan is the name of the ancient ruler of this tribal community. Thus, in English it means Sillagan Village. The Huta Siallagan is an ancient village located in Ambarita Village, Simanindo District of Samosir Island. This is where King Laga Siallagan once lived. In Toba Batak culture, they used the word huta and add the name of the clan which is Siallagan.
Jabu or Rumah Bolon
Si Gale Gale (with Diah)
My Batak friends Elvira, Ruru and Diah
In Huta Siallangan, they have a museum for Batak tribe. There are various features that we enjoyed while touring this place. In this village, I was able to see some traditional Batak Toba emblems such as:
Jabu or Rumah Bolon – This is the name for the traditional Batak Toba house. The word rumah stands for house while bolon means big. In other resources, this traditional house is also called Jabu which is built in three division. The lowest section serves as the pillar known as labe-labe. It is used as a place to store animals such as chickens or roosters. The middle area is where the Batak Toba lived. This has four small windows on each side of the middle area. The third division is the pointed roof which serves as the attic of the house. The roof serves as the unique feature of a Batak Toba house. When you visit Samosir Island, you often see pointed roofs of resorts and hotels since the businesses adapted it from a jabu. If you wish to see the interior of a jabu, you can visit the Batak museum. (check out my vlog on YouTube)
Tempat Pemasungan–Tempat means place while pemasungan refers to jail. This part of Huta Siallagan shows how prisoners suffered under some ancient Batak Toba rulers. According to my friend Diah, many captives were tortured by tying their hands and feet while being imprisoned here. If their crime was heinous, they will be murdered in a grave site located in front of the prison.
Togu Cemetary – There is a togu or monument in Huta Siallangan but it was not a church or any historic emblem. It was a cemetery for the rich and influential Batak Toba people. My friend said that in one togu, one family or clan owns it. They can bury as many dead people as they can.
Si Gale Gale (Wooden Puppet) – There is a legend among Batak Toba people on the famous puppet called Si Gale Gale. According to an old belief, there was once a King who lost his son due to an illness. Out of grief, this King ordered his men to make a puppet that resembles his son. Then, the king summoned the spirit of his dead son to possess the puppet. Thus, this wooden puppet dances on its own. Most Batak Toba villages have a replica of this Si Gale Gale and they feature it through a wooden puppet dance number when tourists visit it. However, the original puppet is still in the island. Unfortunately, we were not able to visit that original puppet.
Ulos Fabric or Cloth – This handwoven cloth is more than just an aesthetic value to Batak Toba culture. Each ulos has various meanings such as red stands for happy mood such as weddings and graduation day. While the black color is used for mourning or grieving such as death of someone. Another name of Ulos is suri-suri.
Tor-Tor– This is a traditional dance from Batak tribe. It was performed during a happy ceremony like harvesting season or wedding ceremony. Ancient beliefs on Tor-Tor dance includes that it is a ritual dance associated with spirits who were invoked to walk into the stone statues of the ancestors. It has three types which include Tor-Tor Pagurason (clean-up dance) held for big parties, Sipitu Cawan (dance of the seven bowls) held on the King’s inauguration, and Tunggal Panaluan (cultural ritual dance) which is performed when calamities hit the village. In today’s culture, this dance has been used in occasional events like weddings and welcoming of tourists.
Gondang – The Tor-Tor dance is traditionally performed with Batak Toba instruments like gondang or a percussion (a type of traditional drums). The ethnic group also use Batakness trumpet and etc.
Opong Ray – Another unique practice of Batak Toba is how the name of their women change. If a Batak Toba single woman gets married, she will use the name wife of (husband’s name). If she bears a child, she will be named mother of the eldest child’s name. But once she will have a grandchild, she will be named after the eldest grandchild. Hence, the word, opong means grandmother and Ray is the name of the eldest grandchild that she is carrying with her (check the picture on the right side).
The Historical Tomok Village
The second Batak Toba village we visited was known as Tomok Village. It serves as the gateway to Samosir island. It was once ruled by the clan of Sidabutar. Thus, when we reached this village, our first destination was an ancient tomb of a ruler from a Sidabutar clan. Here are the things I’ve learned at Tomok Village:
Raja Tolu – He was a king from the Sidabutar clan who lived in Tomok village. Raja Tolu’s tomb is now a 400-year-old historical site. It’s maintained by Batak Toba community leaders. He belonged to the Sidabutar clan of Tomok.
New Tomok Restaurant – We only stayed for a short time at Tomok village. But we ended our tour by dining it at the famous NTR or New Tomok Restaurant where I ordered a delicious Indonesian dish.
Babi Sate or Pork Satay – Although pork is not commonly served in Indonesian cities, but at Tomok, you can order many pork dishes. A Babi Sate is also common to Malaysian and Thai culture. It’s a skewer grilled with perfection and served with a spicy and sweet sauce.
Ihan Batak – Before we left the island, we saw a Ihan Batak or a traditional Batak Toba boat which the ethnic group used to ride before the modern ferries were invented. This boat also featured the traditional pointed roof of Jabu Batak houses.
For a full-length vlog on my trip to these Batak villages, check out my YouTube vlog below. Please don’t forget to like, comment, share and SUBSCRIBE! Enjoy!
It’s our second day at Samosir Island and we checked in at Pandu Lakeshore Resort located at Tuktuk, Samosir Island West. At Agoda, I got the best deal for a room good for two persons with free breakfast. I think it was only Php750 or $15 per night. Not bad for a room with hot and cold shower and a great view of Lake Toba. In this blog or vlog, let me highlight some keywords in Bahasa Indonesia:
My Ulos Skirt from Sinta
Nasi Goreng for Breakfast
Kopi Luwak
Our Ride, Becak
Selamat Pagi – This is the Indonesian greeting for good morning. We say this to greet our friends on a fine morning.
Nasi Goreng – It is an Indonesian fried rice dish and it’s often served with fried scrambled egg. That’s what I had for breakfast.
Kopi Luwak – This is a local coffee from Indonesia that consists of digested coffee cherries that are defecated by Asian palm. It’s one of the best tasting coffees I have ever tried. (Second to Vietnam’s famous coffee of course).
Ulos Skirt – Ulos is a traditional cloth of Batak people which is handwoven by the locals. There are different types of ulos worn on ceremonial significance such as funerals, weddings, and even graduation day. I received an ulos skirt from my friend, Sinta and it fits me well.
Becak – It is a local motor ride at Indonesia. It resembles as a tricycle (a motor with a side car) in the Philippines. We rode this in getting to our destination.
Visiting Panorama Ambita
Before we reach the Batak villages, we drop by at the famous viewing spot for Lake Toba at Samosir Island which is called Panorama Ambita. In here, we get to enjoy the scenic atmosphere of the lake and we were able to take photos which we used as our profile photos and cover photos in our social media accounts.
For more details on our trip, here’s my vlog on my second day at Samosir Island. Click this video:
The first time I visited North Sumatra in Medan on 2016, I have always been fascinated about the famous Lake Toba which is about six to eight hours ride away from Medan City. So, when I got the opportunity to come back to Medan on September 2019, I really planned an adventure to Lake Toba and Samosir Island.
This is part one of my three-part blog on my travel to Lake Toba. Three of my Indonesian friends, Diah Purba, Elvira Sumbayak, and Rumondang Napitupulu served as my tour guide in going there. In order to get to Lake Toba (Parapat) from Medan, here’s what we did:
We took a Grab car to the bus terminal at Medan. I was staying at the downtown area of Medan but I had to go to Sun Plaza to buy food. So from Sun Plaza Mall to the Terminal, it took about 40 minutes to reach the terminal (note: The traffic was so bad at that time!)
We rode a non-air-conditioned bus from Medan to Parapat Town (where Lake Toba is located). Currently, there is no air-conditioned bus bound for Lake Toba or Parapat. However, the non-air bus is also comfortable (except when someone smokes inside the bus, so better prepare a mask). The bus ride took us six hours but I heard from my friends, it often takes eight hours if there is a heavy traffic.
We rode an ‘angkot’ to reach the Parapat Port. An angkot is short for angkutan kota which means city or town transportation. It is often called as pete-pete in some areas in Indonesia. Most angkots resemble like an old van or SUV type here in the Philippines. Our angkot ride lasted for only a ten minutes.
We rode a ferry to Samosir Island. When we reached the port of Parapat, we sailed via a local ferry in going to Samosir Island West part. Our resort was located at Tuktuk area, so that’s where the ferry docked. Yes, it personally takes you to your designated resorts. Each resort has docking area to receive the ferry that travels via Lake Toba. Our resort was quite far, so it took us one hour to reach the place. Samosir Island has huge land area and it is surrounded by the vast Lake Toba. You will read more data about these two in my next blog.
Lastly, let me share my vlog on our travel from Medan to Lake Toba to Samosir Island. Enjoy! (On my next entry, I will feature our resort Pandu Lake Side Resort and some tourist attractions at Samosir Island).
The last travel I had was on September 2019. I booked a Cebu Pacific seat sale on March 2019 and I was able to get the cheapest deal for Manila to Jakarta, Indonesia flight at only Php 2,000 or roughly $40. But my intention was really to visit my friends in Medan, Indonesia which is a two-hour flight from the capital city, Jakarta.
The Airline that took away my dream of exploring Jakarta.
Hence, I had to book a different airline, an Indonesian company called Sriwijaya Air. My original flight was in the afternoon so I can have the entire morning to tour Jakarta. However, this airline informed me two weeks before my flight that I have to take the early morning flight (5:15 a.m.) instead of the afternoon (5:40 p.m.) flight. Would you believe it? That flight was cancelled. Gosh!
Kyriad Airport Hotel, Tangerang
But the thing here is, I’ve already booked my hotel via Booking.com and it was confirmed. I have to stay at this airport hotel since I already paid for it months before my flight. Good thing, this hotel offers a free airport shuttle to all its guest. Not only that, I love the hotel staff’s service because they really tend to my needs even if I only checked in for five hours. This hotel also has a pool but I didn’t even get to enjoy it. Oh, I only paid $15 (Php800) for an overnight stay at that hotel. Not bad!
Tea time at Kyriad Hotel.
So, I had to maximize my five hours in Kyriad hotel. I took selfies everywhere. But I promised myself, I will return to Jakarta for a longer stay. But in the mean time, let me share a short video of my five-hour stay at Indonesia’s capital city. Enjoy!
It was supposed to be a quick stopover in Manila because my intention was to fly right away to Jakarta, Indonesia. However, I couldn’t get a connecting flight that has a cheaper price. Hence, I decided to book a domestic flight of Davao to Manila ticket and a separate international ticket of Manila to Jakarta.
That was a wise move for me except that my flight got rescheduled months before my flight so I had ample time to stay in Manila. Instead of complaining to the low-cost airline, I cease it as an opportunity to tour the city of Manila even just for half a day.
With the help of my friend, Vangie Lorca who works and lives in Manila, we toured the three National Museums of the Philippines namely National Museum of Natural History, Anthropology, and Fine Arts. Unfortunately, we couldn’t record videos inside these museums because the management prohibits it. After these three museums, we dropped by Intramuros where we also visited another museum called, Likhaan.
A Traveler's Tale