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Thematic: Geo – Culture Diversity
- TB Museum, Information Center
- Liang Sipege, Limestone Caldera wall
- Basiha stones, Prismatic joints, Andesitic lava
- Meat, Paleozoic basement caldera wall
Geological Aspects
- Liang Sipege, Limestone Caldera wall
- The location of this geological site is in Aek Bolon Julu Village, Toba Samosir Regency District. It is a sturdy Andesite rock with horizontal columns measuring >30 cm, characterizing a giant dyke (hatch) structure. It is said that there is a myth that Basiha is taken from the Batak language, meaning Batu Sian Hau (Stone from wood) is a pile of wood that was planned to build a Batak traditional house. After being struck by lightning, the pile turned into stone.
Biological Aspects
The largest flora with lowland rice (Oryza sativa) among the Toba Caldera geosites is in Balige District covering an area of 3,676 ha. Apart from that, the valleys between the hills within the caldera rim are occupied by residential communities as well as other economic activities such as rice cultivation. The morphology of the plains between the morphology of the hills in the caldera rim area has excellent water potential in addition to the fertile soil originating from weathered soil from the surrounding hills.
Fauna: Buffalo (Bubalus bubalis) is not just livestock for plowing rice fields. The gray-skinned animal is a means of production, savings and investment, as well as a supplier of nutrients. Buffaloes are also an inseparable part of traditional rituals. For decades, buffalo in Tapanuli have developed in people’s farms for generations. Buffalo milk is also taken to drink. Milk is cooked as a side dish. The milk is compressed, then mixed in the arsik. Buffalo meat is consumed for daily meals and parties. There is always a demand for buffalo because they are used in traditional Batak ceremonies, such as weddings, death and bone honoring ceremonies (mangokal holi).
Cultural Aspects
Historically, the Parmalim religion was first initiated by a datu named Guru Somaliang Pardede (Horsting 1914; Tichelman 1937; Helbig 1935), a person who was very close to Sisingamangaraja XII (the last king of the Sisingamangaraja dynasty). Parmalim is a religion followed especially in North Sumatra. Every year there are two big rituals for the Parmalim community. First, Parningotan Hatutubu ni God or Sipaha Sada. This ritual takes place at the start of the Batak New Year, namely in early March. Another ritual is called Pameleon Bolon or Sipaha Lima, which takes place between June and July. The Sipaha Lima ritual is carried out every fifth month in the Batak calendar. This was done to be grateful for the harvest they obtained. This ceremony is also an effort to raise social funds together by setting aside a portion of the harvest for the benefit of residents in need.
TB Museum. The Silalahi Center is a museum which contains several traditional Batak houses, and has a collection of personal objects from the owners. Apart from that, this museum also has a collection of cultural objects from various community groups living around Lake Toba (musical instruments, weaving, traditional agricultural tools). This museum is open to the public and its aim is to motivate the younger generation in building their nation. This location is in the Balige/TB Geosite area. Please.
Pustaha Laklak
It is a collection of written writings (aksara) written on wooden bark, the contents of which contain local wisdom of the Batak tribe, about the life of the Batak tribe. Pustaha Lak Lak contains spells to repel evil, good or bad predictions, tools for reference in determining time cycles (nature) and also secrets of traditional medicine. The location is at the Hutatinggi Sidihoni Geosite.
