Tombak Salaksap

The village of Bongkaras has a long history closely related to land ownership by the Cibro clan, one of the important land clans in the Silima Punga-punga District. Initially, this area was part of Tungtung Batu Village, one of the oldest villages in Dairi. The Cibro clan obtained customary rights through relations with King Sambo from Aceh, both through warfare and marriage to the daughter of Sambo. Since then, they have controlled a vast area up to the Aceh border.

Descendants of Cibro then spread to various regions. Some settled in Tungtung Batu, some migrated to Simalungun and became the Purba Pakpak clan, while others went to Tanah Karo and became the Tarigan clan. Although dispersed, the ancestral land in Bongkaras remains the center of their identity.

The history of migration also shaped the diversity of Bongkaras Village. In the early 1900s, some Cibro migrated to Karo to study Islam, then returned and spread the new teachings. Meanwhile, migration from Simalungun and the Batak Toba ethnic group began entering in the 1930s-1950s, followed by other migrants such as Karo, Javanese, and Sundanese. Their presence brought changes in land management and encouraged the development of agriculture and plantations, including coffee and patchouli, which once became leading commodities.

Now, Bongkaras Village is known as a multi-ethnic area that still preserves the historical traces of the Cibro clan as the original owners of the customary land, while also being open to various ethnic groups living side by side on this fertile land. This background underlies the protection of the area now referred to as the Community Managed Conservation Area initiated by the Diakonia Pelangi Kasih Foundation (YDPK) Parongil and Sidikalang.

Tombak is a forest in the form of a communal area that cannot be sold. The resources contained can be utilized by the community collectively, but the areas around the tombak that are opened as fields are individual lands. In its function, Tombak or Forest serves as the main habitat for protected wildlife, a source of livelihood, a source of springs, and a community conservation area.

Tombak Salaksap is a forest area that is widely used as gambir land in the form of dense jungle with many mixed natural trees with the largest tree diameter being 1 meter. Generally, tombak has been largely opened as individual gambir plantations and as community land reserves. Each tombak has rivers that also support the water needs of the village and rice fields.

In terms of management, the community has the freedom to utilize the natural resources within the tombak as long as they maintain the sustainable ecosystem. The community has developed an oral regulatory system to protect resources and wildlife habitats to remain sustainable, namely;

• Forest areas are freely utilized by the community as land reserves.
• Prohibition on bringing pork into the forest.
• Maintaining decorum while in the forest by not speaking obscenely.
• Requesting permission "excuse me" when entering the forest (by laying down leaves).
• Excusing oneself when needing to urinate.
• Each tombak has individual-owned fields.

The community also regulates sanctions if there are members who steal in the field area; the perpetrator will be fined depending on the landowner. In addition, there are also social sanctions in the form of Martingting, where the perpetrator will be paraded around the village carrying wood that is struck against metal, the sound produced aims for everyone to know that the perpetrator has committed theft.

Forest areas are also protected by the community because they are still used for cultural activities in the form of rituals, including;

Mardang Ritual

This ritual is performed when opening the forest and planting; the community will make itak gurgur, then itak gurgur is sprinkled around the seed holes, after which the land can be planted.

When planting, one person must be covered with cloth during the planting process until it is finished. The purpose is to prevent the plants from being eaten by spirits (Tolak Bala).

Boni Festival and Gotilon Festival, are festivals held during the harvest and planting of rice, and the events are held in the church.

When planting rice, the community will make itak gurgur (in the form of flour, sugar, coconut) that is not boiled, then it is grasped and sprinkled onto the plants.

The ritual performed during the rice harvesting process involves grasping 7 rice stalks, then storing and hanging them in the house for 3 days, after which harvesting can commence. The purpose of this ritual is the belief that the Spirit (Tondi) of the rice will be safe.

Rice barn (place to store rice): when taking rice, the barn must be surrounded by cattle to ensure that the rice does not diminish.

The Tombak, which is a forest area, not only serves as a source of springs but also contributes significantly to the environment and ecosystem, one of which is biodiversity. Here are the species found in the Tombak area;

Flora:

• Gambir (can be used as a stomach medicine)
• Resin
• Albizia
• Frankincense
• Rattan
• Hau Godang
• Wood Sitongop (rengas)
• Wood Hasupat
• Hariara
• Teak
• Wood Goti
• Wood Piangin (meranti)
• Orchid
• Keras Ketala (earth peg): medicine for stomach pain and malaria
• Patchouli (can be used as a cosmetic material/essential oil)
• Longa-longa (wound medicine)
• Tiger Betel Leaf (stamina booster)
• Fern (pahu)
• Coconut
• Genjer
• Sitobu (a type of vegetable)
• Banana
• Ucim
• Cabbage (bamboo shoots)

Fauna

• Tiger
• Orangutan
• Monkey
• Wild Boar
• Siamang (Imbo)
• Hornbill
• Eagle
• Deer
• Mouse Deer
• Pangolin
• Wild Goat (belu)
• Antelope
• Blackbird (leaf river)
• Peacock
• Bear (gopul)
• Monitor Lizard
• Fish species:
• Ihan Batak
• Pora-Pora
• Crab
• Sibahul
• Snakehead fish (palatima)
• Sipahitok
• Lebo (a type of turtle)
• Tiri-tiri
• Mujair
• Icor
• Shrimp.

Important points located in the Marsitoguan community include;

• Tungtung Batu is the old/first village
• (statue of Pangulu Balang, Batu Prabu Marga Cibro)
• Ancestor graves
• Traditional house
• Hariara (banyan tree)
• Hulu Ni Aek

The Marsitoguan Community area in Bongkaras Village is protected by regulations, namely the Village Regulation (Perdes) for the Protection of Watershed Areas and the Village Regulation for Forest Protection. The community is also focused on evaluating the natural resources available in Bongkaras Village and is working to improve the productivity of the Inang Gambir group. The Marsitoguan Community is also enhancing external efforts by collaborating with the village government in gambir production.