Lingga Cultural Village

Lingga Cultural Village: Epicenter of Karo Civilization Preservation in North Sumatra

Lingga Cultural Village is not just a geographical point in Karo Regency, but a living museum that serves as the last guardian of the architectural grandeur and noble values of the Karo people. Located about 15 kilometers from Kabanjahe, this village stands as a cultural center consistently preserving its ethnic identity amidst the massive wave of modernization in North Sumatra.

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Traditional Architecture: Symbol of Karo Cosmology

The main specialty of Lingga Cultural Village lies in the presence of traditional houses called Rumah Siwaluh Jabu. Literally, "Siwaluh Jabu" means a house inhabited by eight families. This building structure is a masterpiece of traditional civil engineering, built without a single nail, but rather using wooden pegs and ijuk (palm fiber) rope bindings.

The buffalo horn-shaped roof is covered with thick black ijuk, symbolizing strength and protection. At its peak, there is a Gerga ornament which is not just decoration, but a symbol of social status and protection against evil spirits. Each jabu (room) within the house has strict placement rules based on kinship within the Marga Silima system, reflecting the highly structured social order of the Karo community. Besides the main house, visitors can see the well-maintained Geriten (ancestral bone storage) and Sapo Ganjang (rice barn).

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Cultural and Educational Activity Programs

As a cultural center, Lingga Cultural Village offers interactive programs aimed at transferring traditional knowledge to younger generations and tourists. One of its flagship programs is "Edukasi Jabu" (Jabu Education), where visitors are invited to live and experience the lifestyle within the traditional house, learning sitting etiquette (runggu), and polite communication according to Karo customs.

The village is also a learning center for the Karo language and ancient Karo script. Through cultural workshops, village elders teach how to read and write the script that was once used in bamboo libraries. This program is crucial given the increasing rarity of traditional script usage in daily life.

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Traditional Arts and Performing Arts

Life in Lingga Cultural Village is always accompanied by the rhythm of Gendang Lima Sedaren music. This musical instrument consists of a sarune (wind instrument), two gendangs (singanaki and singindungi), and two metal plates called ogung and piring. These instruments are not just for entertainment, but a means of communication in traditional ceremonies.

Dance art or Landek is also a main pillar of this cultural center. Tourists can witness or learn the Piso Surit dance, which depicts a bird calling its mate, or the Terang Bulan dance. Every movement in Karo Landek has a deep meaning; for example, the open and closed palm positions symbolize humility and readiness to receive blessings from the Creator.

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Handicrafts and Uis Gara Weaving

Lingga Cultural Village is a production center for Uis Gara, a traditional Karo fabric dominated by red, black, and gold colors. Here, women still maintain traditional weaving techniques using non-machine looms (ATBM). Each Uis Gara motif, such as Uis Bekabuluh for men or Uis Gatip for women, has a specific function in the Karo life cycle, from birth, marriage, to funeral ceremonies.

Besides weaving, bamboo and pandan woven crafts like Amak (traditional mats) and Sumpit (woven bags) are flagship products made by the villagers. The process of making these crafts is also part of the cultural attraction, where visitors can try weaving under the guidance of local artisans.

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Traditional Celebrations and Annual Festivals

Every year, Lingga Cultural Village becomes the stage for the Kerja Rani celebration, a harvest festival. On this occasion, all villagers wear their best traditional attire and perform thanksgiving rituals for the harvest. The festival involves serving traditional food such as Cimpa Unung-unung and Nurung Kerah.

In addition, the village often holds the "Gendang Guro-guro Aron" festival, a youth festival that serves as a means of preserving dance and music arts for the Karo millennial generation. This festival functions as a platform to ensure that tradition does not stop with the older generation, but continues to flow in the pulse of young people.

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Preservation of Cultural Heritage and Community Role

The role of Lingga Cultural Village in preserving cultural heritage is vital. Amidst the widespread conversion of buildings into modern homes, the community in this village collectively agrees to maintain the original form of their buildings. Maintenance is done through mutual cooperation, especially in replacing the ijuk roof which must be done periodically.

The traditional institution in this village also functions as a guardian of morals and norms. They implement strict rules regarding tourist behavior to respect the sacredness of certain sites. This proves that Lingga Cultural Village is not just a tourist attraction, but a cultural entity that has sovereignty over its own identity.

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Contribution to Local Cultural Development

As a cultural center, Lingga Cultural Village provides significant economic and social impacts for the Karo community. With its status as a cultural village, the community is encouraged to continuously innovate in cultural presentation without damaging its original essence. This village serves as a reference for researchers, anthropologists, and architects from around the world who wish to study the local wisdom of the Karo people.

Creative economy development based on culture, such as Karo traditional cuisine (e.g., Manuk Cipera and Tasak Telu), is rapidly growing around the village area. This proves that cultural preservation can go hand in hand with improving community welfare.

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Conclusion

Lingga Cultural Village is the heart of Karo identity. Its existence provides a space for the past to speak to the future. Through its magnificent architecture, noble arts, and strong community commitment, this village has successfully proven that traditional culture is not something ancient, but a solid foundation for facing the dynamics of the times. For anyone who wants to understand the soul of Tanah Karo, Lingga Cultural Village is the main gateway offering unparalleled depth of meaning and beauty of civilization in North Sumatra.