BRIN and UNPRI Researchers Explore Toba Batak Ecological Cosmology in Sihaporas, Concluding Fieldwork at the Archdiocese of Medan's Ecological Day
Document Oral Literature and Ancestral Rituals Preserved Across 11 Generations in Simalungun
Simalungun, August 20–29, 2026 — A research team from the National Research and Innovation Agency (BRIN) alongside scholars from Universitas Prima Indonesia (UNPRI) successfully completed a ten-day field study from August 20 to 29, 2026, in Huta Lumban Ambarita, Sihaporas Village, Pematang Sidamanik District, Simalungun Regency, North Sumatra. Titled "Toba Batak Ecological Cosmology: An Ethnographic and Ecopoetic Study of Oral Literature among the Lumban Ambarita Indigenous Community," the project aims to document the intersection of cosmology, ecology, and oral literature amidst environmental shifts.
The research is led by Yeni Yulianti, S.S., M.A. from BRIN's Research Center for Language, Literature, and Community, accompanied by core members Erwin Syahputra Kembaren, S.S., M.Hum. and Natal P. Sitanggang, S.S., M.Hum. The inter-institutional collaboration features external researchers Dr. Kristiawan Indriyanto, S.S., M.Hum. from UNPRI (Head of UNPRI's Center of Excellence for Language, Literature, and Literacy) and Desri Maria Sumbayak, S.S., M.Hum., TESOL from Universitas Sumatera Utara (USU).
The Sihaporas Indigenous Community preserves ancestral heritage dating back to Ompu Mamontang Laut Ambarita's journey across Lake Toba in the 1800s. Indigenous Elder Opung Moris Ambarita guides the sacred Partukkoan rituals passed down across 11 generations. Utilizing ethnographic and ecopoetic frameworks, the team documented ritual chants and cosmological narratives reflecting the deep bond between humanity, nature, and ancestry.
On August 29, 2026, the team participated in the Archdiocese of Medan's Ecological Day, engaging in a Holy Mass led by Father Harold Harianja, planting 1,500 tree saplings, and inaugurating the rebuilt LAMTORAS-Sihaporas Indigenous Community House. This engagement enriched the ethnographic data before entering the final reporting phase and Scopus-indexed journal publications.
As an excellently accredited university, UNPRI is dedicated to facilitating academic talent in impactful research collaborations. Further details are available at www.unprimdn.ac.id. Join our prestigious academic community by applying at unprimdn.ac.id/pmb.
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