Pakpak people

Pakpak people
Batak Pakpak
Pakpak Dairi

Total population
(1,200,000)
Regions with significant populations
North Sumatra & Aceh, Indonesia
Languages
Batak Dairi language
Religion
Christianity (predominantly), Islam, Parmalim
Related ethnic groups
Simalungun people, Nias people

Pakpak or Pakpak Dairi people are one of the ethnic group of Batak people (hence also known as Batak Pakpak) found mainly in North Sumatra, Indonesia. They are scattered in a few regencies and cities in North Sumatra and Aceh, such as Dairi Regency, Pakpak Bharat Regency, Humbang Hasundutan Regency and Central Tapanuli Regency of North Sumatra, and also in Aceh Singkil Regency and Subulussalam, Aceh.

In administrative governance, most of the Pakpak people settled in Dairi Regency, North Sumatra, which later in 2003 grew into two regencies, namely:-

• Dairi Regency (capital city Sidikalang)
• Pakpak Bharat Regency (capital city Salak)

The Pakpak people are most likely the descendents of the soldiers from Chola Kingdom, India that attacked Srivijaya Kingdom in the 11th century.

Sub-ethnics

The Pakpak people are divided into five sub-ethnic groups or in local terminology, Pakpak Silima Suak consists of:-

• Pakpak Klasen people occupy Parlilitan in Humbang Hasundutan Regency, and Manduamas which is part of Central Tapanuli Regency.
• Pakpak Simsim people dwell in Pakpak Bharat Regency.
• Pakpak Boang people settled in Aceh Singkil Regency and Subulussalam, Aceh. The Pakpak Boang people are often mistaken as Singkil people.
• Pakpak Pegagan people settled in Sumbul and its surrounding in Dairi Regency.
• Pakpak Keppas people settled in Sidikalang and its surrounding in Dairi Regency.

Pakpak surnames

Pakpak surnames are such as:-

• Anakampun
• Angkat
• Bako
• Bancin
• Banurea
• Berampu
• Berasa
• Beringin
• Berutu
• Bintang
• Boang Manalu
• Capah
• Cibro
• Gajah Manik
• Gajah
• Kabeaken
• Kesogihen
• Kaloko
• Kombih
• Kudadiri
• Lingga
• Maha
• Maharaja
• Manik
• Matanari
• Meka
• Maibang
• Padang
• Padang Batanghari
• Pasi
• Penarik Pinayungan
• Ramin
• Sambo
• Saraan
• Sikettang
• Sinamo
• Sitakar
• Solin
• Saing
• Tendang
• Tinambunan
• Tinendung
• Tumangger
• Turutan
• Ujung

Society

The Pakpak people are bound by a social structure, which in local terminology is called sulang silima. Sulang silima consists of five elements that are:-

• Sinina tertua (Perisang-isang, descendants or older generations)
• Sinina penengah (Pertulan tengah, descendants or middle generations)
• Sinina terbungsu (Perekur-ekur, youngest generation)
• Berru (Kinsmen who receive women into their family)
• Puang (Kinsmen who give women into another family)

Five of these elements are very instrumental in decision making in various aspects of life especially in kinship system and traditional ceremonies, be it in the context of a single surname clan based community (Lebbuh) or village based community (Kuta). Therefore, five of these elements must be involved in order for a decision to be considered as valid in customary terms.

Traditional Pakpak ceremonies are named with "working" terms, however the term "festivals" are also frequently used today. Traditional ceremonies are divided into two major parts, namely:-

• Traditional ceremonies that involves joyous occasion are referred to as "good works".
• Traditional ceremonies that involves sorrowful occasion are referred to as "bad works".

Examples of "good works" ceremonies are such as merbayo (wedding ceremony), menanda tahun (paddy planting ceremony), merkottas (initiating a risky task) and so on. While examples of "bad works" ceremonies includes mengrumbang and mate ncayur ntua ceremony (funeral).