14 Kena Ukur Surbakti, 2011-
According to Karonese society, they can devided in two categories : Gugung Karo or Karonese that live in mountainous, especially in Karo regency Langkat and
Deli Serdang ; Jahe Karo, the Karonese who live in coastal area, especially in Deli Serdang and Langkat regency. Gugung Karo society regarded is more consistant in
obeying the culture of Karo, but Jahe Karo society has a lot of acception with the other culture around them, especially Malay ethnic group.
Sometimes many people make some mistakes in daily conversation such as in Karo land identified by Karo district. In fact, Karo land is far large than Karo
regency, because karo land overwhelms part of Dairi regency Tanah Pinem, Gunung Sitember,and Tiga Lingga subdistrict, Deli Serdang district Lubuk Pakam, Bangun
Purba, Galang, Gunung Meriah, Sibolangit, Pancur Batu, Namorambe, Sunggal, Kutalimbaru, Hamparan Perak, Tanjung Morawa, and Sibiru-biru subdistrict,
Langkat regency Padang Tualang, Bahorok, Selapian, Kuala, Binjai, and Stabat subdistrict, Southeast Aceh regency Lau Sigala-gala,Lau Deski, Lau Perbunga, Lau
Kinga, Simpang Simadam
3.2 The Defenition of Ghosts
Before Hinduism, Islamic and Christian come in to Karo land area, Karonese already had their own religion, it is called Pagan Perbegu. Perbegu is come from
words begu, that means ghost, the soul of the people that have died. They believe that everything in the world, whatever it is real or not is the creation of God Dibata, that
is known as Dibata Kaci-Kaci. Dibata Kaci-Kaci has three territories, they are :
Universitas Sumatera Utara
1 Dibata Datas, known as Guru Batara, who authorizes the sky.
2 Dibata Tengah, known as Tuhan Padukah ni Aji, who authorizes our earth.
3 Dibata Teruh, known as Dibata Banua Koling, who authorizes low earth..
Before Perbegu born to the world, they have written as Perbegu since in the pregnant, they have a different soul with another people. Perbegu must be strong,
have a great soul like an iron perkakas besi, for example, the souls are chopping- knife, axe, chisel, gun etc. Someone can called as Perbegu, if he or she has the
different knowledge with the other people, such as : 1
They can communicate with the ghost. 2
He or she can possessed seluken kesurupan. 3
They have six sense, they can see the ghosts, in karonese it called Dua Lapis Penge nen matana matanya dua lapis.
4 His or her neck is ringing in karonese it called Ersora kerahungna
Lehernya berbunyi. 5
They can predict the 30 days, niktik wari si 30, the 8 villages desa si waluh, he or she can find the things that have lost.
6 They can mean the dreams of every people.
7 He or she can read the lucky or unlucky from our face, hands or birth-mark in
karonese it called endeng in our body. 8
They can see the illness in our body, what the causes of the illness. It is usually disturb by the ghosts.
9 He or she can make the amulet in karonese it called tangkal-tangkal jimat.
Universitas Sumatera Utara
3.3 The Kinds of Ghost
In karonese society, they believes there are many kind of ghosts in their society, such as the ghosts that can help the peoples it is called Begu Jabu, the ghosts
that can disturb the peoples around the earth it is called Begu Darat, and Begu Jenujung, it is for the special people and he or she has a special strength, it is different
with another people he or she has the six sense.
3.3.1 Begu Jabu
Begu Jabu or begu kade-kade family is the ghosts of the people that have died, near to the family. Not all of the ghost can become Begu Jabu.There are many
qualifications to be begu jabu in Karonese society. The qualifications to be Begu Jabu are :
a. die in pregnancy time mate i bas bertin
b. die before the teeth of the children yet grow mate lenga ripen
c. die in one day mate sada wari
d. die in young age mate nguda
e. die in old age mate enggo metua
The ghosts that called as Begu Jabu are the ghost of grandfather, grandmother, or the ghost of the family. If Begu Jabu is strong, what will people do
for them, they can immune and the family not getting the unlucky but they are healthy. In fact, all karonese people have Begu Jabu. They use it or not, it is the right
of each family, but Begu Jabu will always keep their own Simada Begu Jabu e. The Kinds of Begu Jabu are :
1 Begu Batar Guru
Universitas Sumatera Utara
Begu Batar Guru is the ghost of the people that have died in pregnancy time, it’s also called as begu perkaku jabu begu penjamin keluarga.The people
give the sacrifices for Begu Batar Guru so that they won’t disturb all peoples. If on one time, Begu Batar Guru disturb the family, so each family would
make ngelandekken galuh ceremony, it is started by erpangir ku lau and then back the ghosts perumah begu in the night. After come back from erpangir
ku lau the people take medicines at home from Perbegu. 2
Begu Bicara Guru Begu Bicara Guru is the ghost of the children that have died before the teeth
of the children yet grow. It is usually called as begu perkakun jabu si peduaken.
3 Begu Si Mate Sada Wari
Begu Si Mate Sada Wari is the ghost of the people that have died in one day, not caused by the illness but he or she die suddenly get an accident, killed by
another people, die in a war to fight the enemy, die in defend the truth etc. The people give the sacrifices for Begu Si Mate Sada Wari so that they won’t
disturb the peoples. It is usually called as begu perkakun jabu sipeteluken.
3.3.2 Begu Darat
Begu Darat is the ghost that can disturb the people around the earth, not only their own but all peoples.This ghost is not same with Begu Jabu, this ghost lives
outside the house of the people not at the home of the owner. The Kinds of Begu Darat are :
Universitas Sumatera Utara
1 Simate kayat-kayaten, the ghost of the people that have died caused by the
illness for long time. 2
Begu Tungkup, the ghost of a girl that have died before get married. All the people should to respect to this ghost.
3 Begu Mentas, the ghost that come from another family not from the owner.
4 Begu Menggep, this is the evil ghost, be there under the stairs of karonese
hous teruh karang teruh redan rumah. 5
Begu Sidangbela, the ghost of the pregnant woman that have died, be there around the waterworks. All of the pregnant woman must bring Jerango
traditional amulet of karonese people or put it around the body of the children in their clothes.
6 Begu Juma, It is the ghost that have died in generally, this ghost always
disturb the people that work in farm. The people should be careful if they are working in the farm.
7 Begu Ganjang, it is the most cruel ghost. This ghost ordered by the own of the
ghost to disturb another people. 8
Begu Sirudang Gara, the people ask this ghost to keep their farm, fish pool, so that the other or the thief can not to steal.
9 Begu Manusia Si Enggo Mate, the ghost of every people that have died.
10 Begu Binatang Jinak asuh-asuhen, the ghost of the tame animals that have
died. 11
Begu Binatang Liar Si Enggo Mate, the ghost of the wild animals that have died.
Universitas Sumatera Utara
3.4 Why The Karonese Maintain The Ghosts
The history of maintaining the ghosts in Karonese society is come from one of the richest family in their society, they have a very large farm and ricefield, many of
buffalos, many of cows and horses. This family have three sons, and the thirth have get married. After their parent have died, the childrens fight in division the property
for long time to get the inheritance from their parent. The oldest son says to call the ghost of their mother and ask her to solve this
problem, the others sons agree with the opinion. They ask perbegu to call the ghost of their mother. It is become the beginning for karonese to maintain the ghosts.
The Karonese have the reasons why they maintain the ghosts in their life, there are many functions of ghosts for them but every one have the different reasons
to maintain the ghosts. In this paper, the writer will explain some functions of the ghost for the Karonese. By asking some informants from Karonese society around of
the writer’s life, some functions of the ghosts are : 1
They can ask the ghost to take care their farm, so that the other people can not to steal the products of their agriculture.
2 They can ask the ghost to take care the Karonese house, so that the thief can
not to steal their property. 3
The Karonese maintain the ghost to get the honour from the other people, all peoples will respect to the owner of the ghosts.
4 They think that by maintaining the ghost, it can give them the good livelihood
and the fortune.
Universitas Sumatera Utara
5 As the cheap article for themselves, so that they can carry out all of their
efforts or jobs. 6
The Karonese believe that by maintaining the ghosts, all peoples will believe for them and obey their word also.
There are the other functions of ghost for Karonese society, but in this paper the writer just writes about the information that he get from the informant that the
writer interviewed.
3.5 How The Karonese Maintain The Ghosts
