SITUMEANG Family Tree...750 YearS

               Peggy, 14th ad my grandchild the 15th

Once in 1993 my daughter Peggy Anggrainy Situmeang attended a first day in a new Senior high school at Bernardino, South California, returned to our Hotel - we stay while in  Christmas's vacation - and said  :"Pap I meet a class mate with the same family's name with us, Robin Situmeang", she said in jokingly. In late afternoon Robin's father  called me in our hotel said : " Please  come by for dinner tonight at our home", he said after explained their address in Lomalinda city. 

                                          Robin Situmeang

Far away from home, Indonesia and we meet someone with the same family's name in California made me happy and curious. Why not ? First of all, we would have someone to kept an eye of our kids, especially a high school girl, who studied far away in California and his two her sibling brothers. Its rare and never imagine it would happened. We eager not to wait any longer to visit this family.  We drove 2 cars and greeted in  a very big smile in a nice neighborhood, by Robin and his parent, John Situmeang, wife and 2 other sibling boys.

To make it short,  before moved in the kitchen table, for dinner we discovered that our ancestor's origin were came from the same remote village, somewhere out  of Sibolga town, located  in the west coast of North Sumatera, Indonesia.

                                         XMas @ Palm spring, California

Described in details what appropriate called each other, who is to be the older brother, not mentioned the ages. We find out then that we were in the same level in family tree, as the 13th generation. Carefully, we went back one till five level higher to our own ancestors. The we stopped  and find out that we had the same root till 6th generation. And since 7th level, our anchestor splitted. His anchestor was  the son  of  Ompung Lenggang, the second son and mine was son of Ompung Sangganiaji., the youngest son. Consquently I must called him older brother.

This fmily kept maintained, took record by each family members - especially son - voluntarily. Genreally, speaking the young generation, just like two of my sons - foreign educated -, didn't paid a serious attention yet. But later, their Batak's tribe or Situmeang would consider to kept a good record of their children.  

This family's tree records needed in social relationship, especially if meet someone with the same family nane "Situmeang". Automatically, they would feel as a family, even they never met before. Then, no doubt, would asking the questions of what's the number, in the family's tree level, to considered what called each others.  Who is your father, granfather name. What village your ansectors lorigin and related question. They would called each others one of fives's status such as: Grandpa, older father/younger father, brother, son or grandchild, no matter how old. The ages didn't consider to state a status in familys clan.

Once, Monang co-woker in South Calfornia Bank spend a vacation to Maui, Hawai and saw a name tag on the left side of waitres's chest written Situmeang. Curiously asked : " Are you an Indonesian ?". Surely the girls socked and responded :"How do  you know?", she asking amazed. The he told : "My co-woker Monang Situmeang" he said and before she answered he contiue :"Do you know him ?". 'Nope', she said 

Recently some of Situmeang family - who married younger - had been reached to 17th level , while a small group of families left behind - married older - reached to 13-14th level. My family's generation itself , recently came up until my grandchildren 15th level. If we count in rough calculation that every level lived  around 50 years average, then our family's tree covered 750 years o out of 2010 years.

These family trees records not only amazed foreigners, other  Indonesian tribes praised our solid tradition,as well, especially the notes of the roots. Non of another tribes did the same thing like we did.

WHALES HUNTIG

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Lembata, a small island in the east of Flores island could reach by boat from Larantuka town's pier in the tip of Flores island.

Flores island itself offer a lots of tourist destinations, among other are tree main interesting sites to see. Komodo reptiles in the west, Kelimutu multi colors lake in the middle and Whales hunting in the east of Flores island. This sites administered as part of East Nusatenggara Province, located in the east of Bali island.

Story about Komodo reptiles, I wrote in this post as well, please take a look and click it.

Now I will told you about Whales and dolhpins hunting. You may recalled to Moby dick films, the story of Whales hunter equipped with high tech facilities, start with the arrows, solid nets, sonar ray that transmitted the possible location of a whales or a group of whales, or another types of fishes using a boat manufactured tools.

Now take a look, visit or compare a traditional manual system using old fashion facilities available made by hand somewhere in the eastern part of Indonesia archipelago. Compare to the modern way. The precise location is in a small island (above photo) located in the east of Flores Island, belong to Larantuka district.

If you interested to try an adventure tour using wooden  boat along with muscular hunters, you my find a packet tour in Denpasar, Bali island for 6 days. Fly fom Bali to Maumere in the middle of Flores island, spend overnight before spending 4 hours drive by land to Laranruka town, eastern tip of the island In day 2 or day 3, if you are lucky you may watching the hunter chase the whales while cruise to small island, Lembata island.

Lembata is known around the world as the home of traditional whale hunting community. Here, whale had been hunted for centuries using all hand made equipment, spears, boats, ropes. The wooden boat without motors and harpooners must jump down from the wooden boat - hand made - to implant his harpoon into the whale to ensure success.

The technique of hunting dolphins as the same as the whales. The harpooner, the youngest and fittest of the crew aimed a barbed metal harpoon until within striking distance. He hung at the animal, jumping to the sea to put his full weight behind the harpoon. The shoot more often than not it's a miss. He returned to the boat looking exhausted.

If it is a hit, a second and the third harpoon needed to secure the animal. The the long battle to reel it begin, hit or miss, whole process is a labor intensive group effort of eight or more crews. The struggling of dolphins or whales are hard to bear, but the absolute delight and relief of the crew whenever they landed their catch, made one realize how much they needed it. Someday they catch 5 dolphins and they called it a day.

Be aware that in the village of Lewoleba, there are a few of a very simple home stay made of bamboo, lived with the family. Please don't judge the way of your life standard in the west - who lived in comfort - with them in a very simple way of life but happy ever after, not contaminated with outside worlds.

The whales, dolhpins or other big fishes are very important to feeding the family clans and some day they return to shore empty handed and exhausted. So, when they succeeded to made a big catch means a lot to them and made them happy.

Every Sunday morning the 2.000 or so inhabitants went to the Church - most of the east Nusatenggara were Chatolic -, using sarong and colourful blouses. The water are cristal clear and excellent sea for snorkeling.

Unfortunately, local tourist agency didn't paid a special effort to manage, marketing this rare tourist destination, traditional way of life and old traditional way of whales hunting.