Tutur: Language and Traditional Communication in The Mandailing Community, Indonesia

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Tutur: language and traditional communication in the Mandailing community, Indonesia

Iskandar Zulkarnain, Sakhyan Asmara & Raras Sutatminingsih

To cite this article: Iskandar Zulkarnain, Sakhyan Asmara & Raras Sutatminingsih (2023) Tutur:

language and traditional communication in the Mandailing community, Indonesia, Cogent Arts

& Humanities, 10:1, 2211816, DOI: 10.1080/23311983.2023.2211816 To link to this article: https://doi.org/10.1080/23311983.2023.2211816

Published online: 14 May 2023.

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CULTURAL HERITAGE | RESEARCH ARTICLE

Tutur: language and traditional communication in the Mandailing community, Indonesia

Iskandar Zulkarnain¹*, Sakhyan Asmara¹and Raras Sutatminingsih²

Abstract: Tutur contains moral values, ethical, and good manners with very high spiritual values. This research used the communicative phenomenological method that is part of the qualitative method. The research was conducted at Pasar Maga Village, Lembah Sorik Merapi Sub-district, Mandailing Natal Regency, North

Sumatera Province. The data were gathered by conducting in-depth interviews, participatory observation, field notes, documentation, and literature study. The results showed that someone who has understood and applied the meaning of each Tutur can maintain harmony, concord, and intimacy in society. By mastering Tutur, the person will be able to select the right words and to place his interlocutors correctly according to their position and role.

Subjects: Communication Ethics; Intercultural Communication; Sociolinguistics Keywords: tutur; language; communication; traditional comunity; Mandailing culture

ABOUT THE AUTHORS

Prof. Assoc. Dr. H. Iskandar Zulkarnain, M.Si was born in Seunangan, September 3, 1966. He has been a permanent lecturer at the Department of Communication at USU since 1990. After completing his undergraduate study in Communication at USU, he continued his Master's studies in the Postgraduate Program in Communication Science, Padjajaran University, Doctoral of Communication Science was also completed at the same university. His expertise and interest are in the study of Communication Psychology and Political Communication. He is the Deputy II of the Daily Management of the Association of Communication Higher Education (ASPIKOM) for the period 2019-2022. He has also served as a Commissioner for the General Election Commission (KPU) of North Sumatra Province 2017- 2018. Apart from teaching at USU, he is also a guest lecturer at several universities in North Sumatra.

Prof. Assoc. Dr. H. Sakhyan Asmara, MSP is a senior lecturer at the Department of Communication, FISIP USU. He graduated with a bachelor's degree in communication science in 1983 from Gadjah Mada University. He completed his Master’s Degree at the University of North Sumatra and a Doctoral Degree from the University of Indonesia. His expertise is Political Communication and Organizational Communication. His experience in the governmental bureaucracy is very much, culminating in being Secretary of the Minister of Youth and Sports. Sakhyan Asmara is also known as a youth figure in North Sumatra. Apart from USU, he is currently the Head of the Medan Development Communication College for the 2017-2022 period

Prof. Assoc. Hj. Raras Sutatminingsih, S.Psi, M.Psi, Ph.D is a permanent lecturer at the USU Faculty of Psychology. Currently she is the Chair of the USU Psychology Masters Department. Her specialization and expertise are Clinical Psychology and Religious Psychology. Her bachelor degree was graduated from Padjajaran University in 1995, Masters in Psychology graduated from Gadjah Mada University, and her Doctoral Program was from Universiti Sains Malaysia. This mother of two children is an active speaker in various scientific forums. She is also a consultant for psychological assessment in various institutions, both public and private.

This is an Open Access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/), which permits unrestricted use, distribu- tion, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited. The terms on which this article has been published allow the posting of the Accepted Manuscript in a repository by the author(s) or with their consent.

Received: 27 April 2022 Accepted: 04 May 2023

*Corresponding author: Iskandar Zulkarnain, Department of Communication, Universitas Sumatera Utara, Jl. Prof. A. Sofian No.

1 Kampus, Medan 20155, Indonesia E-mail: [email protected] Reviewing editor:

Timothy Clack, School of Anthropology & Museum Ethnography, University of Oxford, UK

Additional information is available at the end of the article

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1. Introduction

Tutur is an intimate term of address or greeting between a person and someone else in the Mandailing community. It is a hata bona or basic word which, according to grammar, is called an abstract noun (Sutan Tinggi Barani Perkasa Alam, 2012). The value of Tutur is an important element in the Mandailing traditional community that uses the concept of Dalihan na Tolu.

Philosophically, Dalihan na Tolu divides the adat community structure into three elements: suhut group (host) and his kahanggi (line of one clan), anak boru (line of sons-in-law), and mora (line of parents-in-law). Every person, personally, has 3 (three) dimensions in his position as the element of Dalihan na Tolu or as a community member. Dalihan na Tolu becomes the symbol of three adat community groups that work together in settling all problems. These are the symbols of working together in mutual cooperation. The sense of togetherness, the right and obligation, tolerance, and holong (love and affection) so that kinship bonds are always kept well. Since Dalihan na Tolu arranges the relationship among the three elements above, the rule can also include the procedure of communication, which is in accordance with the traditional concept of Dalihan na Natolu with its Tutur value (K. K. Siregar et al., 2016).

Tutur contains moral values, ethical values, and good manners with very high spiritual values so that by implementing the meaning of every Tutur, one can keep the harmony, concord, and intimacy in his household and community. For example, a person’s good manners toward his tulang (his mother’s brother or his wife’s father) will be different from his good manners toward his uda (his father’s younger brother) or his uak (his father’s older brother). He is not allowed to make a joke with his nantulang, but he can do it with his uak (Desa, 2010). Adat (traditional) values implied in Tutur will make everyone in the Mandailing traditional community have to be able to understand the values of Dalihan na Tolu with its conception of Tutur so that he can be accepted by the Mandailing traditional community. A person who comes from the outside Mandailing community such as Javanese, Acehnese, or Melayunese who get married with the Mandailing women are required to master Tutur properly. One of the values of Tutur activity that can be observed and has to be done in the life of Mandailing community is Markobar activity. Markobar is a group communication activity in the Mandailing community; it has to use Tutur in its every series.

It can be categorized as a rhetorical art, which comes from the custom and cultural values of the Bataknese community, including the Mandailing community. Markobar cannot be separated from all traditional activities such as wedding ceremony, death ceremony, or entering a new house ceremony.

Markobar is a traditional convention that organizes and provides an exemplary model in having a language and gives an example of good manners in implementing the manifestation of Tutur which is based on the social system of Dalihan na Tolu as the basis for the procedure of carrying out Mandailing traditional ceremonies. Therefore, social norms will be created as the system of order in a traditional speech and language pattern delivered in the Mandailing traditional meetings (Lubis, 2014). This article will present a phenomenological study on communication concerning the implementation of Tutur in Markobar activities in the Manyapai Boru (marriage proposals) in the Mandailing traditional community.

2. Literature review 2.1. Tutur

Tutur is the concept of the Mandailing culture about intimate term of address or greeting between a person and someone else. It is a hata bona or a basic word which, according to grammar, is called an abstract noun (S. T. B. S. T. B. Siregar, 2005). It is also a keyword for a genetic relationship or kinship, which determines a person’s position in the kinship network of Dalihan na Tolu. Tutur is a term of personal pronoun for calling one another among individuals, groups of people, or between individuals and groups of people like uda, nanguda, tulang, nantulang, tunggane, kahanggi, anak boru, and so on. It is an inseparable part of the adat family of Dalihan na Tolu, which has been integrated in the Mandailing traditional community for

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hundreds of years. Its implementation has succeeded in creating a harmonious relationship among individuals, between an individual and his group, and among the groups in their daily activities, either in joy or in sorrow. All of them can be realized because there are sublime values, which are always understood and used as the guidelines by the Mandailing community in their daily life (K. K. Siregar et al., 2016). Every Tutur contains moral values, ethical values, and good manners, which have very high spiritual values so that by implementing its meaning, one can surely keep the harmony, concord, and intimacy in his household and community. For example, one’s good manners toward his tulang (his mother’s brother or his wife’s father) will be different from his good manners toward his uda (his father’s younger brother) or his uak (his father’s older brother). A person is forbidden to make a joke with his nantulang, but he can do it with his uak (Desa, 2010).

Tutur has strong ethical content in daily life relationship between parents and their children, between husbands and wives, among siblings, and between a person and someone else in a traditional community (S. T. B. S. T. B. Siregar, 2005). According to the Tutur values, a family and community atmosphere should be developed with the principles of Marsihaholongan (to love each other), Marsipagodakkon (to bring up/raise each other), Marsihapadean (to do good things to each other), Marsibegean (to listen to each other), marsilehenan (to give each other), Marsipagabean (to make happy each other), Marsipangiboan (to pity each other), Marsitolongan (to help each other), Marsihargaan (to appreciate each other), and Marsipaingotan (to remind each other).

2.2. Markobar

Markobar can be categorized as a rhetorical art, which comes from the adat and culture of the Bataknese ethnicity, including the Mandailing community. It cannot be separated from all traditional activities such as a wedding ceremony, a death ceremony, or entering a new house ceremony. Markobar is a traditional convention that organizes and provides an exemplary model in having a language and gives an example of good manners in implementing the manifestation of Tutur which is based on the social system of Dalihan na Tolu as the basis for the procedure of carrying out Mandailing traditional ceremonies. Therefore, social norms will be created as the system of order in a traditional speech and language pattern delivered in the Mandailing traditional meetings (Lubis, 2014). Markobar is part of the Mandailing oral literature, which belongs to local wisdom that should be preserved. Basically, it is implemented by the whole Bataknese ethnicity, including the Mandailing community; it is aimed to tighten their bonds of friendship and to find out their position and obligation in customs and traditions. In the old days, oral tradition developed rapidly in the Mandailing community since it was closely related to their attitude toward and capability of having a language in using an established language efficiently (pantis marata-ata jana raot marumpama which literally means “clever in speaking and clever in using metaphores”).

According to Parinduri the Mandailing community still considers Markobar tradition as an important part of traditional ceremonies, beginning from the smallest adat ceremonies until the biggest ones that always use Markobar procession. Parinduri further categorizes Markobar into four functions: 1) sacred, 2) traditional, 3) attractive, and 4) artistic. Humala Parlindungan points out that three basic things, which have to be mastered by a skillful rhetorical speaker in Markobar tradition are knowing and understanding the social system of Dalihan na Tolu, acquiring skill in Mandailing local language, and acquiring skill in good speech technique, either verbally or non-verbally, which is in accordance with the Mandailing cultural tradition (H. M. Harahap, 2018).

Markobar cannot be separated from the conception of the Mandailing tradition itself. The Mandailing community’s typology recognizes the system of Dalihan na Tolu. Marpodang points out that Dalihan means “stove,” na means “which,” and Tolu means “three” (RajaMarpodang, 1992) and thus Dalihan na Tolu means “a stove with three legs” or “a three-leg stove.” Sitohang points out that Dalihan naTolu is the basic life principle of the Bataknese (Sibarani, 1981). The same

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is true for the structure of the Bataknese community, which has three elements like Dalihan na Tolu which work together in many things.

2.3. Dalihan Na Tolu

Dalihan na Tolu is analogized as a three-leg stove, usually made of stones, and used to support a pot or a frying pan for cooking. The distance among the three legs are similar so that they seem to be strong enough to support the cooking stuffs on the stove. The foothold point of the pot or frying pan on the three legs has the same burden of load. The pot symbolizes the mutual load that has to be carried together or a horja (working together). The whole Dalihan na Tolu structure has its share in the horja. Therefore, Dalihan a Tolu can be meant that the three-leg stove indicates equality in role, right, and obligation of the elements in Dalihan na Tolu (Hilda, 2016). The community elements in Dalihan na Tolu are, firstly, Mora, all family members from parents-in-law. It is the side of the clan that gives boru to another party; in other words, it is the side of the brothers of parumaen (daughters-in-law), wife, and mother (Nalobi & Baginda, 1995). Mora is a kinship group that gives boru to be taken the wife of Anak Boru (Parsadaan Marga Harahap Dohot Anak Boruna, 1993: 101). Secondly, Kahanggi, all family members or descendants who have genetic or blood relationship with the father side but there is no blood relationship with the mother side (T. T. Siregar, 2003). Managor points out that Kahanggi is a group of one descendant or clan.

Thirdly, Anak Boru, all family members from the side of sons-in-law, or the families of a man who gets married to a person’s Boru (woman). Anak Boru can also mean a group of another clan that takes a person’s woman, her sisters, and her father’s sisters (Nalobi & Baginda, 1995).

The concept of Dalihan na Tolu traditional community always prioritizes the principles of nego- tiation, brotherhood, friendship, and harmony in settling any disputes concerning adat and religious affairs (RajaMarpodang, 1992). Dalihan na Tolu becomes the symbol of three groups of traditional community that works together in settling all matters. All of the burden will be carried or born together. It is also the symbols of working together in mutual cooperation or sharing the burden, togetherness, right and obligation, tolerance, and holong (love and affection); by these symbols kinship will be kept well (B. H. B. H. Harahap, 2004).

2.4. Phenomenology of communication

Phenomenology is an effort of departure from a scientific method which assumes that the existence of a reality is unknown by people in ordinary experience. Phenomenology makes an experience familiarized actually as the basic data of a reality. It explains the phenomena and their meaning to individuals by conducting interviews with a number of people (Creswell, 1998).

Phenomenology explains the structure of consciousness in human experience. Its approach attempts to let reality disclose itself naturally. Through “trick question,” the research subject is allowed to tell his various experiencing dimensions concerning a phenomenon/event. Study on phenomenology assumes that every person experiences a phenomenon with all his consciousness.

In other words, study on phenomenology is aimed to dig up subjects’ deepest consciousness about their experience in an event.

In understanding a phenomenon, phenomenology has a method or stage by seeing phenomena as an essence, a pure phenomenon. Phenomenology does reduction, a kind of abstraction by looking at one thing and neglecting another. The first reduction is facing a phenomenon as something that displays itself and not as something that exists by itself. The second reduction is seen as something that is general; we see its essence. The third reduction is that we ignore something that is related to culture. The fourth reduction is the transcendental one. It is a phenomenon which is seen from a super-individual point of view as an object to another general subject (Hasbiansyah, 2008).

3. Methodology

This research applied a research and development method. B.E. Huitema (Huitema & Huitema, 1982) points out that this method is oriented toward a cycle that is begun with gathering

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information through a preliminary study. This study attempts to elaborate the explanation of the research question that was referred to as self-concept dimension developed by Fitts (Fitts, 1971).

The research subjects were the elements of Dalihan na Tolu; they would provide the data until they became saturated data so that the needed information was complete. The research was conducted at Pasar Maga Village, Lembah Sorik Marapi Sub-district, Mandailing Natal Regency, North Sumatera Province. The observed Markobar activity was a Mandailing traditional wedding ceremony that was held on 7 June 2019. The data were gathered by conducting in-depth interviews, participatory observation, field notes, documentation for recording every event, and literature study.

The research was begun with gathering the data about the values of Tutur obtained from the result of literature study, and interviews. The gathered data from literature study, participatory observation, and interviews, which became empirical data were analyzed using qualitative and interpretative techniques and presented in narrative form. Empirical data found in the fieldwork would be connected with building conceptualization report of establishing self-concept which was referred to the values of Tutur in the Dalihan na Tolu traditional community. The concept that was developed could also be projected to be a referential model in developing self-concept in communication through the use of Tutur values.

The main framework in finding and developing the establishment of self-concept through the culture of Tutur would refer to self-concept dimension developed by Fitts, who assumed that self is an object and, at the same time, a process that did the functions of perception, observation, and assessment. The whole consciousness about the observed, experienced, and assessed self is the self-concept. The analytical referential framework, based on Fitts’ idea, was as follows (Table 1).

(Fitts, 1971)

Analytical technique of data was done as follows: (a) Initial stage: the phenomena undergone by the research subjects were described completely. The whole record of in-depth interviews with the research subjects was transcribed into a written language, (b) Horizonalization stage; from the result of the transcription, the important statements which were relevant to the topic were taken inventory, (c) Cluster of Meaning stage: the statements were classified into themes or meaning units and excluded overlapping or recurring statements. Finally, the whole description about the meaning and the essence of the research subjects’ experience was constructed or developed.

4. Result and discussion

Tutur values are part of the chain in the kinship bonds of the Mandailing traditional community.

Before they use Tutur, they usually elaborate their genealogical tree of their kinship by using Martarombo values. Tarombo is a genealogical tree or family tree. By using Martarombo, one will

Table 1. Dimension of self concept Internal Dimension

(a) Identity self (b) Behavior self (c) Judging self External Dimension

(a) Physical self (b) Moral ethical self (c) Personal self (d) Family self (e) Social self Reference: (Fitts, 1971)

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know the accurate Tutur of someone else whom he first meets and converses. Siregar (K. K. Siregar et al., 2016) point out that the implementation of Tutur has been successful in creating a harmonious life among the people, between an individual and his group, and among the groups of people in their daily activities, either in joy or in sorrow. All of them can be realized because there are sublime values, which are always understood and used as the guidelines by the Mandailing community in their daily life (K. K. Siregar et al., 2016).

Every Tutur contains moral values, ethical values, and good manners, which have very high spiritual values so that by implementing its meaning, one can surely keep the harmony, concord, and intimacy in his household and community. For example, a person’s good manners toward his tulang (his mother’s brother or his wife’s father) will be different from his good manners toward his uda (his father’s younger brother) or his uak (his father’s older brother). One is not allowed to make a joke with his nantulang, but he can do it with his uak. The alphabetical arrangement of Tutur of each group of the elements in Dalihan na Tolu can be seen in table below: (Table 2).

By mastering Tutur, one will be able to deliver a message well, either verbally or non-verbally. He will also be able to select appropriate and polite words and to place his interlocutor on the right and accurate place according to the latter’s position and role. Tutur is also used in non-formal activities such as chattering in Lopo Kopi (Coffee Shop), conversations between parents and their children in their homes, or conversations between vendors and buyers during the transaction in the market. The implementation of Tutur can also be done in the siriaon ceremony (ceremony in a joyful atmosphere), in the silulutun ceremony (ceremony in a sorrowful atmosphere), and in various activities of traditional meetings or negotiations which were done formally. In these formal activities, Tutur will be done more intensively and more carefully.

Table 2. Tutur in the three elements of Dalihan na Tolu

Kahanggi Anak Boru Mora

Amang/Damang Amang boru Amang na poso

Amang menek Amang namboru Amang na poso mulak

Amang tobang Amang mulak Bayo

Amang tua Bayo Eda

Anak uda Bere Iboto

Anak Bere mulak Iboto pamere

Anak mulak Boru mulak Inang tulang

Anak tobang Eda Inang tulang mulak

Anggi Hela Mora ni mora

Angkang Iboto Ompung dongan

Bujing Iboto mulak Tulang

Inang/Dainang Iboto pamere Tulang mulak

Inang mulak Inang boru Tulang na poso

Inang tobang Inang boru mulak Tunggane

Inang tua Lae

Inang uda Pahompu dongan

Ompung Pisang raut

Ompung mulak Pahompu Pahompu mulak Parabean

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The use of Tutur in the Mandailing traditional community is correlated with the establishment of self-concept, which is viewed from a self-perspective as the doer. The structure of Dalihan naTolu of the Mandailing traditional community provides the Code of Ethics of behavior and the role of all people in the community. Each person has his own role in social and personal relation, including in using Tutur. Partuturoon among the individuals in the Dalihan na Tolu traditional community not only gives a nickname to a person but also gives his basic position and role in his community. In this research, interviews were conducted with Hatobangon (Adat leader), Namora Natoras (Man considered as a senior), and people from other areas or ethnicities who got married with women at Pasar Maga Village. The result of the interview with the Hutabangon, Mr. Indra Maulana Nasution, revealed that, in the context of social relation, all of the Mandailingness had their own identities according to their position in the Dalihan na Tolu traditional community; a person in this community could have self-identity as a part of the elements of Kahanggi, Mora, or Anak Boru. The following is the excerpt of the interview:

If a person comes from the element of Kahanggi, he will act that he is from the male side in a family, and if he comes from the element of Mora, he will act that he is from the female side in a family. On the other hand, if a person comes from the side of Anak Boru, he will play his role of identity that he is from the side of the son-in-law of the woman he is married with.

From the result of interview with the Namora Natoras, Mr. Saleh Rangkuti, it was found that Tutur would be different in the identity of each of the Mandailingness. Paying homage to the people from the elements of Dalihan na Tolu had to be done. The principal requirement for recognizing Tutur is by understanding Dalihan na Tolu as well as the terms of address toward other people. Mr. Saleh Rangkuti added that the concept of Tutur constituted the system of term of address or greeting toward other people, which indicated paying homage and appreciation toward other people. The following is the excerpt of the interview:

Tutur teaches us how to greet other people with their good names; it is an address of respecting and appreciating regardless of their appearance, whether they are handsome or ugly, whether they are rich or poor. All of them are addressed well according to their position in the Dalihan na Tolu.

Febry Ichwan, a Javanese who got married with a Mandailing woman at Pasar Maga Village, pointed out that as a person from different ethnicity so that he was categorized as Anak Boru, took a long time and a lot of experience to be able to absorb and internalize the values of Dalihan na Tolu, including the values of Tutur used by the people at Pasar Maga Village. For him, the values of Tutur are in use universally and its application is as good as when it is used formally and informally. The following is the excerpt of his statement:

Table 3. Conclusion of self-concept through tutur culture Internal Dimension

Identity Self In the context of social relation, all of the Mandailingness have had their own identities according to their position in the Dalihan na Tolu traditional community. A person can have self-identity as part of the elements of Kahanggi, Mora, or Anak Boru. When a person comes from the element of Kahanggi, he will become part of the male side in his family. When a person comes from the element of Mora, he will act as part of the female side of a family, and when he comes from the side of Anak Boru, he will play his role in his identity as the side of son-in-law of the parents whose daughter gets married with him.

(Continued)

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Table 3. (Continued) Internal Dimension

Behavior Self The use of Partuturon in the Mandailing traditional community also has the correlation with the establishment of self-concept viewed from the perspective of Self as the doer. The adat community structure of Dalihan na Tolu provides the Code of Ethics in the behavior and role of all people in the community. Each of them has their own role in their social relation and self in communities, including using Tutur. Patuturan among individuals in the Dalihan na Tolu adat community not only gives term of address or greeting to someone but also provides him basic position and role in the community.

Judging Self In the context of Partuturan, every person who becomes a part of a traditional community is not only given a label about his position in the Dalihan na Tolu adat community but also how about his manners and behavior in his community. Every person has his own role, and all of them have to respect and appreciate other people who pay homage to the position of Dalihan na Tolu. A study on the position and the role of the people who come from Dalihan na Tolu adat community is closely related to the conception that self-respect which, basically, is obtained from 2 (two) main sources: 1) from oneself and 2) from other people.

External Dimension

Physical Self In the Mandailing community, the Islamic religious values are very strong in the various aspects of the people’s lives. From the result of interview with Hatobangon, Mr. Indra Maulana Nasution, it is found that man lives in the world constitutes Sunnatullah (God’s Will) of Allah SWT; therefore, one has to appreciate God’s grace to human beings, including to their physical health, since they are the complete creatures created by Allah SWT.

MoralEthical Self The Mandailingness are known as religious people. All their lives are not far from the Islamic religious values. All of their physical activities, such as Siriaon and Silulutun ceremonies, have to be referred to the Islamic religious values. There are the general principles of politeness in the culture of the speakers of Mandailing local language. They are wisdom, generosity, humbleness, and sympathy with other people. In the Mandailing

community, the principle of politeness is obtained through learning religion and the norms of local custom, either formal or informal.

Personal Self By implementing Partuturan, all people will feel that their positions are appreciated, and all of them respect to each other. This is the meaning of Tutur in the Mandailing traditional community. Febry, a Javanese, who comes from Java, feels that he is appreciated although he comes from different culture and clan; he feels that he is accepted as the member of the Mandailing community when he gets married with a Mandailing woman (Boru). He and his family as Anak Boru are also positioned in an honorable place in the Mandailing community.

Family Self The warmth in the Mandailing families is very high. The daily activity of Mangecek-ecek (chattering or small talk) is very common in the Mandailing community. Partuturon becomes a must in this Mangecek-ecek activity.

Chattering done during meal time is a must in establishing personal relation among the family members. In social relationship, communication activity through chattering in a Lopo Kopi (Coffee Shop), Market, or farm land in the form of Partuturan is attached to the Mangecek-ecek activity. Intimate terms of address through Partuturon should be done by those who communicate,

Social Self By the activity of Partuturan, all people will value their own position and recognize other people’s position in the Dalihan naTolu traditional community. They will know their position and attempt to adjust themselves to their position in the Dalihan na Tolu traditional community. Hatobangon, Mr. Indra Maulana Nasution, points out that all Mandailing people and those who come from other communities or ethnicities and who join with the Mandailing culture are required to know their positions in the Dalihan na Tolu adat community. He further points out that the Mandailingness who do not follow and get them used to the Mandailing culture, including the values of Partuturon, are usually regarded as the persons who are not polite so that they will not be respected by other people.

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“I had been warned by my mother-in-law when I called her ‘Mother’. She said that the right greeting to her was Nantulang since she was not my biological mother so that I had to call her

‘Nantulang’.

Febry also told us his other experience when he was talking with his father-in-law’s brother. He called him Abang (a call for a person who is older than the speaker). That person got angry because he felt that he was not respected by being called Abang. He asked Febry to call him Tulang.

This empirical experience becomes a lesson and guidance for Febry as “an outsider.” Internalization of the values of Tutur in the Dalihan na Tolu traditional community constitutes a must which has to be practiced by all of the Mandailingness, including those who come from other communities and who want to join the Mandailing traditional community, either through marriage or through other reasons.

He has also received greetings from many people in his interaction with them in the traditional Mandailing community; his parents-in-law greets him with Bere, the children of his wife’s younger brother greet him with Amang boru, Kahanggi greets him with Lae, and so on. From the explanation of the research result above, it could be presented the resume of this research in the following Table that described the finding per item on the establishment of self-concept through the culture of Tutur in the Mandailing traditional community: (Table 3)

5. Conclusion

The values of Tutur have to be taught and applied in daily activities. The habit of using Tutur in the Mandailing families and community is usually done informally; it means addressing other people should be taught by parents to their children at homes. It is very important for the Mandailingness to master Tutur because it is the conception of the Mandailing culture concerning intimate term of address or greeting among individuals. It is a hata bona or basic word which, according to grammar, is called an abstract noun. It is also a keyword for genetic relationship or kinship which determines a person’s position in the kinship network of Dalihan na Tolu. Every Tutur contains moral values, ethical values, and good manners which have very high spiritual values so that by implementing its meaning, a person can maintain the harmony, concord, and intimacy in his household and community. By mastering Tutur, one will be able to deliver a message well, either verbally or non-verbally. He will also be able to select appropriate and polite words and to place his interlocutor on the right and accurate place according to the latter’s position and role. Tutur done among individuals in the Dalihan na Tolu adat community not only gives a nickname to a person but also gives him basic position and role in his community. Internalization of the values of Tutur in the Dalihan na Tolu adat community is a must and has to be implemented by all people in the Mandailing traditional community and by those who come from other communities or ethnicities and who join with the Mandailing traditional community.

Author details Iskandar Zulkarnain¹

E-mail: [email protected]

ORCID ID: http://orcid.org/0000-0002-9233-8150 Sakhyan Asmara¹

Raras Sutatminingsih²

1 Department of Communication, Universitas Sumatera Utara, Medan, Indonesia.

2 Department of Psychology, Universitas Sumatera Utara, Medan, Indonesia.

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the authors.

Citation information

Cite this article as: Tutur: language and traditional communication in the Mandailing community, Indonesia, Iskandar Zulkarnain, Sakhyan Asmara & Raras Sutatminingsih, Cogent Arts & Humanities (2023), 10:

2211816.

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