Picture IV. 6. 2. 1. The Room Division
4. 7 Gorga Batak
Among the Toba Batak people of northern Sumatra, communal houses were, and in some areas still are, richly adorned with ornate architectural carvings, painted
in red, white, and black. The carvings consisted primarily of foliate geometric designs in low relief interspersed with the heads or figures of real or fantastic creatures,
carved in the round. Although the ends of the house were adorned primarily with images of singa composite creatures that served as supernatural guardians, the sides
of the houses were often decorated with horses heads, such as the present work, which also served as supernatural protectors. In Toba Batak religion, horses were
believed to have the ability to carry individuals to the land of the ancestors. On earth, they served as status symbols, as only wealthy members of the elite could afford to
own them.
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The Ruma Gorga carved house is the most homes are exquisitely carved and painted with deities and mythical creatures. Carving on the exteriors is especially fine
and mythical creatures. Make tap a razor sharp carving knife. Most gorga work consist of three parallel grooves and requires master carvers. Gorga Batak is the
traditional carving on the outside wall of Ruma or Sopo, gorga Batik painted in to three colours named three “bolit” the material of gorga batak is a blandly wood the
ancestor of Toba Batak named “hau ungil” the material of gorga as same as for boat or “solu” material.
Therefore the painting material of Gorga Batak naturally created like red colour acquired from “batu hula” a kind of red natural stone, “batu hula” melted into
water and smear them into carving of Ruma Batak or Sopo. White color acquired from clayey in Toba Batik language named “tano buro”, and then black color
acquired from castor oil plant crushed until smooth mixed with soot and poured water and it is similar with black color painted. Three colors of Gorga similar with Ulos
motifs at the edge of Ulos Batak, white color symbolize of heaven or the upper world, Mulajadi Nabolon, the symbol of life, red symbolize the middle world, braveness and
power, and black color symbolize the lower world, occult. Kinds of Gorga divided into two type according to the carving process and
shape of gorga. According to carving process consist of two kinds they are Gorga Uhir and Gorga dais, than kinds of gorga according to the Gorga shape they are:
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Gorga Ipon, Gorga Sitompi, Gorga Simataniari, Gorga Desa Naualu, Gorga Si Marogung-ogung, Gorga Singa-singa, Gorga Jorgom, Gorga Boras Pati, Gorga Adop-
adop and Gorga Ulu Paung.
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CHAPTER 5
CONCLUSION AND SUGGESTION
5. 1 Conclusion