diversity that shapes the social identity of its people.
As a center of urbanization and economy in North
Sumatra, Medan City is home to various ethnic
groups. As one of the largest cities in Indonesia and
known as a melting pot of various ethnicities. Several
prominent ethnic groups in Medan City are Malay,
Batak Toba, Karo, Mandailing, Javanese, Minang,
Acehnese, and Chinese, showing how this diversity
characterizes the social and cultural life of this city.
In its phenomenon, the Batak and Malay ethnic
groups are the two dominant ethnic groups that have
long shaped the identity of this city. However, Medan
City is also home to many other ethnicities, such as
Karo, Mandailing, Pakpak, Javanese, Sundanese,
Minang, Acehnese, and Chinese. Each ethnic group
brings cultural characteristics that play a role in
creating complex, yet harmonious social interactions.
Then, each ethnic group brings a unique cultural
identity, including language, customs, and local
knowledge that regulates their social life
(Koentjaraningrat, 2015).
This diversity phenomenon creates a unique
social dynamic, where each ethnic group brings its
values, traditions, and cultural practices but lives
socio-culturally side by side in an urban environment.
According to Aritonang (2018), ethnic diversity in
Medan City not only enriches the city's culture but
also poses challenges in building unity and mutual
understanding between these groups. The ethnic map
in Medan reflects the social dynamics formed from
the interaction of various ethnic groups, both from
North Sumatra itself and from various regions in
Indonesia.
This diversity is not only seen in customs,
language, and religion, but is also reflected in
economic, political, and educational interactions that
enrich the lives of urban communities. There is one
interesting thing that is often not widely understood
about the etymological meaning of Batak in North
Sumatra. Although the term Batak is often considered
as one ethnic group, in reality, the term Batak
includes various sub-ethnic groups, each of which has
different cultural characteristics, languages, and
traditions, but is still bound by the same cultural
heritage in the social and historical context of North
Sumatra. The Batak ethnic group consists of several
sub-ethnic groups, such as the Toba Batak, Karo,
Mandailing, Simalungun, Pakpak, and Angkola, each
of which enriches the cultural diversity in this region.
This ethnic group is a significant population in
Medan. They are not only present in large numbers,
but also play an important role in various sectors,
such as politics, economy, and culture.
As previously stated, the Batak ethnic group has a
strong patriarchal social system, especially in the
Toba Batak community, where family hierarchy and
customs are highly respected (Sibarani, 2019). On the
other hand, the Mandailing group, which is
predominantly Muslim, shows cultural adaptation
with other ethnic groups in Medan, including the
Malays and Minangs, through religious and trade
interactions (Lubis, 2017). The Mandailing ethnic
group is a sub-group of the Batak ethnic group but has
cultural characteristics that are different from the
Toba Batak ethnic group.
The Toba Batak ethnic group is famous for the
concept of Dalihan Na Tolu, which regulates social
relations based on three basic principles: respect for
parents, brotherhood with others, and love for the
younger generation. The Mandailing ethnic group,
like the Toba Batak ethnic group, also has the concept
of dalihan na tolu as a very important system of
politeness in social and cultural life in society. The
Mandailing ethnic community in Medan City is quite
dominant, in general, this group dominates the fields
of trade and education. The fundamental difference
between the Mandailing ethnic group and the Toba
Batak ethnic group is that this ethnic group has a
strong relationship with Islam, which influences their
customs and social values. The tradition of
cooperation and respect for education for both sexes
is an important part of the Mandailing identity in
Medan (Harahap, Z., 2015).
As previously stated, the Batak ethnic group has a
strong patriarchal social system, especially in the
Toba Batak community, where family hierarchy and
customs are highly respected (Sibarani, 2019). On the
other hand, the Mandailing group, which is
predominantly Muslim, shows cultural adaptation
with other ethnic groups in Medan, including the
Malays and Minangs, through religious and trade
interactions (Lubis, 2017). The Mandailing ethnic
group is a sub-group of the Batak ethnic group but has
cultural characteristics that are different from the
Toba Batak ethnic group. The Toba Batak ethnic
group is famous for the concept of Dalihan Na Tolu,
which regulates social relations based on three basic
principles: respect for parents, brotherhood with
others, and love for the younger generation. The
Mandailing ethnic group, like the Toba Batak ethnic
group, also has the concept of dalihan na tolu as a
system of polite customs that is very important in
socio-cultural life in society. The Mandailing ethnic
community in Medan City is quite dominant, in
general, this group controls the fields of trade and
education.
The fundamental difference between the
Mandailing ethnic group and the Toba Batak ethnic
group is that this ethnic group has a strong connection
with Islam, which influences their customs and social
values. The tradition of cooperation and respect for
education for both sexes is an important part of the
Mandailing identity in Medan (Harahap, Z., 2015).