My Tarombo

My name is G u n t u r  Situmorang. I am a member of marga or patrilineal clan of Batak ethnic group and culture in North Sumatra. Situmorang was the name of my ancestor who lived seventeen generations ago. Later on, the descendants of Ompu Tuan Situmorang, a personal name of Situmorang, have Situmorang marga as their identity as a part of Batak "nation".

Every Bataknese men must keep our tarombo (genealogy) adat, way of life, knowledge, and laws. My generations is as follows, beginning from the top, eighteen generations ago: preserved. We pass it on to our descendats so that none loose their identity. This has been one of the traditions of Batak people since a long time ago as a part of

Raja Lontung begat Ompu Tuan Situmorang as the oldest son and his brethern; And Situmorang begat Panopa Raja and Raja Pangaribun; And Panopa Raja begat Ompu Marhujobong who begat Lumban Pande, Lumban Nahor, Suhut Ni Huta, Siringoringo, Datu Mangambat, Sitohang Uruk, Sitohang Tongatonga, and Sitohang Uruan; And Suhut Ni Huta begat Tunggal Muda and Tuan Sipallat; and Tuan Sipallat begat Marhutali, Raja Marsaitan, and Ompu Ambarbolak; And Marhutali begat Malearaja and his brethern; And Malearaja begat Ompu Maruhur and his brethern; And Ompu Maruhur begat Tahi So Majal and his brethern; And Tahi So Majal begat Ompu Tuan Asing as his youngest; And Ompu Tuan Asing begat Ompu Mangandar; and Ompu Mangandar begat Ompu Batu Duldul and Ompu Batu Runggun; And Ompu Batu Duldul begat Ompu Sitaho and his brethern; and Ompu Sitaho begat Ompu Mancendel; And Ompu Mancendel begat Ompu Mardin, Ompu Bonar, and Ompu Epraim; And Ompu Bonar begat St. Humala (Ompu Leonard); And St. Humala begat Huasi; and Huasi begat L e o n a r d  M a r k u s  H a s i h o a n (G u n t u r  P u r w a n t o Situmorang).

My Mother originated from Sianturi marga. Sianturi himself is the son of Toga Simatupang as the youngest of Raja Lontung and the brother of Ompu Tuan Situmorang. In addition, Raja Lontung is the son of Tuan Sariburaja, who is the son of Guru Tatea Bulan, who is the son of Si Raja Batak.

Anyway, the personal name of marga of origin of women are rarely mentioned in tarombo except in some important cases. Beside that, anyone who doesn't has son, is not obliged to keep a genealogy or to insert his name in genealogy. It is because the Batak genealogy is a male descendant line. Daughters are given in marriage to become part of another marga (their husband's marga) insuring the continuation of that clan. Similiar things including the preservation of genealogy records could be found among the Jews.