BALIGE, Indonesia: The cultural riches of the tribal Batak people have helped shape the liturgy of the Catholic Church in North Sumatra and given "full color" to spiritual life there, the local archbishop says.

"Since the beginning, the Church has stressed inculturation here. This is what we need to continue," Capuchin Archbishop Anicetus Bongsu Antonius Sinaga of Medan said in his homily at a Mass marking 75 years since Catholicism was brought to the region.

"We celebrate our liturgy in these unique traditions and church buildings designed in accord with Batak architecture," he said.

Father Sybrandus van Rossum, the first Dutch missionary priest who arrived in 1934, drank tuak (palm wine) with local fisher folk and frequently mingled with the people, the prelate said. They began to consider him part of their community, "not Dutch anymore."

As the principles of the Second Vatican Council (1962-1965) were later implemented, the cultural heritage of Batak people, including their gondang music and tortor dance, were incorporated into the Mass.

Batak people believe gondang is a gift from God and before it is played, a leader will ask God's permission. Tortor dance is performed only when gondang is played, signifying "worship and asking for blessings from God," said Archbishop Sinaga.

Archbishop Sinaga, 68, has also written a doctoral dissertation "The High God of the Toba Batak: Transcendent and Imminent."

The Toba Batak are one of the groups with distinct languages and customs among the Batak people.

Medan archdiocese supports their most significant celebration of mangalahat horbo, during which participants sacrifice a male buffalo as a form of thanksgiving.

Archbishop Sinaga said the inculturation process must continue to create a community that is "100 percent Catholic, 100 percent Indonesian."

Despite the impressive history of inculturation, it has not been all plain sailing in the region for the Catholic Church.

Politics had tended to work against the growth of Catholicism and the Batak had been dominated by Protestants. Catholics were "not wanted," the archbishop said.

As an example, the archbishop cited the 2007 provincial government budget that allocated funding of 60 billion rupiah (US$6.4 million) for Islam and 40 billion rupiah for Protestantism but nothing for the Catholic Church.

This should spur Batak Catholics to greater efforts to be recognized by "incorporating traditions" into church celebrations and to "make real contributions to the country."

The 75th anniversary Mass was presided over by Apostolic Nuncio Archbishop Leopoldo Girelli. He asked local Catholics "to continue to kindle the missionary spirit."

About 7,000 Catholics and priests from 12 parishes participated in the celebration held on Dec. 13 in Balige, south of Medan. The Mass included Batak songs, music and the tortor dance.

North Sumatra governor Syamsul Arifin praised the Catholic Church for its role in developing education, culture-based tourism and the local economy through microfinance. He asked Catholics "to continue to build harmony and peace in the region."

Courtesy: UCAN