Puang: A Medium of Blessings in Kinship System of Pakpak Tribe

Abstract

Puang is the main element in the kinship of Pakpak Tribe in North Sumatra Province, which strengthens the family relation, Sukut with prayer and divine blessing. The society puts puang in the highest position in the kinship system of sulangsilima because it represents the origin and points to divinity as the true origin in the maternal line. This paper is based on the results of qualitative research conducted in a field study of "SulangSilima: The Kinship System of Pakpak Tribe and It's Contribution to Strengthening Indonesian Nationalism. The results of a philosophical hermeneutic analysis of the data collected through interviews, observations and documents show that puang is in upstream position, represents divinity as true origin since it becomes a medium of divine blessing. Puang, with such a position, determines the validity of every important decision in the family, Sukut, maintains and strengthens family integrity with prayer and divine blessing. The figure of puang is needed by the nation to maintain the integrity and harmony among the elements of the nation.

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