Adat Glossary — Batak Customary Terms
Key terms of Batak adat — kinship structure, ceremonies, objects, and concepts, each with a short explanation.
Dalihan Na Tolu — the social structure
| Dalihan Na Tolu | The “three hearthstones” — the Batak social structure resting on three pillars: hula-hula, dongan tubu, and boru. |
| Hula-hula | The wife-giving clan — your mother's and wife's people, honoured highest (somba marhula-hula). |
| Dongan Tubu | Your own clan/lineage — fellow marga members, treated as equals (manat mardongan tubu). |
| Boru | The wife-receiving party — those who married your clan's daughters; treated with affection (elek marboru). |
| Somba · Manat · Elek | The three attitudes binding the pillars: respect (somba) to hula-hula, prudence (manat) among dongan tubu, gentle care (elek) toward boru. |
Ceremonies
| Martumpol | The church betrothal/blessing held before a Batak Christian wedding. |
| Marhata Sinamot | The negotiation of the bride-price (sinamot) between the two families. |
| Mangulosi | Bestowing an ulos cloth as a blessing on the honoured party at a ceremony. |
| Mangongkal Holi | The reburial ceremony — exhuming ancestors' bones into a family tomb (tugu). |
| Saur Matua | The funeral of an elder who died having seen all children married with grandchildren — the most complete, celebratory death rite. |
Objects & symbols
| Ulos | The sacred handwoven Batak cloth, given to convey blessing and warmth across life events (see the Ulos page). |
| Sinamot | The bride-price the groom's family presents to the bride's family. |
| Gondang | The traditional gondang sabangunan ensemble (drums + sarune) that accompanies adat ceremonies. |
| Tortor | The ritual Batak dance performed to gondang music during ceremonies. |
| Tarombo | The patrilineal genealogy tracing descent from a common ancestor — what Pomparan helps you record. |
| Tugu | The monumental family tomb honouring a marga's ancestors. |
General
| Adat | Batak customary law and tradition governing kinship, ceremony, and obligation. |
| Marga | The patrilineal clan name inherited from the father; marks lineage and the rules of exogamy. |
| Hasuhuton (Suhut) | The host family holding a ceremony — the ones with the hajatan/celebration. |
| Raja Parhata | The appointed spokesman who leads adat negotiations and speeches (the master of ceremony). |
| Bona Pasogit | The ancestral homeland/village a marga traces itself back to. |
| Pomparan | Descendants/offspring of a common ancestor — the app's namesake. |
Spelling and practice vary by region; corrections welcome at hello@pomparan.com.