Local Wisdom Found in Mangongkal Holi Tradition

Abstract

Mangongkal Holi is known as the highest level of tradition on Batak Toba daily life


practices. Previously, this tradition was done by those limited families for the reasons of


funding and its complicated management. But nowadays, the practice of mangongkal


holi tradition is more rarely to be found; eventhough there are many local wisdom


implicitly impressed on it. This study is part of the first writer’s dissertation, entitled


Tradisi Mangongkal Holi pada Masyarakat Batak Toba (Mangongkal Holi Tradition in


Batak Toba Society). This research was done in qualitative research, the data were


collected through direct participatory observation, in-depth interviews with many batak


toba informants (adat’s experts, practitioners and academicians/theologians), as well as


audio-visual documentation. The data were analyzed by using Miles, and Huberman


model; where data condensation, data display and data conclusion/verification were


the three concurrent flows activities done to make sure the process of data analysis


precisely on the track. The final conclusion of this research state that there were


nine local wisdom found in mangongkal holi tradition, they are: thanksgiving, respect,


humble/humility, blessings, responsibility, mutual cooperation, prays, concession in


dialogue, and prestige; where all these local wisdom will be well-stored and longlasting


while mangongkal holi tradition conserved through good and acceptable


design of recommended revitalization model. The writers believe that there are still


many solutions to solve the problems of funding, such as: down-grading the level


of ceremony, or unifying more individual saring-sarings in a mangongkal holi ceremony.