Book Review: Canceling the Single in Batak Land

The Batak People
I look at you with a straight face
My heart is full of joy
(The Batak People)

Accompanied by Gegana Matondang, Dimas Ramadhan and I toured (most of) the Batak Lands: Toba, Simalungun, Mandailing, and Angkola—minus Karo. For me, the trip was like tracing a trail of memories in the past. Several years before I returned to the place with the deepest nostalgia, it was written: Arjuna and Jean-Claude van Damme, accompanied by Washington Nadeak, explored the Batak Lands. For Arjuna, a woman who had no past with the Batak Lands, the visit was like planting a trail of memories for the future.

From Jakarta, like Arjuna, I went to Tanah Batak by plane. When we landed at Kualanamu Airport, the three of us chatted for a while, and then headed to Medan by car. From the capital of North Sumatra, we continued our journey to Padangsidimpuan. While crossing most of Tanah Batak, we talked about many things: from the history of the Batak people to religion in Tanah Batak; from Batak genealogy to stories of places in Tanah Batak. Not to forget, along the way to the city where Iwan Simatupang—a writer with a strong existentialist view—spent part of his teenage years, we stopped at a number of unique or historical places.

Upon arrival in Padangsidimpuan, I invited Mas Dimas and Bang Gana, as I call them, to visit my house. After being greeted by my parents, we chatted with my parents. "How "How did the trip here (read: Padangsidimpuan) feel?" my mother asked. I immediately answered, "Mamak remembers No Remy Sylado's novel? That's how our journey was." Of course, my mother knew what I meant. Because, a few years ago, I sent my sister and mother a number of books, also literary works, and one of them was Remy Sylado's work entitled "A Woman Named Arjuna 4: Batakology in Fiction.”

The One, The Void

The arrival of Arjuna and Jean-Claude van Damme, a married couple, to Tanah Batak aims to complete the will of Jean-Claude van Damme's father before he died: to find someone named Jeanne Claudia Batubara in Pematang Siantar (p. 11). Jean-Claude van Damme's father does have memories of the city. There, his father was born and spent his childhood until he was 11 years old (p. 25-26). When they set foot at Kualanamu Airport, a taxi driver, Washington Nadeak, managed to catch their attention. The two of them decided to use Nadeak's services to accompany them to fulfill Jean-Claude van Damme's father's last request (p. 13).

Starting from Nadeak, quality and intellectual discussions occur throughout the novel. In addition to agreement, differences of opinion often arise among the characters. This is inseparable from the different identities of the three: Arjuna is a Javanese-Chinese descendant (p. 72; p. 157), and is Muslim (p. 19); Jean-Claude van Damme is Dutch-Flemish (p. 17), Protestant Christian, and a professor of Apologetic Theology in Amsterdam (p. 43); and Nadeak is Batak, an Adventist (p. 19), and has a Masters degree in theology (p. 43).

After resting in Medan, the three of them went straight to Pematang Siantar. In that city, they first enjoyed coffee at 'Kok Tong', the most visited coffee shop. At the coffee shop, Nadeak explained the characteristics of Batak culture to Arjuna and Jean-Claude van Damme: The path to the end—the literal meaning is 'three stoves in one place'. All Batak, whether Toba, Angkola/Mandailing, Simalungun, Dairi, and Karo, have different names to describe excuse me for that. In Toba Batak customs, the term used is dongan sabutuha (friend or relative with the same surname), boru(sisters and husband's family, father's family), andhula hula (the male family from the wife's or mother's side). Meanwhile, the Batak Mandailing tradition states it with the term the kahanggi, kid, And mora(p. 29).

Although different, the essence of the various terms is actually the same: three elements of family relationships in Batak customs (p. 29). The path to the end This is also what makes the Batak people have an exemplary sense of kinship (p. 128). To determine the family relationship, the Batak people always ask the clan (p. 29) when they meet other Batak people, as in a piece of the lyrics of a Batak song entitled "The Gulempong“: I will send my family to you… Hope binoto partuturan (Ask for the family name first… So that you can determine family relationships)¬—Gens G. Malau, said Nadeak, in his book entitled “The Pusuk Buhit Hill" recorded 456 Batak clan names (p. 30).

After spending the night in Pematang Siantar, good news came to Arjuna and Jean-Claude van Damme: Nadeak found out where Jeanne Claudia Batubara was (p. 53). Unfortunately, when they arrived at Jeanne Claudia Batubara's house, they found that the woman had died (p. 55). What they found in the house was Regina, Jeanne Claudia Batubara's sister. According to Regina, her sister was named Jeanne Claudia because their father was good friends with Jean-Claude van Damme's father. After Jean-Claude van Damme was born, Jeanne Claudia's father also wanted to give his child the name Jean-Claude. However, because the birth was a girl, the name given was Jeanne Claudia (p. 54). In addition, Regina continued, her sister chose to live alone for 50 years after failing to get married (p. 56). The wedding that was just before our eyes was cancelled because it was not permitted by custom, a marriage between the same clan (pp. 59-60).

In Batak customs, marriage within the same clan is prohibited. However, nowadays, some Batak people have ignored the customary rules. In general, marriages that are permitted by custom stand above excuse me for that. Regarding this, Regina's explanation to Arjuna can at least summarize it: "In principle, there should be no marriages between the same surname. The problem is, later when the wife, for example, becomes a hula hula, namely the family that becomes tall, the function boru as a family member who marries a daughter of the same surname, will be lost, and the rights boru will be dongan sabutuha with hula hula (p. 59-60). Meanwhile, the fate of Jeanne Claudia's future husband was no less tragic. He was shot dead during the New Order era because he rejected the construction of Taman Mini Indonesia Indah (TMII) (p. 64). Although he could not, and would never be able to, meet Jeanne Claudia Batubara, the meeting with Regina seemed to satisfy Jean-Claude van Damme. Moreover, he was able to witness his father's hometown firsthand (p. 66).

The next day, the three of them set off for Parapat. Before going there, they stopped to buy a typical Pematang Siantar bread snack in the city center: Roti Ganda (pp. 69-70). The bakery had once been hit by rumors that its bread was mixed with forbidden ingredients. Arjuna and Nadeak review that such a phenomenon cannot be separated from economic competition in the market, and has existed since the colonial era. The friction shielded by religion often gives rise to incitement by labeling people as infidels. In fact, the labeling is wrong, because the word 'infidel' was originally used by the Jews to describe 'people who do not believe in one God, the god of Abraham' (pp. 71-74). For Arjuna, accepting God through the history of the Prophet Abraham—with his lineage that gave rise to the Prophet Muhammad on one side and Almaseh Isa ibni Maryam on the other—is the basis for accepting the sincerity of the verse of Al-Kafirun 6: "Lakum dinukum waliya din" (p. 75).

From Pematang Siantar, the three of them then continued their journey to Parapat. After crossing roads with sharp bends, they finally arrived. From a distance on the highway, they witnessed the beauty of Lake Toba (p. 78). In Parapat, the three of them discussed the issue of hating people with different beliefs (p. 84). For Arjuna, "if knowledge of the truth has been politicized below the reach of statistics by comparing the majority's affairs, then the basic truth in a simple and true sense which is the mainstay of the public, will certainly be hurt by the false actions in the outward appearance of those in power" (p. 85). From here, Arjuna then argued: it seems that God values atheists more, even though they openly deny divine truth, compared to people who appear like prophets, but whose behavior does not match their appearance (p. 85).

The discussion about Toba centered in Tarutung, North Tapanuli, made Arjuna want to go around the Batak Lands. Fortunately, Jean-Claude van Damme also wanted to do the same (pp. 88-89). Specifically, Arjuna's husband wanted to visit Barus and Silindung, because in the early years of studying Protestant historiography in the Batak Lands, the two place names were often mentioned (p. 105). While in Barus, Arjuna talked with Nadeak about the history of the arrival of Protestant Christianity in the Batak Lands. Both agreed: Nommensen played a central role in spreading Protestant Christianity in the Batak Lands. However, there were differences of opinion between the two. According to Arjuna, Nommensen's success in spreading the gospel in the Batak Lands was inseparable from the condition of the Batak people, especially around Toba, who were still animists. If Nommensen had done it in the Batak Mandailing area, the results would have been different. For Nadeak, the spread of Protestant Christianity around Toba was actually due to Nommensen's ability to study the historical map of religion. Long before Islam was brought by Admiral Cheng Ho and the Walisongo to Java, the Batak people on the west coast of Sumatra had already become Muslims. This is because the west coast of Sumatra is the most open area for outside nations to reach the archipelago (pp. 155-157).

From Barus, the three of them then returned to Tarutung. Again, a conversation about Nommensen occurred on the journey. In Tanah Batak, Nommensen did not just preach Protestant Christianity. He also introduced agriculture, education, and health to the Batak people. That way, they could escape poverty and ignorance. Thanks to his struggle, Nadeak told Arjuna, the Batak people to this day view Nommensen as a hero (p. 166). Furthermore, Nadeak gave an answer related to Arjuna's question about the Dutch who colonized on the one hand and spread the teachings of love, freedom, and peace in the Gospel on the other. Indeed, Nadeak said, there were problems that were felt in missionary practices and colonial power. However, like most evangelists who came to Indonesia, Nommensen was not Dutch, but German (p. 167).

News From A Distant Land

A few hours before leaving Padangsidimpuan, I picked up the novel “A Woman Named Arjuna 4: Batakology in Fiction“, as well as a number of other books belonging to my mother, from the bookcase, and put them in my bag. Along the way from Padangsidimpuan to Medan, I reread the novel. I noticed how Remy Sylado's writing style is in this novel. In each chapter, he always starts it with the word 'tumben', and ends it with various psalms sung by Nadeak in Batak, complete with their meanings in Indonesian. It must be admitted, such a writing style is very unique. For me, this is the first time I have found such a writing style.
Although the storyline in this novel is not brilliant—not to say mediocre, Remy Sylado managed to make me jealous—in a positive sense—and at the same time amazed by his ability and knowledge in reviewing things related to Batak people and culture, such as Batak songs and instruments (pp. 119-123), folklore about the origins of the Batak people (p. 131), the mention of hours in the Batak language (p. 135), ulos (p. 197), and others. I thought to myself: He is more Batak than most Batak people. In other words, in front of Remy Sylado, the majority of Batak people feel like Batak KTP.
Although labeled as fiction, most of the stories in this novel are based on scientific sources. At this point, the fiction is limited to the characters and the setting of the story. When describing the location of the 'Kok Tong' coffee shop in Pematang Siantar, for example, Remy Silado is quite detailed in mentioning it between Jl. Dr. Cipto and Jl. Wahidin (p. 25). Rumors related to the mixture of forbidden ingredients are also reviewed according to the information circulating in Pematang Siantar. Mas Dimas understands this very well, because Bang Gana told us about it without us asking. I suspect that Remy Sylado traveled to the Batak Lands and became a good note-taker. At the same time, the references used by Remy Sylado in explaining the Batak people and culture are very impressive. Various books and quotations from English, Dutch, and French are scattered in every conversation of the characters in this novel.
As written on the cover of the novel, it must be admitted that this novel is not light reading. However, if you are interested in reading it, as mentioned earlier, Remy Sylado fortunately provides various references in this novel that can be used as further references. In addition, he also provides supplementary notes at the end of this novel to explain the various big names that appear throughout the story: from Albert Camus to Iwan Simatupang, and from Sun Yat Sen to Amir Syarifuddin Harahap. No half measures, there are 34 pages (from page 280 to page 348) explaining the big names in this novel.
What is commendable about Remy Sylado is that he does not merely praise the Batak people and culture, but also criticizes the behavior of the Batak people and Batak culture. It should be noted that sometimes he feels less firm in giving criticism. At this point, he only describes the existing conditions. As an illustration, Nadeak and Nilson—Nadeak's younger brother—explain the culture of migrating, and the construction of magnificent graves among the Batak people to Arjuna and Jean-Claude van Damme (pp. 186-187). Unfortunately, Remy Sylado stops there. In fact, for some or perhaps many Batak people, the dead are often more respected than the living. In addition, Remy Sylado fails to review the position and lives of women in Batak culture, which are often put in second place.
Upon arrival at Kualanamu Airport, before heading to Jakarta, I stopped reading this novel for a moment, and then played the song "The Batak People” arranged by Viky Sianipar, and sung by Tetty Manurung and Victor Hutabarat. If translated into Indonesian, the song’s chorus goes like this: O Tanah Batak, Ingin Rasa Kulihat, Ku Kembali Bertemu Tanah Lahirku. My memory goes back to when I arrived in the center of Padangsidimpuan City. At that time, Bang Gana asked, “Win, is your house straight, to the right or to the left?” “I think it’s straight Bang,” I answered. The familiar, the unfamiliar. The close, the distant.