bue ni tondi  (Fruit of the soul)                                                Batakese

Cayung Siagian	Much of the Batak language is expressed in metaphor. So, for inspiration  I would personally say "bue ni tondi" Fruit of the soul, but many Batak call it the natural spring of the heart, or the beautiful source. When I was 13 yrs old, I started witnessing a lot of local people in my land experiencing unexpected trances, and most of the cases happened in nature. Many times people would try to get the person back to normal consciousness  by pray together, giving the Holy Book to the victim but it just make them wilder and more angry. The only way to get the person back to normal was by giving the whole case to the medicine man or woman and asking people to offer seven different flowers on the ground where the victim first experience the trance
So generally people think that the person is possessed by the evil, because most of the cases happen if the mystical places being treated in unpleasant way by human. Most of the affected person talk with the different intonation, of course with the very old traditional language. Most of the words that came from their mouth is the complaining because they felt being disturbed without any excuses or permission to the spirit of the places.
	The nice feminine lady that never scream crazy in her life could turn to become wild, yelling loudly, climbing the giant tree and jumps from branches to another branches like a monkey with no fear.   The victim is not necessary as the abuser of the land, but become a representative of the spirit of the land keeper, something like that.   This become my first weird inspiration because I personally would like to know what is the view in their eyes or other sense of atmosphere when they were experience it. Once I had a chance to ask one of them about what they have seen when they experience it. The answer was "I don't know, I though I was sleep". So until now this is still a real free twisted & wicked fantasy in my imagination as my inspiration.

Article #2

In Batak nation, in any circumstances, "bue ni tondi" means 'the fruit of soul' in metaphor is playing an important role. The tree as a soul, and the fruit as a blessing. After this blessing being appreciated, or practically or symbolically have been eaten, the seed thrown back to the earth, the time and nature turned it to a sprout, growing, flowering, and produce a new fruit. Fruit for hunger, eyes, feeling, for generation, and for knowledge.

Metaphor might have been emerged by the met of different origins and languages in Batak land in millenniums, yet it is also make this unique tribe fascinating to be researched.

My definition of inspiration or perhaps as definition of most Bataknese in general is the source of realization of humble and beautiful works. Means souls as the host of this inspiration being drives freely and automatically by natural energy to plan something valuable. Inspiration travel randomly together with civilization and knowledge. But so many times, the civilization or knowledge could also become the greatest wall to block the realization of someone inspiration because of financial and politic dilemma.

In my life, my dreams often inspire my works in any medium. In the Bataknese community in this era, we don't hear this "Bue ni Tondi" often. They usually say it as pangungkapon (natural expression) or habinsaran (the raising) and mual ni roha (spring of heart) to certain works. Bataknese also treat life as a pleasant work. Life itself is a piece of almighty inspiration.

Interview Questions

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Edwin:  Could you give me an overview about the word for inspiration in Batakese?

Cayung: Much of the Batak language is expressed in metaphor. So, for iinspiration  I would personally say "bue ni tondi" Fruit of the soul, but many Batakese call it the natural spring of the heart, or the beautiful source.

•  "bue ni tondi"=Fruit of soul,

•  "mual ni roha"=spring (natural water source) of heart,

•  "pandaraman nauli"= beautiful source

I always can put only one (the general definition) if needed to be one or, I will include the translation in my "broken" understandable English for you to see the sense and you will let me know what you fell after reading it in order to get it a little bit civilized or...?

So I definitely can explain the expression and definition of Inspiration in my original tribal Batak include in Batak Skript/writing about using it, how its affect my personal work on art and writing, general and introductory to Batak art include art of words in in daily life of batak (get the feeling in www.lapotuak.com or mailing list lapotuak at yahoo group minimum). Minimum 300 words I think this is a good number.

Do you remember the first time you experienced inspiration or "bue ni tondi"?  

When I was 13 yrs old. I started witnessing a lot of local people in my land experiencing unexpected trances, and most of the cases happened in nature  Many times people would try to put the person back to concious  by pray together, giving the Holly Book to the victim but it just make them wilder and more angry. The only way to get the person back to normal was by giving the whole case to the medicine man/woman and asking people to offer seven different flowers on the ground where the victim first experience the trance.

So generally people think that the person possessed by the evil (which is lately I am not agree), because most of the cases happen if the "mystical places" being treated in unpleasant way by human. Most of the affected person talk with the different intonation, of course with the very old traditional language. Most of the words that came from their mouth is the complaining because they felt being disturbed without any excuses or permission to the spirit of the places.

The nice feminine lady that never scream crazy in her life could turn to become wild, yelling loudly, climbing the giant tree and jumps from branches to another branches like a monkey with no fear. Lots of characters could appear. The victim is not necessary as the abuser of the land, but become a representative of the spirit of the land keeper, something like that. Edwin, I hope you still follow what I mean. This is become my first weird inspiration because I personally would like to know what is the view in their eyes or other sense of atmosphere when they were experience it. Once I had a chance to ask one of them about what they have seen when they experience it, ect. The answer was " I don't know, I though I was sleep". So until now this is still a real free twisted & wicked fantasy in my imagination as my inspiration.

 What is the difference between Batakese and the English meaning?

I think is just the same meaning except the metaphor things. It is very close to animism believe about the life result of matters. In this case we symbolize it with tree, from its fern, its growing, flowering until producing fruits that would be ready to regrow  again from its seeds. Something with other matter, water spring, rocks, dirt, animal, etc. Very simple explanation of source of Result or Result of source, could be both. And when we match this word with spirit matter  Soul, Light and mind. It will just engage in one meaning (from two or three words). Inspiration=The natural result of spirit matters. I still have to pick the Bue ni Tondi Bue came from Parbue means Fruit and Tondi means Soul

In English I think they explain in in act, could be chemistry reaction in our body and soul in certain atmosphere that stimulate that Matter in to another act or work. Also sound easier to digest. To be honest when I open my Webster's dictionary, I can not really find the different. But there might be (in a difference consequences).

I pick the Bue ni Tondi for now, but I am still posting the three different choises with my friends in Batak mailing list asking them to vote the one that make more sense. I will let you know the result. (Just an information that 90% of them was civilized with biblical teaching since they are a kids).  Me too, I just turn back into my tribal believe intensely and in to mysticism since 1995.

 Have you seen any Batak art that explores the experience of inspiration?

Yes I do have seen one place of amazingly, Incredibly, fantastic Batak works.  Mostly in architectural, but a lots of them in clothing, utensils, magic and medicinal stuff, utility, weapons, boats jewelries, sculptures and tools. Lets talk about one of them, Gorga (the Batak carving that mostly presented in their houses). If I have to speak like a kids I will cal it trippy multi-detail works of Batak Gorga. It was in the public market in Balige Town (Toba Samosir region in North Sumatra). Once I stood there for about three hours staring these works. Each facade of six and top of the building carving has a different pattern and tops. Brilliant inspiration. I hardly believe these people build this place in our normal conscious at that time. I took a picture at that time but the result was very bad. I wish I can go there again. Anyway if I have to go back there, I should need the video camera to record this works, because even wide angel lenses will not large enough to catch the size and details.

But right here in my studio. I have the survival of witness of Bataknese high art. It was also taken from the abandoned Batak house. The Singasingas. The house protectors that suppose to be placed in the front panel of the house as a protection from the bad spirits. Most of the Singasinga have been taken down and destroyed since the beginning of the Christian Mission and it conspiracy in Batak Land. I am so happy I still have them here a pear to protect my soul.See the attachment (poor resolution). Oh ya forgot to say that the secret color of Batak people are red Black and WhiteRed represent of Braves and Absences of pretending Black represent Magical Power and White represent The virgin souls.

The original Batak belief is a combination of Mysticism and Animism (completed with a touch of Hindu and Buddhism. Before the Christian and Islam arrived, I believe that Sufism ever influence some peoples. I am personally a Mysticim and Animism (but born as Christian), but openly absorb only anything that make senses such as Gnosticism and Time cycling and any others.
 

I will tell you how did I get this inspiration. I call it in my tribal language; "Parbinotoan" (Knowledge). 
 

The painting is not really the tree of the fruits that I was explain in the article because the painting it self is Bue ni Tondi (Inspiration) of my soul, I am just the tools of expressing it, while the Tree is my soul as the host of my Inspiration. It just coincident the painting visually in a tree form. My inspiration at that time was thinking about how the human using a knowledge for the purpose of Yin and Yang, and so many time Yin hiding behind the yang and yang sheltering behind the yin. So at that time I was plan to paint the tree with scrolls hanging and bloods dripping from it branches and roots. But the second inspiration said, The tree it self is already representing/symbolizing the knowledge. So I follow the movement of this messages.
 

That is why I title it "Parbinotoan" means Knowledge which is great if being used properly and danger if misused. Like I explain in the article, that knowledge could be the greatest support to make the inspiration comes in to a true pure work but also it could be the greatest gap to block the true pure work.
 

Have you heard of the Balinese word Taksu?

Yes I heard about Taksu so many time. Its inspiration. Its a magical instinct of ideas and work. Not only visual artist use it but also other worker such pande, fisher man, farmer and healer. Not all the people have taksu. Not a  simply inspirasi, but similar and closer to ILHAM in Indonesian Bahasa. Sometime they call it Balian Tetakson.

I have ask some other Batak people in the mailing list. There is another word  that could represent Inspiration in Bataknese called Pangungkapon. Came rom Ungkap, means born automatically and naturally. Not in biological meaning. I am still like the bue ni tondi. They also very agree with it. But I dont want any other Bataknese feel strange about this word. So that I would like to do more research in another week.
 

Article in Batakese

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Di portibi ni bangso Batak, hata bue ni tondi binsar sian pangisaraan. Sumuang do lapatanna dohot "habinsaran ni panagaman”, "pangungkapon" manang "mual ni roha”. Hata on diisarahon songon parbue ni hau namarlapatan, natubu, namagodang jala marparbue gabe sipanganon tu pamatang, tu simalolong, tu roha, dohot tuparbinotoan. Bagasan ni rohanghu mandok pangisaraan on binsar sian hapangaliluon ni angha jolma di parhataion siala namarragam haroroanna dohot panghataion nasida di tano Batak ujui. Umbahen i laho patoranghon panghataion i gabe diisarahon ma angha tompaan, dohot namasa laho pasumanhon hata nanaeng diunghaphonna be.

Sada haulion do on dipardalanan ni ngolu ni bangso Batak huhut gabe parsiajaran na manggokhon roha ni angha siboto surat.

Lapatan ni bue ni tondi ima habinsaran na gabe sipasaut ulaon haulion na mangihuthon parhusoran ni tinghi ni parbinotoan. Alai jotjotdo tong hagogoon ni parbinotoan i gabe panundati hasauton ni pangulaon ni sasahalak, disiala nasoada hagogoon ni sihumisikna dohot ulok ni rohana. Di parngoluanghu, jotjot do angha nipi mamboan bue ni tondi gabe sada pandaraman nauli. Ngolu i sambing ima sada ulaon nasian bue ni tondi ni namarhuaso.