The embedding of locally social values in traditional society is often conducted through folklore, legend, and myth telling about its ancestors. The Torajan people, for example, believe that they are the descendants of highly respected ancestors coming from heaven. A legend telling this is a legend about a man coming down from the heaven through a “ladder” connecting earth and heaven. No one knows exactly the existence of that ladder but, we all agree that the “ladder” may be interpreted as a communication medium between human and God or Puang Matua (local term replacing God in Torajan). Differ from the Torajan, the Nias people believe that their ancestors came from a tree called Sigaru Tora‘a that is located in a place namely Tetehöli Ana‘a.

From the brief explanation above, we all now see that the origin of one society‘s ancestor plays important position. Such matter is not found in traditional society only, but also in modern society. Though modern society now seems to disbelieve folklore, legend, and myth anymore, modern society still take a pride on their ancestors in some cases like in political contestation. A candidate-leader commonly seeks to get political legitimacy based on his genealogy.

In a traditional society, distinguishing admiration for ancestors usually takes form in traditionally cultural rituals. Not only limited in cultural rituals, traditional society‘s admiration for ancestor is likewise implied in social system such as marriage, hereditary law, and land right. Malay society, likewise, with its customary celebrations, and religious rites, possesses different admiration for its ancestors. Through this sub-menu, MelayuOnline.com would like to elaborate and discuss the multifarious admiration for ancestors in Malay society.

Translated by Irfan Nugroho (ter/55/09-08)

4. The Origin of Orang Rimba, Jambi Province.
5. Tomanurung: Ancestor in the Mind of Karampuang People, South Sulawesi.

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