Partuturon — Batak Family Address Terms

How you address every relative in a Batak family — the term, who it's for, and what it means.

Organised by the three pillars of Dalihan Na Tolu, the social structure every Batak relationship sits within.

Dongan Tubu — your own clan

Those who share your marga (patrilineage).

Amang Father	Your father — also used for your father's brothers and senior men of your own clan.
Inang Mother	Your mother — also the wives of your father's brothers.
Amangtua Father's older brother	Your father's older brother and his line — addressed as a senior father.
Amanguda Father's younger brother	Your father's younger brother — a junior father in your clan.
Ompung Doli Grandfather	Your grandfather — a male elder two generations above you.
Ompung Boru Grandmother	Your grandmother.
Angkang Older same-gender sibling	Older brother (to a man) or older sister (to a woman) — also same-gender clan cousins who are older.
Anggi Younger same-gender sibling	Your younger sibling of the same gender.
Ito Opposite-sex sibling	A man addresses his sister — and a woman her brother — as Ito.
Anak Son / child	Your child; sons carry the marga forward.
Boru Daughter	Your daughter; through her your clan gains boru (wife-receivers).
Pahompu Grandchild	Your grandchild — two generations below you.

The clan your family took a wife from — your mother's and wife's people, honoured highest.

Tulang Mother's brother	Your mother's brother — the heart of your hula-hula, deeply honored.
Nantulang Tulang's wife	The wife of your mother's brother.
Pariban Cross-cousin (ideal match)	Your tulang's daughter (or namboru's son) — the traditionally preferred marriage partner.
Tunggane Wife's brother (for a man)	A man's wife's brother — part of his hula-hula.

Those who married women of your clan.

Namboru Father's sister	Your father's sister — married out, she anchors your boru side.
Amangboru Namboru's husband	The husband of your father's sister.
Bere Sister's child	The child of your sister (for a man) or of your namboru — your boru's offspring.
Lae Male in-law (man ↔ man)	How men of hula-hula and boru address each other — your sister's husband or wife's brother.
Eda Female in-law (woman ↔ woman)	The women's counterpart of Lae — your brother's wife or husband's sister.
Hela Son-in-law	Your daughter's husband — he and his clan become your boru.
Parumaen Daughter-in-law	Your son's wife — she comes from your hula-hula.
Amangbao Spouse's sibling's husband	The male 'bao' — the husband of your spouse's sibling; you address each other as bao.
Inangbao Spouse's sibling's wife	The female 'bao' — the wife of your spouse's sibling; you address each other as bao.

These terms read the same in any language; spelling and usage vary by region. Corrections welcome at hello@pomparan.com.