Norms and Cultural Value of Poda Na Lima in the Life of Mandailing

People

Ikhwanuddin Nasution, Pertampilan Sembiring, Haris Sutan Lubis

Indonesion Literature Department, Faculty of Cultural Sciences,

Universitas Sumatera Utara, Medan, Indonesia

Keywords: Philosophies of Life, Poda na Lima, Norms and Cultural Values.

Abstract

: In the life of the Mandailing people are known two philosophies of life; 1) philosophy of individual life, Poda

na Lima and 2) philosophy of community life, Nalian na Tolu. Philosophy of individual life has begun to

fade, Mandailing people have started not to know what the norms and cultural values of the individual life

philosophy, while Nalian naTolu still used in the life of the Mandailing people. Poda na Lima is the five

advices inherited from the ancestors of the Mandailing people. Poda na Lima consists of 1) paias rohamu, 2)

paias pamatangmu, 3) paias parabitonmu, 4) paias bagasmu, dan 5) paias pakaranganmu. The five advices

are a living concept of cleanliness. Cleanliness is a concept of health in human life. Mandailing people need

to be reintroduced about the cultural norms and values contained in the Poda na Lima.

1 INTRODUCTION

Mandailing people living in Mandailing Natal

(Madina) District have a life philosophy consisting of

two things, which is the philosophy of community life

(kinship) and philosophy of individual life. Both of

these life philosophies in life support each other,

interconnected, and synergize. The philosophy of

community life (kinship) is known as Nalihan na

Tolu (Nasution, 2005: 80-97), while the philosophy

of individual life is known as Poda na Lima.

Nalihan na Tolu is still very well known to the

public as a guide for life, because in every ceremony

in Mandailing, Nalihan na Tolu is still often used as

a kinship order. Even the Mandailing people outside

from Madina district sometimes still use it in every

traditional ceremony. Nalihan na Tolu in Indonesian

means " three times a furnace " is a philosophy or

socio-cultural insight. Nalihan na Tolu consists of

mora, kahanggi, and anak boru. The three elements

are the kinship system of the relationship of blood and

the relationship of marriage. The Mandailing people

recognize the kinship system based on the paternal

lineage - patrilineal system. Unlike the case with the

life of individual Poda na Lima, which began to be

ignored and even forgotten the Mandailing people, let

alone the Mandailing people who are in outside. This

happens because the individual’s life order is easily

influenced by other philosophies of life, such as other

ethnic life philosophies (such as Toba,

Minangkabau, and Coastal ethnic), the religion, and

the development of individual thought itself. Poda na

Lima in Indonesian means "five advices". The five

advices consist of; (1) paias rohamu, (2) paias

pamatangmu, (3) paias parabitonmu, (4) paias

bagasmu, dan (5) paias pakaranganmu. These five

advices are a living concept of hygiene, the heritage

of the Mandailing ancestors. Cleanliness is one of the

concepts of health in human life.

Although in essence Mandailing people always

realize Poda na Lima in their life, but in fact some

Mandailing people, especially the younger

generation, no longer understand what exactly the

norms and cultural values contained in Poda na Lima.

Therefore, it needs to be re-explored what the norms

and cultural values of Poda na Lima philosophy, so

that the heritage of the Mandailing people's ancestors

is not ignored or lost in the life of Mandailing people

themselves, especially in the Mandailing Natal

region.

Norms are rules that apply in social life, there are

religious, social, or cultural norms. Cultural norms

can be the guidelines of life that make individuals

more peaceful and comfortable in the community,

because it starts from the personal-to-personal who

eventually became the guidelines of community life.

From this norm will be derived cultural values, as the

1184

Nasution, I., Sembiring, P. and Lubis, H.

Norms and Cultural Value of Poda Na Lima in the Life of Mandailing People.

DOI: 10.5220/0010069211841188

In Proceedings of the International Conference of Science, Technology, Engineering, Environmental and Ramiﬁcation Researches (ICOSTEERR 2018) - Research in Industry 4.0, pages

1184-1188

ISBN: 978-989-758-449-7

basic concept in the life of society. Norms and

cultural values of an oral tradition (concept,

philosophy of life) that can be exploited wisely in the

life of society that will be the local wisdom.

According to Sinar and Takari (2015: 40) states that

local wisdom is a product of past culture that should

be constantly used as a will of life. Although local

wisdom value but the value contained in it is

considered very universal. Thus, the local wisdom is

densely used widely. Local wisdom can be found in

the traditions of ethnic culture, oral tradition, oral

literature, local games, living philosophy, folklore,

and the like.

2 METHODOLOGY

The method used to understand and re-interpret the

norms and cultural values of the philosophy Poda na

Lima is a hermeneutic method. The hermeneutic

method is a method of understanding through

reading. However, this hermeneutic method may be a

hermeneutic circle, or a staircase system, or back and

forth. This method has a beginning and end. In

addition, there is a textual and contextual (see Sikana,

2009: 320). According to Palmer (2003: 277) what is

needed in the interpretation of the text (concept) is

dialectical reasoning that does not interrogate, but

invites the interpreter's horizon into the question and

transforms one's understanding of the subject. By

understanding the perception of society in totality and

relate it to the perceptions of researchers derived from

the previous researcher's reading resource.

Hermeneutics is the process of examination of the

contents and intent that manifest from a work to its

deepest, latent, and hidden meaning (Palmer, 2003:

48). Hermeneutics is a fundamental understanding

and in-depth object of research, with the principle of

interpretation. This process of interpretation begins

with understanding, although not absolute, because it

may be interpretation along with understanding. This

process by Heidegger and Gadamer is called the

hermeneutic circle. In practice, this circle is

dialectically resolved, the stairs system, or with spiral

motion (Ratna, 2004: 46).

This hermeneutic method is associated with emic

and ethical approaches. Emic approach is done

through FGD to capture Mandailing people

perception about norm and value culture of Poda na

Lima philosophy. While the ethical approach is the

researcher's perception of pre-existing sources, such

as relevant research, or writings about Poda na Lima.

To find the cultural norms and values of Poda na

Lima, the dialectical approach of emic and ethics is

used. By connecting people's perceptions with the

views of the researcher, which is done back and forth,

by making important notes to unite the two

perceptions.

3 DISCUSSION

The philosophy of Poda na Lima is a five-note that

has long been known in the Mandailing community

as a concept of hygiene, meaning there are five that

must be cleaned. The five are 1) paias rohamu (clean

your heart), 2) paias pamatangmu (bersihkan

tubuhmu), 3) paias parabitonmu (clean your clothes),

4) paias bagasmu (clean your house), dan 5) paias

pakaranganmu (clean your yard).

After conducting research into Mandailing area, in

three sub-districts of Panyabungan, Siabu, and

Kotanopan sub-districts, there are some people who

no longer know what the meaning, norm and cultural

values of Poda na Lima philosophy, especially the

young generation. Even if they do, they only know

the text of the Poda na Lima. Formerly in the 1970s

until the 1980s, there was still the Poda na Lima text

emblazoned in open places, such as on the sidewalks,

in schools, government offices, and on the field.

However, this time when researchers to the three

districts, the text of the philosophy is only in the

courtyard of the sub-district office Panyabungan,

while in the district office Siabu and Kotanopan none.

Likewise in schools, on the roadside is also not there.

In Siabu district there is one Poda na Lima text near

the Siabu market on the main road.

After conducting FGDs with some Mandailing

people (consists of 4 traditional elders, 10 teachers, 8

civil servants and 14 young generation) and

previously researchers have also read some writings

about the philosophy of life Poda na Lima can be

described the norms and cultural values of Poda na

Lima is.

3.1 Norms and Cultural Values of

Paias Rohamu (Clean Your Heart)

It is related to the cleanness of the abstract objects,

which is not visible, because the roha here is not

solely the heart, but the soul, the spiritual.

Therefore,

a good norm for cleansing the heart is related to

religious norms. Individual Mandailing people are

very religious, always follow the teachings of religion

(Islam), worship, recite the Quran, remember of

Allah, thank God for the blessings given by Allah,

and be patient if there is a trial. In addition to religious

norms there are also cultural norms such as always

Norms and Cultural Value of Poda Na Lima in the Life of Mandailing People

1185

thinking positive, avoid gut-gut (feel yourself more

powerful, want to win alone), envy, and arrogant.

Cultural values obtained such as the value of peace,

comfort, and justice. This means that if the heart is

clean, of course there will be peace, comfort, and

justice in themselves, especially in the community.

Right now, what matters is self-control because of

the many rules and norms that are easy to deceive. So,

that responsibility has shifted from the legal element

to the individual element. If only the people realized

that the self-control effort had been handed over to

them, then they were the ones who now restrained

themselves from wrongdoing (Peale, 2000: 8). Efforts

in that direction is that each individual learns to

master himself by disciplining and accounting for his

actions. All of this self-control stems from the heart,

the soul. This self-control is concerned with keeping

the heart clean.

There is one song text about this heart, " Jagalah

Hati " from Opick

Bila hati kian bersih

Pikiran pun akan jernih

Semangat hidup kan gigih

Prestasi mudah diraih

Namun bila hati keruh

Batin selalu gemuruh

Seakan dikejar musuh

Dengan Allah kian jauh

Jagalah hati

Jangan kau kotori

Jagalah hati

Lentera hidup ini

The text of this song if observed the norm and the

value of culture is very deep, the heart is very

powerful role, so that if the heart can not be

maintained properly, the human will always restless,

jealous, envy, upset, gut gut, arrogant, even can

distance himself with Allah. Gut gut in the life of

Mandailing people should be avoided, as it can

damage the heart. Gut gut this means want to be

winner, feel the most righteous self and always blame

others, always negative thinking.

3.2 Norms and Cultural Value of Paias

Pamatangmu (Clean Your Body)

In terms of cleaning the body usually with a bath, but

not just a bath to splash water into our body. There

are norms and cultural values in cleaning the body,

the body must be rubbed so that sticky dirt can be lost

by using a bath soap. If once Mandailing people bathe

in the river and rubbed his body with a pumice stone.

Mandailing people always bathe with wet cloth, so

that the body is not naked, let alone bathing in the

river or in the waterfall. This is related to Islamic

religious norms, because in Islam if bathing is not

justified naked, especially for adults. In the value of

Mandiling culture is also recommended to bathe with

wet cloth.

In addition, cleaning the body not only clean the

body but also brush teeth to clean and not bad breath.

Now people use toothpaste, once people used

charcoal to brush their teeth. Currently, people will

clean the tooth reefs to the dentist, so that their teeth

are clean or white. According to the dentist should

clean the tartar once six months.

In cleaning the body is recommended twice a day

bath, morning and evening. Preferably morning

before Shubuh prayers and the afternoon before

Ashar prayers. It is also for the health of the body,

bathing before morning prayer to make the bodyfresh

because just woke up. Usually when sleeping often

also sweat out and the body is less fresh. For that, it

is recommended bathing. While the afternoon after

work, so the body is not tired or weak because it has

been working all day. If the body is clean of course

the body will be healthy. So, in the paias

pamatangmu, there are values of cleanliness,

freshness, and health.

3.3 Norms and Cultural Values of

Paias Parabitonmu (Clean Your

Clothes)

Clean clothes not only clothes and pants, but all used

clothing should be clean, including underwear.

Change clothes every day, of course with clean

clothes. It is better by using good smell things,

perfume for example. Clothing is not only clean but

holy. That is, clean from unclean. Moreover, the

clothes are used for prayer.

The norms and cultural values found in the paias

parabitonmu relate to the rules or dress code, by using

clean and sacred clothing. Of course also use clothes

that fit with us, do not use clothes that are too big or

too small. Do not also wear women's clothing

if we

are men, and vice versa. Do not also wear sleepwear

to work in the office or swimsuit. Wear suitable

clothes on the place and situation. These include

cultural norms in the life of the Mandailing people.

The Mandailing people are still very obedient to the

dress codes. For example, girls in Mandailing are still

obedient to wear Muslim clothes, using headscarves

ICOSTEERR 2018 - International Conference of Science, Technology, Engineering, Environmental and Ramiﬁcation Researches

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or veils if out of the house, usually also wearing

brackets. In other words, covering aurat.

The cultural values found in the paias

parabitonmu have a value of comfort, calm especially

in mingling, tidiness, and compatibility. If clean

clothes will certainly feel comfortable and calm

hanging out with friends, because if the clothes dirty

and smelly the friend will stay away and even feel

"disgusted" to see us. Clothing should be washed with

laundry soap. Used to use bar soap, now using a

ditergen. People used to wash clothes in the river by

hand now using a washing machine in the bathroom.

3.4 Norms and Cultural Values Paias

Bagasmu (Clean Your House)

The house is a place to shelter from both natural and

animal (wild) disturbances. All furniture items can be

well preserved. However, the house must be kept

clean so that we who live in the house feel

comfortable and safe. Cleaning the house is not just

swept and mopping the floor, but also treated and

repaired if there is damage, such as the roof leak. If it

can be once a year the house is painted.

Norms and cultural values contained in this paias

bagasmu is related to the procedure of build a house,

for example the house should face the sunrise, so the

morning the house is lit by morning sunlight, so that

the residents of the house to be healthy. The room

inside the house should also be arranged in such a way

that comfortable, such as bedrooms and kitchens to

follow the rules or norms of the homes of Mandiling

people. For example the bedroom only has a screen

with the living room or other bedroom. The kitchen is

located in a back room close to the bathroom.

Formerly the Mandailing poeple houses were

above, like rumah panggung, under a house used as a

place to storing firewood, and items that were not

used anymore. However, it is now rarely a house like

that. Today, Mandiling community houses in

Madinah district are modern, following the times.

Housing layout has many rules that no longer follow

the cultural norm, so it is not regular. Between the

House and other houses always have a distance as a

useful page for planting trees so that the house is

comfortable, cool, because the air around it freely

enter into the house.

The cultural values contained in the cleaning of

your home are like comfort, security, tranquility, and

tranquility. If the house is organized, clean, and

sturdy then the occupants will feel safe, comfortable,

and calm. However, if the house is not feasible for

inhabited residents of uncomfortable and quiet, it

could at any time the house was collapsed.

3.5 Norms and Cultural Values Paias

Pakaranganmu (Clean Your Yard)

Cleaning the yard is done every day, especially there

is a tree in the yard, leaves must be cleaned. If

necessary the yard fenced to be more secure and know

the boundaries of land owned. The fence also shows

the tidiness of the yard. The yard can also be planted

with ornamental plants such as flowers to look

beautiful. If people want to clean up their yard of

course like village and the environment will be clean.

If necessary through the head of the community

environment are invited to work together to clean the

environment once a month or depend on mutual

agreement.

The norms and cultural values contained in paias

pakaranganmu are related to social norms. Although

Poda na Lima is an individual's life philosophy, the

fifth advices is related to society and the environment.

Every individual homeowner who has a yard or yard

is required to clean it, especially on this yard there are

trees that every day the leaves fall, not only that, if in

front of the house there is a ditch, it is necessary to

clean the channel so as not to clog up and if it rains

down there is no flood. This rule becomes a social

rule, but in fact it is an individual's consciousness to

clean up on his home page and more on his

environment.

Cultural value contained in this paias

pakarangamu cleanliness, coolness, beauty, and

environmental awareness. Individuals of the

Mandailing people are expected to care for the

environment, in order to avoid natural disasters, such

as floods, landslides, and earthquakes.

4 CONCLUSIONS

Philosophy Poda na Lima has experienced a shift in

values in the lives of Mandailing people. However,

once we understand the cultural norms and values

contained in Poda na Lima it is necessary to be

preserved and taught again to the individuals of the

Mandiling people, especially the younger generation.

This can be done either through school or

government. Currently in the school curriculum there

is a local content (mulok) where the Poda na Lima

philosophy can be introduced and re-taught in schools

in the Mandailing area.

From the norms and cultural values Poda na Lima

is clearly still relevant philosophy is to be practiced at

this time.because, Poda na Lima's philosophy of life

is a concept of cleanliness. Although the philosophy

of life is individual, but it is very important in people's

Norms and Cultural Value of Poda Na Lima in the Life of Mandailing People

1187

lives. The society is made up of individuals, who are

expected to be good, religious, social, and

environmentally concerned. The most important

philosophy has religious norms and values, hygiene,

health, social, and environment.

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

The writers would like to express appreciation to The

Ministries of Research, Technology and Higher

Education of Indonesia for funding the research grant

no 62/UN5.2.3.1/PPM/KP-DRPM/2018.

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