Reason Behind Tor-tor's Listing in Malaysia

VIVAnews – The Mandailing ethnic bond in Malaysia has a strong reason to enlist Tor-tor dance as Malaysia’s cultural heritage as there are differences with the Tor-tor dances from Batak, North Sumatra. 

“What we enlisted is the Gordang Sambilan Mandailing and Tor Tor Mandailing of the Mandailing ethnic group originated from Sumatra. So, it’s neither the Tor Tor Batak Toba nor Batak Karo,” said President of Mandailing Malaysia Ethnic Bond, Ramli Abdul Karim Hasibuan, in a written statement to VIVAnews, on Tuesday. 

The issue was recognized by one of Batak Toba traditional leaders, Parangin Angin, who had said that Mandailing’s Gordang Sambilan and Tor-tor have clear distinctions with the ones owned by Batak Toba and Karo ethnic groups. 

Before proposing the Tor-tor dance as Malaysia’s heritage in December 2011, Ramli claimed to have obtained recommendations from the community and traditional leaders of Mandailing ethnic group in North Sumatera, including Mandailing Natal (Madina), Padang Sidempuan, Padang Lawas Utara (Paluta) and Medan Municipality. 

“They even had talks with the regents (local officials) and mayors (datuk bandar) of the related regions,” he said. 

The Tor-tor dispute is certainly not the first cultural brouhaha between Indonesia and Malaysia. Both nations have been troubled with claims on cultural products.