Petalangan Ethnic in Pelalawan

             One of ethnic that live in Pelalawan is Petalangan etnic. Petalangan ethnic make residence in langgam, they worked as fisherman and farm of rubber. Petalangan means talang or bamboo, petalangan societies also called land of people (orang darat ). 

            According toreseacher petalangan ethnic come from johor used small boat and make a residence in Langgam. They got confession of the land from sultanate Pelalawan. The leader of  petalangan ethnic called to “Batin”. But, now batin changed to “ head of village “ since indonesia got an independence. 

            Tradition of petalangan are combination from two culture Minangkabau and malay that patriarkis. Based on matrilineal system petalangan societies divided to some ethnic (idan) such as, sengerih, lubuk, pelabi, medung, piliang, melayu, penyabungan, and pitopang. In petalangan ethnic also tell about legacy, all of wealth relagated to daughter. 

            Petalangan ethnic have a person that always give advice, a person called village elders (ninik mamak). The function village elders to solve legaln action and conflict between ethnic. All of petalangan societies is muslim. But, they have reliance system like invaded specter of plant and animal. 

            Petalangan ethnic use malay kampar dialect. Sometimes the leader of ethnic use indonesia language to communivate with visitor. Petalangan ethnic have some litersture such as speech of custom (cakap adat), magic formula (manto), traditional poetry, belian and menumbai.   

            In petalangan custom marriage with same ethnic is forbiden. A good marriage it is called “pulang ke bako” means marriage with his niece from her mother, after marriage they are live with women’s family. Actually, petalangan people suggest to marriage with some village. 

 #Cross Culture Understanding

Anisa Asfarina

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