Mangupa Upa : The Traditions of Local Ethnic Mandailing When Moving Into a New Home

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Indonesian Tradition: Mandailing

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Indonesia is a country that is still young. This year, the Republic of Indonesia was 76 years old, is still relatively young compared to major countries like USA, England or France. However, before becoming a country called Indonesia. Some regions of Indonesia have been there and sovereign even since the 4th Century, But the region is still shaped the kingdom. This is a sign that the people living in Indonesia in the past is a civilized nation and get to know the customs is not the nation of the ancient who do not know the civilization.

Times continue to change, and rapid change does not make the people of Indonesia left its cultural tradition. Indeed there are some traditions in ancient times that is no longer possible to do in this era for example, a tradition to sacrifice a small child to prevent the occurrence of natural disasters such as volcanic eruptions and earthquakes (if done in now this is a criminal act). But some of the local traditions that are either fixed we do, for example “nujuh bulanan” (a tradition of local undertaken by the prospective parents by sharing food at the age of pregnancy at 7 month, with the goal of getting the blessing and the us both the mother and the baby) or “Mangupa Upa” (the activity of eating together with family members in order to welcome good thing or preventing a bad thing, for example such as when entering a new home.

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Mangupa Upa

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In Indonesia, if you will be moving to a home, whether it's a house that we buy or the house that we rent, so to welcome it we will send an activity thanksgiving. In my customary diikenal with the term “Mangupa Upa”. I find it difficult to explain because literacy I actually limited to about this. I will directly tell the experience I have while doing the activities of “Wages” when I will enter the house the new me.

Last year, my wife and I decided to buy a house for our stay. Previously we lived in the house my wife's parents, with little save money, do the additional work, and holds over 2 years we finally decided to buy a home and occupy it. I think when buying a home, we get to move in and occupy it, but it turns out not as simple it is. According to my parents we should do a few things before moving on.

First, a few days before we moved. My parents brought a religious expert to perform the prayer and perform the terms and looking for a good day to move house. Finally we decided to move home on Monday, June 18, 2020.

When we moved house, we do “Mangupa Upa” is activities such as eating together members of the family. The purpose of this activity, it is expected the occupants of a new home always remember on the family, get the sustenance that much, and certainly always given health.

In the Tradition of “Mangupa Upa” the occupants of a new home, (or me at the time) was given a dish that is a requirement that a dish is rendang ayam kampong male but without the peppers (in contrast to the standard recipe rendang usual, it has a philosophical meaning that the later the expected new home owners avoid emotions. In addition, there is Anyang Chicken, rice, Vegetables, chili paste, and fish arsik. Ikan arsik special served for homeowners who already have a family, with the aim that each other hand in hand and without conflict.

Before all the family eat together. My parents will give you a little advice for life, and then feed the food to my mouth and wife. Feed the food to me in the tradition of Mangupa Upa was followed by some people such as grandma, uncle, and aunt also gave some advice. Positive things from the tradition of Mangupa Upa this is the brothers and family so knowing the location of the house we are new so that the relationship is maintained and is not a family relationship is not disconnected.

How did the tradition to welcome the new home in your place ?

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