Mangongkal Holi Tradition as an Alternative Solution to the Lack of Cemetery Land in Indonesia

This is a result of a qualitative, direct participatory research done by the researchers, as a part of the first writer’s Dissertation entitled Tradisi Mangongkal Holi pada Masyarakat Batak Toba. Mangongkal Holi is known as a series of ancient rituals which excavating/replacing ancestors’ saring-saring from underground/basement cemetary/tambak to a new place called batu na pir/tambak na timbo as an effort in uplifting their social status in the society. In meantime, the numbers of the dead-men cannot be avoided, and the government needs larger cemetery land time to time. The data were collected through direct participatory observation, in-depth interviews with many batak toba informants (adat’s experts, practitioners) as well as audio-visual documentation. The data were analyzed by using Miles, and Huberman models (2014:8), where data condensation, data display and drawing conclusion/verification were the three concurrent flows activities done to make sure the process of data analysis precisely on the track. The final conclusion is the government as well as the churches’ congregation should preserve the mangongkal holi tradition as an alternative solution for the lackness of the cemetery land, since the ex-tomb could be re-used for the others dead-men. On the other hand, Rumah Saring-Saring as well as great/giant tambak/tugu should be consider as a problem solving for the needs of cemetery land in the future.