part of roof named “arop-arop” symbolized wishful have enough to live in future. In front of the upper that withstand component of the roof consequently remain sturdy
named “songsong boltok” the philosophy is there is no oftened or grudge in future because of someone mistake. Ombis-ombis laid in the left and right spread out from
behind in to infront for modern houses named list plank the function is unifier for “urur” that withstand palmfiber-roof. According to Toba Batak understanding ombis-
ombis symbolize that nobody is ferfect everyone needs advices and suggestions from other.
The constructive of Ruma Batak or sopo spent the period of time within five years. The expenses are most expensive because there are many buffalo, cattle or pig
to fulfill the requirements of sacred ceremonial, even before and after the constructive done. The sacred ceremonial before constructive of Ruma Batak named “pesta
mangusung bunti”, at the time during the constructive process named “pesta parsik tiang”. The wall the constructive process named “pesta pajongjong urur” until the
Ruma Batak or sopo have done the constructive already. The author of Ruma Batak held a ceremony to enter a new dwelling named “mangopoi jabu” and the ceremony
to celebrate the nem house named “pamestahon jabu”.
4. 4. 1 The architect of Batak Toba houses
The Batak House in a way parallel to the complexity of tribes grouped into the sub-tribes of the batak people, the architectural forms and models for the batak
houses are varied as well. But whatever example is noted, all observers agree that
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the Batak houses prossesses a high quality style of architecture and construction, although from the side of its healthfulness, admittedly perhaps it does not fulfil
modern hygienic conditions. The ceremonies conducted during its building, and the technical details of its architecture. What we want to stress here is only that
building such a house demands knowledge and considerable technical. The most distinctive element of Batak culture is traditional architecture. Batak Toba houses
are built on stilts, up to two metres the ground with a saddleback roof ending in sharp rising points said to resemble buffalo horns. Ruma Batak are traditionally
made of wood sloted and bound together without nails and roofed with sugar- palm fiber or, more often these days, rusting corrugated iron. The gables are
usually extravagantly embellished with carvings of serpent, spirals, lizards and monster heads complete with bulbous eyes.
4. 4. 2 The architect of Toba Batak based on:
Transcendent axis system oriented in Pusuk Buhit mountain.
Houses alignment have to be followed from north to south axis
Edifice epoch consist of the three main divisions compare 1:1:5,
accentuate in roof section.
The wall edifice of room buttress shape of oblique symbolize the confluence between middle world and the heaven.
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Each of village “huta” in Toba region there is a banyan tree, Ficus
Benjamina or “Hariara” assumed as a destiny tree of Toba Batak society.
The ridge of Toba Batak houses of roof were buckle up.
4. 5 Types of Ruma and Sopo
There are four main Toba building types, two types of Ruma and two types of Sopo. Ruma is the Toba Batik word for house that is commonly used in opposition to
Sopo. Whereas the Ruma is a permanent traditional dwelling house with a characteristic structure, the Sopo differs structurally, the older type functionally as
well. The latter is an open building, in the sense of having an open-air-sitting-floor but no walls underneath the attic.
The main structural characteristic that distinguish the Sopo are the cantilevered attic floor, which is supported by posts positioned some distance inside
from the edges, and the position of the roof-plates which rest on top that floor, instead of below it as in the Ruma. The open-air-sitting-floor, there were also Sopo of smaller
dimensions that served only as granaries and did not have such a floor. The larger kind, which does feature a sitting floor, functioned in the old days either as a village
meeting and council hall, the closed attic serving as a shrine and a granary, or it was
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in more modest versions, a private attic granary with the open sitting space used for various activities.
In both cases the Open Sopo with it is sitting-floor could serve as a sheltered outdoor living and working place, as a dormitory for unmarried men, and as a lodging
for foreign visitors. Although in literature usually called simply a granary, the Sopo was in reality often a multi-functional building that also served some important
temporary dwelling functions. It was as it were, an outer part of the Ruma to which belonged, which it complemented, and with which it formed a dwelling of a more
comfortable and more complete kind. Spatially the Sopo was therefore closely related to the Ruma, it is position usually being directly opposite, on the other side of the
street-like village square. It seems that already in the 1930s only a few Sopo of this open kind remained,
but the structural system of the Sopo survives in numerous samples of the converted kind, that is, of the Sopo that has been fully walled in and turned into a permanent
dwelling, or dwelling grananry where the attic is still used for storing rice. The Sopo of this converted kind. Is still quite common in villages on the eastern and south
eastern sides of lake Toba. Normally it is called simply Sopo, just like the open Sopo kind. But it necessary, it can be distinguished by using the compound Jabu Sopo, in
which Jabu means family dwelling space and dwelling house. Similarity the Ruma can be called Jabu Ruma to distinguish it from other Jabu, such as the Jabu Sopo and
dwelling house of a foreign style.
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Turning now to the two kinds of traditional standard house “Ruma”, these are distinguished according to the way in which the entrance is provided. The simpler
Ruma Sisampurna has the entrance front wall, reached by an outside flight of stairs or by a ladder. In the Ruma Sitolumbea, the more complex kind, there is a second row
of posts some distance the front posts, and the satirs positioned in between, underneath the floor. The entrance is either by a trap door in the floor or by a normal
door in the middle of the second row of posts. In the latter case the sides of the stairwell are provided with walls in the upper part of the house. Finally there are two
important additional features which are always present in the Ruma Sitolumbea: partial attic floors and a kind of balcony in the front gable. These elements, although
now usually also found in the Ruma Sisampurna of an older kind. The main characteristics of the four building types can be summarized as follows:
Open Sopo: Multipurpose building with a closed attic and no walls; differs in structure from the Ruma was formerly either only a granary or when equipped with a
sitting-floor, a multi functional structure village meeting and council hall, shrine, granary, protected outdoor living and working space, temporary dwelling for guests,
dormitory for unmarried men.
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Picture 4.5.1 The Open Sopo
Jabu Sopo: functionally a permanent family dwelling, structurally a sopo that has been fully equipped with walls; has the stairs outside and the door in front wall.
Picture 4. 5. 2 Jabu Sopo Ruma Sisampurna: permanent dwelling; stairs outside, door in front wall; now
usually with partial attic floors and some kind of gable balcony; differs in structure from the Sopo.
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Picture 4. 5. 3 Ruma Sisampurna
Ruma sitolumbea: permanent dwelling; stairs inside, underneath the floor, between a double row of front posts, door inside trap door or normal; partial attic
floors; gable balcony; differs in structure from Ruma Sisampurna.
Picture 4. 5. 4 Ruma Sitolumbea
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4. 6 The Division of Ruma Batak Room
