A NEW BORN BABY CALLED "GRANDPA"

Ompung na burju or The kind grandparents

Why do you call me Ompung ?", means Grandpha,  I wrote in facebook one evening in the first week of September 2009, as a respons to someone from North Sumatera with the same family name "Situmeang".

After Q and A chatting, then he aplogized after memorized his accurate family tree. Ultimately he change his mind and changed my title too,  to be father (Bapak Tua) in a father level, since he is 16th generation and mine is 13th.
In Batak culture, the family tree simplified just in 3 level, children - father - grandpha. After grandpha level, we return to father level again. That is why the 16th generation called me back to father, not grandpha.

This Family tree (Tarombo in local language) is a special culture in Batak clan, a clan origin coming from North Sumatera around Tarutung town, North Tapanuli district and Sibolga town, Central Tapanuli district and surrondings. Every single person, mostly man, ought to keep this Tarombo with them wherever they lived, since it used in daily life on Batak community.

In social relationship among Batak community, when introducing each other, firstly not mention their name, but the clan's name or in what clan they belong. And if its happened to be the same clan, then they seek more detail what is each number in generation. This number very important to know exactly each status in the comunity. Nowadays, in Situmeng clan the generation numbers reach to 17th generations, but some families still in 15th.

Amazingly, in November 1, 2009 I got FB message that someone, Mr.Allan acknowledged that he is number 11 and I am no 13. I'd changed his title from brother to be Old Grandpha. I was amazed that nowadays we may find Situmeang in a wide generation, beetwen number 11 to number 17.
How the last generation shoul call a man in 11 generation ?. As I said before, this youngest generation have to called no.11 with Grandfather, Ompung again.

I didn't know how many Batak's clan were, maybe we  can find it in North Sumatera Library, if any. You may ever heard the clan's name like mine Situmeang or Situmorang, Lumban Tobing, Pardede, Nasution, Sihombing, Pasaribu, Pandiangan, Sinaga and many many more. And every single clan kept and maintained their own Family tree and up dated otomatically by each person.

A new born baby like my grandson Jonas Situmeang be number 15 and whoever Situmeang of 16th generation must called him Amang (Papa) no matter how old is he or what is his marital status. And whoever No.17 should call him grandpa.

It happened to me once, when we got an invitation on opening ceremony to set up new Law firm in Jatinegara, Jakarta. Unexpected, without advance noticed, the owner, Mr.Habonaran Situmeang S.H, lawyer, asking me to open up  the curtain who covered Law firm name, to be dedicated.
This honor gave to me because, I was his Grandpha in family tree. Hamonangan is 15th generation and mine 13th. For long time in Situmeang community with humble, he always called me Ompung (Grand pa).

It is not funny and interesting ???