Parapat-Tours of Monkey’s Captive in Sibaganding

“Na e.. Na e.. Na e..,” that is the way to call the monkey if we want to feed them nuts and bananas. The shout like this always heard from Mrs.Marbun when the visitors want to feed the monkeys at the Captive of Monkeys in Sibaganding, Parapat.

This location is not so far from Parapat. It is located in Sibaganding, near by Marsuse Monument, about 40 km from Pematangsiantar (cross of Siantar-Parapat), 4 km from Head Office of Parapat. The area is about 50 hectares. It needs for about 10-15 minutes to get into this place by walking on the footpath.

The Population of Monkey is Declining

As Mrs.Marbun said when we visited there manytimes ago,there are 15 groups of monkey there. But the population is declining that every year, more than 10 monkey died. “That’s why we never allow the visitors,neither local nor foreigner to bring food for the monkey here,such nuts,bananas and others. Between the dead monkey, we found that they died due to food poisoning. We can’t ensure that food fits for the monkey here,”she said.

In this breeding location,we can get food that is prepared by the keeper to give to the monkey here. All can be purchased with the price varies. Rp.10.000,- for the bananas and Rp.5.000,- for the boiled nuts. The visitors needn’t to fear when feeding because the monkey will not bite. Just raise your hand high,and then throw the banana one after other. You can do the same way with nuts, just throw it out into the crowd of monkey.

Closer  with The Captive of Monkey in Parapat

  

  

We had a fun experience when we visit there with Harianja’s family (Vanshea Hotel), Jamez Pakpahan, Yetty Aritonang and her family (Jean Juge and Victor). There were several group of monkeys came closer to us and reached our bag. There was fear when the monkeys try to grab our bags.

“These all monkey never steal,”Mrs.Marbun said to convince us. “Their sense of smell is very sharp. They are interesting with the smell of perfume,candy even Kleenex,”he continued. Immediately, Mrs.Marbun shouted out loud,as though she will be able to speak with the monkeys, “hoi,lao ho,unang jamai tas ni halak i…” (“hey,go away! Don’t touch their bags!)

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BATAK CULINERS

1. Tuak ( Tradisional beverage)

an Juge, the man from French, have visited Samosir Island for the second times after nine years ago. On the last 14th of July 2011,he and his family visited and arounded the Samosir Island to enjoy the natural scenery in Toba Lake.

That was the first time Jean Juge drink tuak when we arrived and had a some rest in Huta Harianja Samosir. “It’s smell and taste is a little unique but I like it because it is processed naturally without the mixture of other matter, beside it, the alcohol obtain of this is not so high,” he said while he drank.

It was unexpected that this guy love the Batak drinking. The tour was continued, Yetty Aritonang,his wife, exlained him how the tuak is made. It was taken from the palm tree without mix with other matter. Jean want to know more about the tree that his wife  told about.

2. The secret Of Luwak Coffee From Lintong

Luwak Coffee is well known as a coffee with original taste and smell that captivate it’s lover. How can it be? Here, we’ll show you the causes and it’s secret that we’ve gotten from an  interview with one of the entrepreneurs Kopi Luwak Lintong-Siborongborong.

There are many international standart procedures has to be follow in keeping the original smell and taste. Starting from the stage of the standard procedure of drying coffee beans luwak until processing worked with coffee grounds. These 3 secrets revealed during a discussion with between Horden Silalahi and Yetty Aritonang.

1.  The first step that has to be run is drying the coffee seeds. In this step, we have to attent about the moisture contained until the drying process. We’ll find the differences of the percentage of the moisture contained between the way of drying it up with the sunset and by using the oven. The process that taken in producing tjhe Luwak Coffee is by using the nature way, by using the sunset.
2. The next step is how to choose and find out the good and clean coffee seeds. This step is done manually, done the divided bettween the skin of the coffeee and the foreign matter when the drying step was going on.
3. This is the end secret that we could get,that in toasting step,need the traditional things that used  to control the moisture  obtained when the toasting step is going on. The coffee seeds is pure with no mixture.
From the whole steps above, the most important thing have to be remember is that they never product this kind of coffee to the general consumen. The coffee is producted match with the demand of the consumer in order to keep the coffee be fresh and durable. So, you needn’t to be scary, cause the Luwak Coffee is always be fresh and original.. Want it? ORDER IT HERE!!!

Gobatak Green Project: the Alternative Solution

It turns out that actually, there are so many things we can get as the alternative solution for us that we can take from our surrounding as the source. Right now, Gobatak with the creative team try to find some of the solutions that can be applied in daily lives. 

We run this Gobatak Green Project for finding the best solution, the simple and easy one, to solve the problem that we usually find in our daily lives – you knew the most crucial problem in our lives now a days, such as natural resources and energy crisis. Below, we write down the problems that we usually find in our daily lives:

Energy problems: The producing of oil and petroleum reach the climax and tend to be decline. Beside it, the waste that is one of the very harmful gas that occur the pollution in environment. And yea, can’t be denied, CO2 is dangerous for people and environment. Meanwhile, the latest inventories that made to save this earth, are not used optimally yet . The other energy such as hydrogen, water, geothermal and others are still considered as the alternative energy, which is the using is not optimal yet.

Water: The producing of clean water have a decline too, as we can see, there is pollutions in every rivers anywhere, the pollution is from the industry waste, and from the farm.  The way to solve this problem is by preservative the strut water area and stop the pollution.

Rubbish: Not all people consider about this one. We sometimes never care about the rubbish and the waste that we have daily. We can find this problem everywhere, especially in the big and crowd town. The rubbish and wastes that are not handled well will bring bad effect with the body health and environment also. Everybody knows that well, but they never care about it. just know, without any acts to solve. So far, they consider the rubbish as the loathing thing which is dirty and bad smell. Whereas, rubbish contains alternative energy potentials and can be used to be the organic fertilizer. But let we see around us, there are so many people stay with the old considering, and forget about this thing.

The next problem that we may see and find is in the farms. We can see they, the farmer use the chemical fertilizer, herbicides and pesticides that we already knew they are harmful to our health. Beside bringing bad effect with our health, this chemical can reduce the fertility rate that soil has. There are so many roves we can find that said and shown us about the best thing what organic fertilizer can do.

We get the source for this projects from the experiences of many people in real and online resources that contain the text guideline or video as the tutorial.

We hope this Gobatak Green Project can help and be the partner for the government, private and citizens in reaching the potential of the alternative energy to solve this problem of environment.

Opening Lake Toba Party In parapat Last Year

Opening PDT 2012 Thousands of Visitors arriving Parapat Towards Samosir.
Although Lake Toba Festival 2012 has officially opened by the Acting Governor of North Sumatra, H Gatot Pujo Nugroho ST has not seen the specific density of visitors to attend the PDT 2012.
It is seen the number of visitors using vehicles cars arrive in droves.
  but the majority of those who come to the island want Samosi.
From the monitoring team on the first day Gobatak Lake Toba Festival (28/12), during the long queue was seen crossing to the port Ajibata.some of personal vehicles queued up Ajibata entrance to wait for the ferry to the island of Samosir.

Conditions Lake Toba Festivalopening 2012 at the Coastal Non Parapat.

During the day, many visitors look no activities and competitions that were held in the field Parapat Pagoda.

Batak Traditional Wedding ( My Bro's wedding 29 0ct 2012)

What are the 9 marriage procedures in Toba Batak culture? On the Batak Toba marriage is a major event, inviting the hulahula, boru, dongan tubu and dongan sahuta as witnesses the prevailing custom. In Batak Toba culture,custom marriage shall be established for indigenous peoples on the basis of Dalihan Na Tolu, i.e. Somba Marhula-hula, Manat Mardongan Tubu, Elek Marboru. In Batak Toba, the bond of marriage is very strong so it’s not easy to get divorced because in marriage is found in many people involved and responsible in it. As for the marriage normally based on past Customs is following the marriage of the stages below:

1. Mangaririt
Mangaririt is the event of choosing the girl that would be his wife,based on his own and his family’s criteria. The event mangaririt is done if the groom is the wandered that has no time to find his own wife by himself, so when the boys came home, then the parent and other family that matches with it find the woman that would be his wife, but woman who look for should be in accordance with the boy’s and his family’s criteria.

2. Mangalehon Tanda
Mangalehon Tanda means a sign giving when men found women as candidates for his wife, then both of them went on to give a sign. Men usually give money to women while women submit gloves fabrics to men, after that the men and women that have been involved with each other. The man then tells it to his parents, the elderly man would tell the mediator or domu-domu that has binded the promise with his daughter

3. Marhusip
Marhusip meaning whispers, but the sense in this writing is the closed meeting or it can also be called negotiations or talks between the envoys family prospective groom with representatives of the bride’s parents, regarding the amount of dowry which must be provided by the party of the man who would be handed over to the women. The results of the talks has not yet been needed to know by the public because of possible failures in keeping reach Word agreed. Marhusip are usually held at the home of the woman. Domu-domu prospective groom would explain the intent of their arrival at the bride’s relatives.

4.Martumpol
For Bataknese, Martumpol is the same with having engagement however literally martumpol is the event when the two bridegroom bound their promise of having a marriage in front of the church. Martumpol was attended by the parents of both the bride and their relatives with the invitation that is usually held in church, because that event is mostly held by the Batak Toba Christian.

5. Marhata Sinamot
Marhata sinamot usually held after the event of giving the jambar. Marhata sinamot is discussing how much the sinamot of men is, what animals that slaughtered is, how many invitations is, how many th ulos is and where the marriage ceremony will be held. Event marhata sinamot can also be considered as the official introductions between elderly men with the elderly women. The dowry is given the man is usually in the form of a money dowry amount was specified through the bargaining

6. Martonggo Raja
In the community of Batak Toba, the marriage isn’t the business of the parents only, but also the whole family, therefore the parents of the brides will gather all the family members in their each house and present in this ceremony paricularly concerning the Dalihan Na Tolu namely hula-hula, boru, and dongan sahuta.

7. Marunjuk
Marujuk is a time during the marriage ceremony, there are two kinds of of the marriage system according Batak Toba culture which are alap and taruhon jual. Alap jual is a Batak Toba marriage ceremony where the marriage took place in the place of the woman.

The bride was picked up by the groom with parents, relatives and the invitation to the home of his parents. The groom is often called the term mangalap boru (pick up the bride). In this event, the whole steps of the ceremony will be held such as eating sibuhai-buhai, the jambar divided and mangulosi.

8. Paulak Une
This event is inserted as a step to both parties free mutual been visiting after a few days ago after the ceremony of marriage is usually conducted a week after the ceremony of marriage , the party of the bridegroom and her kinfolk , with a bride go to the party parents party of the bride .
This is a chance the women may know that their daughter like to live in her mother-in-law’s house

9. Maningkir Tangga
Maningkir Tangga is the event when the party of women went to visit his bride male party at home, where they eat together and have the jambar divisions. In fact maningkir tangga is intended to be the women directly seen from the circumstance of his daughter and her husband because after all they have been bound by ties and give advice and guidance to the bride in building households.

Agreement on social values which are the basis for many important groups, especially in marriage. Each couple’s marriage had its own cultural values, the things that are considered important by the respective parties. Rarely it is agreed upon in its entirety. Each pair can be different wishes in determining things like financial management, recreation, religion, the way of showing affection, relationships with their daughter-in-law, and ordinances.

The social values covering various patterns of behavior. The most important value is the marriage itself. Basically, the attitude towards marriage, such as a value is often a deciding factor in the success of a marriage. For most people, marriage is their only most important value, and they will do everything they can do to adjust satisfactorily.

Legend of Lake Toba 

Once upon a time there was a prosperous village in a far away island called Sumatra. In
northern part of the island, lived a farmer whose name was Toba. He lived alone in a hut by a small forest. He worked on his farmland to grow rice and vegetables that he sells to local market. Once day he wanted to catch some fish so he went to a river and fished there. He was very surprised when he got a big fish. The fish was as big as human being. Soon he went home and put the fish in his kitchen. He planned to cook the fish for his dinner that night. When he got to his house that afternoon he took a bath. Then as he walked into his bedroom after taking a bath Toba was very shocked. Do you want to know what happened?

There stood in his living room a very beautiful girl. The girl greeted him nicely. For a moment Toba was speechless. When he could control his emotion he asked her.

‘Who are you? What’s your name? Why suddenly you are here in my house?’

‘Pardon me if I surprised you Mr. Toba, but you took me here. I was the fish that you caught in the river. Now that I become a human being again, I would like to thank you and I will be your servant to express my thankfulness’

‘Were you the fish?’

‘Yes, I was the fish. Look at your kitchen’.

Toba immediately rushed to his kitchen and the fish was nowhere to be seen. He saw some gold coins instead.

‘Whose coins are these? Why there are some coins here?’

‘Those coins are mine. As I changed into human being my scales changed into gold coins’

‘Ok you can live here and work for me. Your room is over there’

‘Thank you very much Mr. Toba’

Since that day the beautiful girl lived in Toba’s house. Since she was very beautiful Toba fell in love with her and not long after that they got married. The girl married to Toba on one condition that he would never tell anybody about her past. Toba agreed to the condition. Several months later Toba’s wife delivered to a baby boy. Their son was healthy. Soon he grew up into a handsome boy. Toba named him Samosir. Unfortunately Samosir was a lazy boy. He did not want to work at all. When his father worked hard in his rice field and farm, Samosir just slept. When he was awake he talked a lot and he ate a lot. Toba was very disappointed with his son’s nature. He hoped that one day Samosir would change into a diligent boy. Day in and day out but Samosir never changed.

Toba used to go to his farm and rice field early in the morning. Then at midday his wife would bring him food. They used to eat lunch at their farm. As he was a teenager Toba and his wife tried to change his behavior. They ordered Samosir to bring food for his father for lunch while her mother stayed at home to do household chores. But Samosir never did his duty well. He always woke up very late. He woke up after midday. Then one day his mother forced him to bring the food.

‘Sam, wake up. Go to the farm and bring the food for your father. He must be very tired and hungry now’.

But Mom, I am tired and hungry too’

‘What makes you tired? You just wake up. Go now. You father needs the food’

Toba reluctantly went to the farm. But he did not go to the farm immediately. He stopped somewhere in the street and ate the food. It was already late afternoon when he got to the farm. His father was disappointed. Then he was angry as he realized that his son had eaten his food. He said sarcastically.

‘O, you are stupid lazy boy. You are son of a fish!’

Samosir was hurt. He went home right away and as he got home he told his mother about his father’s words. Samosir’s mother was shocked. She was also deeply hurt.

‘O Toba. You break your promise so I cannot live with you here anymore. Now you have to accept to consequence of what you did. Samosir, now go to the hill, find the tallest tree and climb it’

‘Why mom? What will happen?’

‘Just do it, never ask any question. Good bye’

As soon as she finished saying that suddenly the weather changed. Sunny day suddenly turned into cloudy day. Not long after that the rain poured heavily. The rain last for several days. Consequently the area was flooded. The whole area became a big lake. Then it was called Lake Toba and in the middle of the lake there is an island called Samosir Island. Meanwhile Toba’s wife disappeared.

Legenda Danau Toba Dalam bahasa inggris tersebut mengisahkan mitos yang mungkin pada jaman sekarang sudah tidak ada lagi. Namun kita bisa memetik hikmah dari legenda Danau Toba Dalam bahasa inggris tersebut. Hikmah yang dapat kita ambil ialah berhati-hati lah dengan apa yang kita ucapkan. Jangan sampai menyakiti perasaan orang lain. Karena lidah bisa lebih tajam dari pisau, sepatah dua patah kata dapat meninggalkan luka yang membekas di hati lawan  bicara kita. Yang kedua ialah jangan mengingkari janji yang telah dibuat. Legenda Danau Toba Dalam bahasa inggris ini memang penuh makna dan hikmah.