By Lindsay Wong
The Bataks are a group of sub-societies that reside in the highlands and plains around Lake Toba in northern Sumatra. There are currently around 9 million Bataks, a proto-Malay people who originated from the Malay peninsula. They have their own rich culture and traditions that still exist today. One of the most fascinating aspects about the Bataks is cannibalism (the act of consuming another individual from the same species as food), although they no longer practice it nowadays. Ritual cannibalism is tied to religion in Batak society and there have been many recordings of human cannibalism in their history.
Batak groups are mostly Protestant Christians (the second largest form of Christianity), but before they were exposed to this Western religion, they believed in an all-powerful god called Mulajadi Nabolon, who controlled the sky. In relation to the soul and spirit, the Batak believed in the concept of tondi - the soul and spirit of a person - which can be strengthened by engaging in ritual cannibalism. Particular body parts that are consumed are considered to be richer in value because of how much they add to a person’s tondi, including blood, heart, palms, and soles of the feet.
Ritual cannibalism can be traced back to the 9th century, with Arab texts first recording sightings of Sumatra’s inhabitants eating human flesh. In 1292, Venetian explorer Marco Polo wrote that the coastal people on the Indonesian peninsula were “man-eaters.” Another Venetian explorer, Niccolo de Conti, spent the year of 1421 in Sumatra and also recorded cannibals in his experiences. Missionaries who ventured into Batak lands encountered a society that was supposedly fierce in nature and their reports frequently mentioned cannibalism. Some historians believe in the idea that the Batak people engaged in cannibalism to scare their enemies.
Former Governor-General of the Dutch East Indies Sir Stamford Raffles concluded that parents were often eaten when they were too old to work and criminals were eaten as a form of punishment. For example, someone who committed adultery, theft, espionage or treason was eaten alive. Their families gave an offering of salt, red pepper, and lemon as an acknowledgement of the rightful punishment and as a vow that they would not take revenge. In many cases, the people were seasoned and roasted before they were consumed with lime, salt and rice on the side.
In the 19th century, a shift to Christianity in Batak lands gradually led to a decrease in ritual cannibalism. With missionaries frequently making trips to Asia to spread their influence to indigenous people, some local traditions were practiced less, like ritual cannibalism. Furthermore, as more indigenous people converted to Christianity and let go of their traditional beliefs, they no longer required cannibalism to strengthen their tondi. Ultimately, in 1890, the Dutch colonial government officially banned ritual cannibalism in areas under their control.
Cannibalism was heavily tied to traditional beliefs in the past and also used as a form of punishment against wrongdoers, but the widespread conversion to Christianity resulted in new rituals. In today’s Batak society, cannibalism is no longer practiced and it remains a pre-colonial activity among the indigenous population.
Sources:
Cover Image from Indonesia Tourism
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