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.
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