Author: Dinda Marley
A statue of a datu holding a Tungkot Tunggal Panaluan at the TB Silalahi Center Museum, Toba Regency. (Dinda Marley)
Tunggal Panaluan was always carried to solace Guru Hatia Bulan and Nan Sindak Panaluan. Considered alive, they offered ceremonies and tortor (dances) for it. The spirits dwelled within make the staff divine and invincible. As Guru Hatia passed away, Tunggal Panaluan was held by datu-datu and then lost during the Netherland invasion.
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Batak Toba people know about astaff called Tunggal Panaluan which had 150-200 meters in length with man and dragon carving engraved on it that told the ancient tale. Tunggal means oneand Panaluan holds a meaning: to defeat.
Tunggal Panaluan described the relationships of banua toru, banua tongaandbanua ginjang. Those three regions were carved on a tree which is called sibaran, the human fate. The relationships of those three reflected Batak cosmology.
The divine staff only owned by datu-datu was believed as the dwelling of the ancestors’ spirits who could summon rain, cure diseases and banish the plague, give blessings, protect the house and village from enemy.
When visiting Batak TB Silalahi Center Museum in Balige, Toba Regency, we obtained information that Tunggal Panaluan was created from tada-tadawood. The process in making the staff was not the common one since it involved ritual like offerings, pangurason, and fasting.
Many people hunt for the staff, believing that anyone who obtain it will have might, power and feared by his enemies. Currently, many imitations were sold around and all of them claim the staff is real. The price ranges from tens of thousands to millions. Even online shops are also selling the imitations. The choice is ours to consider it as souvenirs, keepsakes, art business or private collection.
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The tale of blood related marriage for generations in Tano Batak is the origin of Tunggal Panaluan. There once lived a married couple who haven’t be blessed with a child, their names were Guru Hatia Bulan or Datu Arak Pane and Nan Sindak Panaluan.
Their faith and prayers were answered. After spending eight years waiting, Nan Sindak Panaluan was pregnant. During his wife’s pregnancy, Guru Hatia was always haunted by a nightmare. Nan Sidak gave birth to a pair of twins, the boy was named Aji Donda Hatahutan Situan Parbaring and the girl was named Tapi Nauasan Siboru Panaluan or Si Tapi Omas. Their birth was on a bad day according to Batak myth (Ari Sirangga Pudi).
After the name giving ceremony, the elders asked Guru Hatia Bulan to separate his children so a calamity wouldn’t come. Due to the yearning of children for a long time, Guru Hatian didn’t comply to the advice. He raised the twins with love until they became adults. The villagers saw the twins like a couple of lovers.
One day, drought came. The rain didn’t come almost for three months. The plants withered, the paddy fields and springs were dry as if all lives died. The village elders gathered and called a datu to find out what had happened. According to datu’s vision, the cause of the drought was the forbidden act committed by two siblings.
The accusations were targeted to the twins without any discussion. The village chief and the datu came to meet Guru Hatia Bulan. They explained that the draught was caused by his children. Aji Donda and his sister were summoned and tried. Asked with so many questions, the twins couldn’t say anything due to fright. Guru Hatia couldn’t defend his children and give in to the vote result that his children were banished from the village.
Illustration: Batak ethnic youth during the Gondang Naposo festival in Samosir 2018. (Narendra)
Then he built a sopo in the forest for the twins. He also left a loyal black dog as a guard. Once every a few days, the parents would bring their children some food while holding their grief. Whether it was coincidence or not since Aji Donda and Tapi Nauasan didn’t live in the village anymore, the drought passed.
Not far from the sopo, there was a tree covered by thorns. It had green fruits and became red when they were ripe and crimson when overripe. The fruits had circular shape like grapes and tasted sour and a bit bitter but when given enough small press, it will become sweeter and fresh. People called the fruits piu-piu tanggule, a tree akin to tada-tada.
One day, Tapi Nauasan saw the tree bear so many ripened red fruits. She asked her brother to climb the tree and pick them for her. Aji Donda complied and when he climbed the tree, he picked and ate some of the fruits. Suddenly, his body sank into the tree and only his head was on the surface.
Tapi Nauasan who had been waiting for his brother then called him but there was no answer. Then she got close to the tree along with her dog. She saw Aji Donda’s body had become one with the tree while his head was still on the surface. Aji Donda didn’t answer all her questions and finally Tapi Nauasan decided to climb the tree to save her brother. But sadly, she also shared the same fate like Aji Donda.
When climbing the tree, Tapi Nausan dropped her sash. Her dog that kept barking brought the sash to Guru Hatia and his wife. Knowing the sash belonged to their daughter, Guru Hatia immediately ran towards the forest to see his children. He found the twins became one with the tree and no word could escape his mouth.
Panaluan single stick collection at TB Silalahi Museum, Toba Regency. (Dinda Marley)
Guru Hatia returned to the village to seek help. His heart was broken thinking about the fate of his children and his wife who couldn’t stop crying. Then he reached Datu Parmanuk Holing who quickly ran to the forest after hearing Guru Hatia’s story to save them with his power. Unfortunately, his power was not enough and shared the same fate like the twins.
He then went his way to find otherdatu to save his children. Datu Mallatang Malliting, Datu Boru Sibaso Bolon, Datu Horbo Marpaung, and Datu Jolma So Begu who had unleashed their powers but their bodies were also become one with the tree. Seven heads had laid on the tree and Guru Hatian was desperate.
One last datu left, Datu Parpansa Ginjang. This datu was unlike the others who climbed the tree so their bodies were sunk into it. He began with a prayer, asking for offerings and manortor (Batak traditional dance). A buffalo was offered then he cut the tree and brought it to the village.
To solace Nan Sindak Panaluan’s grief of losing her children, the tree was carved resembling her children along with the five datu who tried to help, a dog, and other animals who also sank into it like lizards and snakes. The top part of the tree was engraved with Aji Donda carving, complete with the hair wrapped with threads of three colors: white, black, and red (bonang manalu).
Tunggal Panaluan was always carried to solace Guru Hatia Bulan and Nan Sindak Panaluan. Considered alive, they offered ceremonies and tortor (dances) for it. The spirits dwelled within make the staff divine and invincible. As Guru Hatia passed away, Tunggal Panaluan was held by datu-datu and then lost during the Netherland invasion.
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The Kalpataru Addresse 2005 as well as the owner of Taman Eden 100, Marandus Sirait stated that he is cultivating piu-piu tanggule, tada-tada, ruhamorrukamtrees to be special fruits of Toba. He also believes they will sell well since they hold historical values.
“People are curious. The fruits are like grapes and sweet. This fruit is the food for birds, monkeys, squirrels, and rats in the forest. It is also a favorite food of bats which makes it hard to obtain. I collect the seeds using nets …” stated Marandus in the early November 2020.
The 15 year old Tada-ada or Piu-piu tree that grew in the Eden Park . (Dinda Marley)
It is called sipiu-piutang gulebecause when it isn’t ripe, it must be turned around so the taste becomes sweet. Piu means turning around, tang means becomes, gule means sugar or sweet. It will become softer when turned around. According to Marandus, there is a chemical reaction and change the taste into sweetness.
“That’s why it is called piu-piu tanggule, in Bataknese, it means become sweet …” His statement cracked me.
While picking the fruit from the branch, Marandus explained about Tunggal Panaluan. When he was in the forest, Tunggal Panaluan was hungry and climbed the tree and picked the fruits. Then his body was stuck in the tree. Her wife who came to help him was also stuck into the tree. Tunggal Panaluan’s loyal dog went to tell the villange, it urged Tunggal Panaluan’s parents to the forest.
“When he saw it, everything stuck in the tree. There were rats, lizards, snakes in it. He called a datu to help however he was also sunk in it. The staff was hideous with many kinds of animals.” He explained while fixing his glasses.
Then, he called the most powerful datu. The tree was taken and a warning was issued that two individuals with strong genetic relation or family are forbidden to marry (incest).
“Aji Donda and Tapi Nauasan were siblings. It was rarely giving birth to a pair of twins. In the old Batak society, when having a pair of twins, they must be separated so they won’t know and fall in love each other. However, both met once more and fell in love and got married. When people knew they were siblings, tradition spoke itself. They were banished from the village which was why they were in the forest …” He exclaimed.
Marandus showed tada-tada tree he planted which is 15 years old. It is not too big and tall, sturdy enough to be staff material. He found this tree in the forest when his parents were still alive. According to him, the tree was 70 years old but it was not too big like hariara or tualang, just around adults’ thigh.
“Under seven years old, these trees are surrounded with thorns. As they get older, the thorns are gone. The fruits are the favorite of rats, bats, and squirrels. I think it means the fruits have high nutrients. Some fruits are only eaten by some birds, but all kinds of birds eat these fruits.
Marandus said if it wasn’t created from tada-tada wood, Tunggal Panaluan would not hold so much divine power. The owner of the staff appeared so gallant. However, the staff origin is an ignominy but he couldn’t explain how the staff could hold divine power.
“Tunggal Panaluan was indeed stuck in the tree which makes the staff very eerie, there were strands of hair, lizards, snakes, and dog… The divine staff could only be used by a person who holds spiritual power. He could ask the staff what would happen tomorrow and the staff will give vision on what he would face. For example, everything would be well-prepared when the Netherland soldiers or the enemies would come.” He added.
When asked that Sisingamangaraja carried this staff, Marandus nodded. Hundreds of years before Sisingamagaraja was born, Tunggal Panaluan staff had existed. Some traditional figures and the famous Batak people were also aware about this staff, one of them is Gerhard Mulia Panggaben or GM Panggabean.
“He carried the real one, the one that held mystical power. I think that must be it and some people from long time ago, his descendants and the councils from older years. Even like Mr. Suharto. I’m sure of it because he came here in 1975. The staff given to him must be the real one. There were some in Netherland houses which they took from Batak kings.” Marandus reminisced.
“So it is just normal staff if it is made of normal wood. A Tunggal Panaluan, but isn’t divine… It must be made of this wood that has history behind it. A wood with this size, a fragment of it costs 1-2 millions.” He also added that until now, there is no other use for pohon piu-piu tanggulebut to make it into a staff.
“But this wood is hard to find. I cultivate them myself. Up until now, there is no one who knows how to cultivate it and find it in the forest. I planted this tree by myself.” He explained.
People find it hard to cultivate because of the difficulty to obtain the seeds. As Marandus’ awareness, tada-tada tree has only one of a kind.
“I haven’t found the fruits which have slight differences in color and taste. I asked around the other regions, all the fruits are the same. Only the names are different. In South Tapanuli, they call it ruham.” He stated while inviting me to enter the garden area filled with rare trees.
It is quite promising considered its selling price. Marandus cultivates it using shoot cutting or grafting method since the tree will bear fruits in seven years if cultivated from seeds.
“Using grafting or shoot cutting, it took only a year to bear fruits to support this Toba Lake. Whether the fruits are sweet or not, they still have values in the market. If it tastes sour, it can be used in juice, add a bit of sugar or mixed with other fruits or other different ways.” stated the head of Toba Lake micro small and Medium Enterprises association of North Sumatra.
In Taman Eden 100, there are around 30 trees planted. There are many others in seeds, sold from Rp 1 million to Rp 1.5 million per tree. The buyers are mostly certain people who understand the value of the tree. The trees can grow anywhere Tano Batak where their habitats are.
“I saw some grow in Medan and bear fruits, but the trees are small, not as big as the ones in Toba. There was an office staff from forestry who brought the seeds to Medan.” claimed this critical environment activist.
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When the author was still in primary school, around 40 years ago, a rukam tree grew in the grandparents’ yard in Kota Binjai. This fruit is still easy to find, especially in the markets and has cheap price. Many friends can eat the fruit which considered very sour by the author. Even when eater with sugar, the author thinks the fruit is still sour. Before it is eaten, this red fruit with marble size is pressed so it gets softer and the taste becomes sweeter.
Now rukam tree is very hard to find. Their existences are threatened. It is known that it holds many uses, not limited as sweetener and flavor. Rukam can act as a diarrhea medicine and indigestion. So in 2018 Aeknauli Environmental and Forestry Research and Development Center in Pematangsiantar in accordance to press conference on menlhk.go.id began to cultivate rukam and other nine Batak forest fruits in Etnobotani Garden of Arboretum Aeknauli.
A researcher in Aeknauli Environmental and Forestry Research and Development Center stated that in Toba Lake area, rukam was rarely cultivated and people do not really pay attention to it. The import fruits keep eroding local fruits. Conservation and development are the efforts to preserve it, reproduce them generatively and vegetatively.
Rukam has the scientific name of Flacourtia rukam, Zoll and Moritzi with synonym of Flacourtia euphlebia. The tree can reach more than 20 meters. There are thorns on the trunks that can reach 10 centimeters. The seeds can grow fast but it has slow total growth. Its wood is hard and sturdy and can be used for furniture like pestle and furnishing.
Rukan can be found in tropical region of Southeast Asia and India. Rukam is known with its local names like ta khop thai (Thailand), rukam manis, rukam gajah, rukem (Malaysia), jawa rukamu (Japan) dan rukam inphilippines. In Indonesia, it is known as rukem, ganda rukem, gerendang (Java), klang tatah kutang (K
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