Dolok Pusu-pusu

The Bona Ni Dolok indigenous community was established around 1747 AD by ancestors consisting of Ompu from the Batu Nagodang Siatas Sitonong indigenous community located in the village of Batu Nagodang Siatas Sitonong, Onan Ganjang District, Humbang Hasundutan Regency. It has been established and inherited for about 700 years, even long before the Dutch colonial era. Currently, their descendants have reached the 18th generation from the main ancestor, Oppung Marhuling Simanullang, who is a descendant of Oppung Sakkar Toba Simanullang from Bakkara. From Bakkara, Oppung Sakkar Toba migrated to Pusuk and married boru Situmorang, leading to the birth of Oppung Mauliate Simanullang. From this lineage, Oppung Marhuling was born, who later opened and settled in Batu Rase.

Oppung Marhuling's journey began when he herded buffalo across various regions from Pargarutan Rambe, Sipagabu, Lobu Ginjang, Lobu Ronggang, to Dolok Nauli. His buffalo, which were restless and did not want to stay in one place, eventually stopped and wandered around Batu Rase. This event was seen as a sign, prompting Oppung Marhuling to settle there and establish a village. Over time, he became known as a traditional elder due to his wisdom, as well as a prosperous buffalo farmer. However, the large number of buffalo also caused problems as they often damaged the crops of the community. To resolve disputes, he made a rule: any buffalo that damaged crops would belong to the villagers, but its head must be returned to him. This agreement further elevated Oppung Marhuling's respect as a traditional chief.

In his life, Oppung Marhuling had three wives: boru Nainggolan, boru Pasaribu, and boru Situmorang, who gave birth to four children. From them, new huta (villages) were established: Oppung Dari Sabungan settled in Lobu Lubuk Tolong (Sitonong), Oppung Niala Sungsang founded Lobu Siatas, Oppung Sihobol chose the path of shamanism and managed the Parsongean area, while Oppung Tarduga continued the old village in Lobu Ronggang and later in Batu Nagodang. Each child also inherited a legacy in the form of fish ponds: Tambok Hatoropan, Tambok Dolok, and Tambok Nabolak, symbolizing heritage and the responsibility to manage resources.

The name “Batu Nagodang” comes from the large stones that stand in front of Oppung Tarduga's village. The history of the birth of this village is closely related to the journey of Oppung Marhuling's buffalo, which ultimately led their ancestors to settle in Batu Rase. Until now, Batu Nagodang Siatas Sitonong is still preserved and maintained by its descendants as a legacy of their ancestors, cultural identity, and living space for the indigenous community, which has coexisted with traditional values and local wisdom for centuries.

The AKKM (Traditional Customary Forest Management) in the Bius Batu Nagodang Siatas Sitonong indigenous area is a traditional practice that has been passed down through generations by the indigenous community and is inherited from generation to generation, with the main goal of upholding customary law and/or respecting the values and wisdom of elders and ancestors, preserving culture/tradition, protecting heritage, spiritual/sacred sites, and cultural practices. The local wisdom practices in AKKM also aim to maintain and enhance natural resources for the economic sustainability of the community.

Dolok or protected mountains are an ancient initiative passed down through generations by the community. Dolok is an area that stores clean water reserves for the essential needs of the community. Additionally, it is used as a source of irrigation for fish ponds, rice fields, and community farms. These resources support the livelihoods of the community. Dolok also serves as an area for preserving traditions/culture. The culture practiced in this area includes Dolok Pilar, which is used as a ritual place for the community to ask for rain during the dry season. It has various types of wood that can be utilized for building houses and serves as a habitat for several species of fauna.

Dolok Pusu-Pusu is a communal area that cannot be sold. This forest is in the form of karst mountains lined with slopes of about 80% with an ecosystem type of rocky cliffs with wet and mossy land. It has trees with a diameter of around 20 meters. It is often covered with frankincense trees as one of the commercial commodities. Because it is a karst mountain, the area that can be managed by the community for rice fields and farms is only from the middle to the lower parts.

The Dolok area is managed communally by the indigenous community with customary rules, and activities conducted in Dolok include the Ritual Partangiangan Panggohi, which is a boni scattering event held every September 27 each year. This ritual is performed in 3 villages alternately according to mutual agreement. The Ritual Partangiangan Panggohi is conducted after planting rice, three months after it is planted, and is led by Bona Taon with the aim of ensuring the smooth growth of the plants and protecting them from pests. Additionally, there are customary rules that must be adhered to by the community while in the Dolok area, including;

• Prohibition against using foul language and maintaining decorum while in the mountain.
• There is a prohibition against cutting down trees in the fields without the landowner's permission.
• Bringing pork into the mountain is prohibited.
• Fish harvesting must be done with mandurang and draining the water.
• Fishing and electrocuting fish in the ponds, as well as bathing buffalo in the ponds, are prohibited.
• The community can utilize forest wood according to their needs.
• There are also specific rules when in Dolok Pusu-pusu, including;
• Some areas managed are only in the middle to around the mountain.

The rules enforced are oral and passed down through generations; if violated, the sanctions received are social sanctions in the form of reprimands. The mechanism for resolving issues is through mutual deliberation among the indigenous community via an institution called the Lembaga Raja Adat Bius. This customary institution has 3 paradatan that process decision-making through deliberation, namely;

• Batu Nagodang
• Adat Siatas
• Adat Sitonong

The Dolok Pusu-pusu area, which is a mountainous region, contributes significantly to the environment and ecosystem, particularly in terms of biodiversity. Here are the biodiversity elements found in the Dolok Pusu-pusu area;

Flora:

• Wood
• Frankincense/haminjon
• Bamboo
• Cinnamon
• Pine
• Hau Andolok
• Gorak
• Hapas-Hapas (charcoal wood)
• Kayu Harakka (for building houses)
• Boang (wood for making the musical instrument serunei)
• Plants
• Tomato flowers
• Marugama (stomach medicine)
• Harimonting (forest fruit)
• Tahul-tahul (pitcher plant)
• Parung-parung (forest flowers)
• Bamboo lemang
• Aren
• Hotang (rattan)

Fauna:

• Imbo
• Belu
• Monkeys (Bodat)
• Ulihap
• Ampodi
• Civet
• Pangolin (Trenggiling)
• Wild Boar (Aili)
• Hike
• Hornbill
• Lali (eagle)
• Burung Ui
• Sibahue
• Batiaraja
• Limatok (leech)
• Ernga.
• Fish:
• Goldfish
• Nile
• Catfish (sibahut)

Important points located in Dolok/Mountain Pusu-pusu include the Siparbue spring. In addition, there are important points in the Bona Ni Dolok indigenous community, including;

• Parjampalan Sihotik-hotik: a communal area used for herding livestock.
• Parjujian: a communal area located in the village believed to be a place for humans to interact with supernatural beings.
• Old village: an ancestral village that is no longer in use.
• Huta Na Jolo: an old village.
• There are five villages: Lobu Ginjang, Lobu Batu Rase, Lobu Siatas, Lobu Tolong, Lobu Batu Nagodang.
• Market (Onan): Onan Na Tarulang.
• Old Tomb (Opung Mangkulling): in the form of a monument.
• Historical places: Ojung Batu (located in Lobu Ginjang), a ritual site for protecting the village (Pauli Balang).
• Pauli Balang: A ritual site for protecting the village
• Huta Sitonong
• Pangulu Balang
• Tomb of Opung Tarduga Simanullang: ancestor's tomb.
• Ojung Batu
• Goa Lobu Gijang
• Tabbak: ancestor's tomb.
• Mual parsungean

There are currently no specific regulations governing the recognition of the Bius Batu Nagodang Siatas Sitonong indigenous area. However, the indigenous community of Bius Batu Nagodang Siatas Sitonong is working towards obtaining a Decree for the recognition of customary forests and indigenous territories.