I was born at four o'clock a.m. on Friday November 15, 1940 coincided with 14 Syawal 1358 Hijriyah in Sihepeng, Mandailing, North Sumatra. According to the Batak Calendar it was happened at bola-bola ijuk, on Samisara Purasa, in Sipaha Walu, under the zodiac Mortiha.

My name was derived from Basyr al Hamid based on the verses in the Holy Al Qur'an (Koran) that means a respected person who disseminate good news.

My clan name is Harahap, one among 12 clans or one among the big four clans in South Tapanuli: Harahap, Siregar, Nasution and Lubis.

My family tree began from our forefather Si Aji Guru Tunggal down to my son Arip Ihsan in the 18^th generation. Si Aji Guru Tunggal lived 400 years ago in Batang Muara, the present-day Dolok district, Padang Lawas, North Sumatra.

The Bataks believe that grandfather has the same position with his grandson. That is why one name may repeatedly appear in the family tree, because grandson has the right to inherit his grandfather's name.

My family tree is as follows:

Si Aji Guru Tunggal (I)

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Na Mora Si Bodat also known as Martua Raja (II)

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Na Mora Batu Sinonde also kwon as Mangaraja Parampadang (III)

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Na Mora Si Babiat also known as Na Mora Di Jolo (IV)

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Na Mora Sampuran Si Babiat also known as

Patuan Di Runyung Sutan Na Lobi (V)

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Sutan Muda also known as Na Mora Si Babiat (VI)

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Baginda Raja also known as Datu Singgar Ni Mataniari Sogakgahon (VII)

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Sutan Kabenaran also known as Na Mora Si Babiat (VIII)

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Mangaraja Ujung Bosi also known as Datu Bange (IX)

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Raja Ondolan also known as Mangaraja Somut Bangun Batari(X)

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Maharaja also known as Mangaraja Hamonangan (XI)

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Raja Hurlang (XII)

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Bandaro (XIII)

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Ja Moge (XIV)

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Ja Rendo (XV)

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Muhammad Narip also known as Ja Lela (XVI)

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Basyral Hamidy also known as Mangaraja Bangun Batari (XVII)

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Arip Ihsan (XVIII)

This family tree is based on our own inherited family tree and Tambo van Simanabun by T.J. Willer in 1846. Willer was a civil Dutch colonial authority in Padang Lawas area during the Padri War. Then after the war he was appointed as Assistant Resident of the Mandailing-Angkola Assistant Residency, in Panyabungan.

Willer wrote an explanation on the family tree of the Babiat clan under the title Tambo van Simanabun (Willer 1841:347 ; 1846:256-257). It is believed that the Babiat clan is also member of the Harahap clan. So, they are also known as Harahap Babiat in South Tapanuli. Babiat means tiger. Tiger is the totem of the Babiat clan.

According to the old Angkola-Mandailing Batak traditions, certain persons may have some names. The new names are usually given to certain persons in the occasion of traditional big ceremony, such as wedding or burial ceremonies.

The following description shows many names in the extended family tree. My family tree is a part of bigger family tree. To show my blood relations with certain persons in the bigger family tree, I print names of the members of my own family tree in italic and I put number of generation beginning from Si Aji Guru Tunggal, as follows:

My forefather was Si Aji Guru Tunggal (I) who lived in Batang Muara, Dolok district, Padang Lawas in approximate 400 years ago. His son, Na Mora Si Bodat also known as Martua Raja (II) then became raja in Batang Muara. Na Mora Si Bodat (II) had two sons, Batu Na Lomlom (III) and Na Mora Batu Sinonde also known as Mangaraja Parampadang (III). Na Mora Batu Sinonde (III), left Batang Muara and established a new village called Batu Sinonde. He had two sons, Tongku Itom (IV) and Na Mora Si Babiat also known as Na Mora Di Jolo (IV). Na Mora Si Babiat (IV) then ruled Batu Sinonde.

Na Mora Sampuran Si Babiat also known as Patuan Di Runyung Sutan Na Lobi (V), son of Na Mora Si Babiat (IV), left Batu Sinonde and established and ruled a new village called Lenggang Gunung. Sutan Muda also known as Na Mora Si Babiat (VI), son of Na Mora Sampuran Si Babiat (V) left Lenggang Gunung and opened and ruled Sigalagala.

Baginda Raja also known as Datu Singgar Ni Mataniari Sogakgahon (VII), son of Sutan Muda (VI) left Sigalagala and established Parsaguan. His son, Sutan Kabenaran [sic. Habonaran] also known as Na Mora Si Babiat (VIII), then ruled Parsaguan.

Magaraja Ujung Bosi also knwown as Datu Bange (IX), son of Sutan Kabenaran [sic. Habonaran] (VIII), left Parsaguan and then established and ruled Unte Rudang. His son, Raja Ondolan also known as Mangaraja Somut Bangun Batari (X) moved to Lobu Simangambat. He developed and ruled the village.

Raja Ondolan (X) had five sons, Ja Barat (XI), Sutan Muda (XI), Ja Poso (XI), and Maharaja also known as Mangaraja Hamonangan (XI) and Ja Sinaloan (XI).

I have no further informations about Ja Barat and Sutan Muda. Ja Poso (XI) had four sons, Mangaraja Parampadang (XII), Ja Tagor (XII), Ja Poroman (XII), and Ja Paingkan (XII). There are no further informations on Mangaraja Parampadang and Ja Poroman. Ja Tagor had a son, Ja Poteng (XIII). Ja Poteng had a son, Ja Mardauyun (XIV). Ja Mardauyun had a son, Ja Salim (XV), and Ja Salim had a son, Mangaraja Hotip (XVI).

Ja Paingkan (XII) had three sons, Ja Manompu (XIII), Ja Doli (XIII), and Ja Kuala (XIII). There are no further informations on Ja Doli and Ja Kuala. Ja Manompu (XIII) had two sons, Ja Somail (XIV) and Ja Sinomba (XIV). Ja Somail (XIV) had a son, Baginda Manompu (XV). Sutan Sinomba (XIV) had two sons, Mangaraja Laut (XV) and Raja Amas (XV).

Maharaja also known as Mangaraja Hamonangan (XI), left Lobu Simangambat for Parsaguan, and he rebuilt the village and ruled there. He had four sons, Datu Bange (XII), Ja Sobob (XII), Raja Hurlang (XII) and Raja Soagahon (XII). Raja Hurlang had a son, Bandaro (XIII).

Ja Sinaloan (XI) had two sons, Jamagurunta (XII) and Ja Malea (XII). Jamagurunta (XII) had a son, Si Jimon (XIII) who was 10 years old in 1841. Ja Malea had a son too Si Berang (XIII) who was 15 years old in 1841.

Datu Bange (XII) left Parsaguan and established and ruled Simanabun. This village then became the biggest districts among four districts in the greater Dolok. According to Willer, Simanabun had 16 villages with 606 households, while the others, Tambiski 15 villages with 262 households, Bukit 9 villages with 275 households and Simasse 4 villages with 92 households (Willer, 1846:107)

Willer knew Datu Bange in person. He reported that Simanabun was attacked twice by the Padri troops commanded by Tuanku Tambusai, the Padri warlord, to force Datu Bange to embrace Islam. The first attack was failed. In the second attack, Tuanku Tambusai troops were supported by Jalangkotan troops from Portibi. They seized and burnt Simanabun. They killed who ever they found, including women and children. Among the victims were cousins of Datu Bange. They were Jamagurunta (XII) and Ja Malea (XII).

Tuanku Tambusai himself was belonged to Harahap clan. His grandfather, Hamonangan Harahap was born in a small village near Siapas river, Batang Onang, Padang Lawas. Hamonangan Harahap migrated to Rokan. Later on, he was known as Malim Kaha also known as Haji Ibrahim Sutan Malenggang. His son, Imam Maulana Kadli, then was known as religious advisor or mufti to the Tambusai Kingdom. His son, Muhammad Saleh, then was known as Tuanku Tambusai, The Padri Tiger from Rokan (Pahlawan Nasional Tuanku�@Tambusai�j�B

According to Schnitger, Iman Maulana Kadli and his son, Muhammad Saleh made pilgrimage to Mekkah between 1820-1825. During their stay in Mekkah, they involved in the Wahabi movements to purify Islamic teachings. When they returned to Daludalu, Imam Maulana Kadli established an Islamic school, madrasah. After Imam Maulana Kadli died, Muhammad Saleh managed the madrasah (Schnitger, 1964:72-72). 

He preached to many places, including to Padang Lawas, his grandfather's homeland. He then involved in the Padri War. He was the last warlord of the Padri War, 1838.

Datu Bange himself was injured in the war. The Dutch troops helped him and evacuated his family to the hinterland of Tapanuli. Datu Bange died on his way to Angkola, in the hinterland of South Tapanuli. His brother, Raja Hurlang (XII), replaced him as the head of the village Simanabun in 1841.

The Simanabun refugees under the leadership of Raja Tulis (XIII), son of the late Datu Bange, then reached a fertile land in Angkola. They established a new village, Siloting, under the leadership of Raja Tulis (XIII). Two sons of Jamalea (XII) were among them, Ja Hilap (XIII) and Sutan Porang (XIII). Raja Tulis had a son, Sutan Bangun (XIV) and a grandson [son of Sutan Bangun], Mangaraja Soagahon (XV).

Ja Hilap had a son, Syekh Muhammad Rahim (XIV) and a grandson, Sutan Mulia (XV).

Bandaro (XIII) son of Raja Hurlang (XII) was among the refugees. But he did not stay with his relatives in Siloting. He continued his adventures down to the southern direction. He followed his parent's advice. �gFind new place in a plain valley which has rivers and forests around.�h

Bandaro (XIII) followed the stream of river Batang Angkola, and continued his adventures straight to Mandailing. He then stopped in a village called Sihepeng in the northern corner of Mandailing. The village had the criteria of a fertile land as suggested by his parent, as follows:

1.       Plain valley is good for agriculture.

2.       Rivers are  sine qua non for fertile lands.

3.       Forests are main source of welfare.

Yes, Sihepeng has them all. Sihepeng is situated in a valley. There are five rivers in the village. Two of them are bigger. There are forests in the eastern area up to the Bukit Barisan mountain range. The rivers are streamed from the forests in the east down to the almost unlimited fertile lowland plain in the west.

Young Bandaro (XIII) stayed in Sihepeng. He then married to a daughter of the village chief. He had three sons, they were Ja Bila (XIV), Ja Toga (XIV) and Ja Moge (XIV).

I am belonged to the XVII generation, or 5^th generation from my direct forefather, Bandaro (XIII). The forefather had no less than 650 descendants till the present-day XVIII generation. My father had 6 brothers and a sister. He had six children, and 41 grandchildren, four among them are my children (three daughters and a son). I myself have a grandson and two granddaughters).

Later on the descendants of Bandaro (XIII), the Harahaps, appear as the second largest clan in Sihepeng. His male descendants had married 7 girls of the village heads during 5 generations.

My forefather's motto was: growing from hundreds to thousands like the growing of rice (Hombang ratus, hombang ribu songon partubu ni eme). One seed of rice may produce hundreds of rice, hundreds of rice may produce thousands of rice, and so on. Bandaro (XIII) himself was a single seed that had born hundreds of descendants.

 Each month has 30 days, with certain name, beginning from the first day Artya = 1, Suma = 2, Anggara = 3, Muda = 4, Boraspati = 5, Singkora = 6, Samisara = 7, Antian Ni Aek = 8, Suma Ni Mangadop = 9, Anggara Sampulu = 10, Muda Ni Mangadop = 11, Boraspati Ni Tangkup = 12, Singkora Purnama = 13, Samisara Purasa = 14, Tula = 15, Suma Ni Holom = 16, Anggara Ni Holom = 17, Muda Ni Holom = 18, Boraspati Ni Holom = 19, Singkora Mora Turun = 20, Samisara Moraturun = 21, Antian Ni Angga = 22, Suma Ni Mate = 23, Anggara Na Begu = 24, Muda Ni Mate = 25, Boraspati Na Gok = 26, Singkora Duduk = 27, Samisara Bulan Mate = 28, Hurung = 29, Ringkar = 30.

And each hour has a name in 24 hours a day, as follows: 1 a.m. = haroro ni panangko, 2 a.m. = martahuak mirik, 3 a.m. = martahuak manuk pasadaon, 4 a.m. = bola-bola ijuk, 5 a.m. = torang ari, 6 a.m. = bincar mataniari, 7 a.m. = manyogot, 8 a.m. = tarbakta, 9 a.m. = tarbakta raja, 10 a.m. = sagang, paragakkon mangan, 11 a.m. = humara hos, 12 = hos, 1 p.m. = guling, 2 p.m. = guling dao, 3 p.m. = tolu gala, 4 p.m. = dua gala, 5 p.m. = andos potang, 6 p.m. = bot, bonom mataniari, 7 p.m. = samon, 8 p.m. = hatiha mangan, 9 p.m. = tungkap hudon, 10 p.m. = sampe  modom, 11 p.m. = sampe sinok modom, 12 p.m. = tonga borngin.

The Bataks zodiacs are: Mesa = Gemini, Marsoba = Taurus, Nituna = Aries, Harahata = Cancer, Singa = Leo, Hania = Virgo, Tola = Libra, Mortiha = Scorpio, Dano = Sagitarius, Morhara = Capricornus, Morhumba = Aquarius, and Mena = Pisces