Holiday Ayo - Usually, as the end of the year nears, people will gather to celebrate the end of the year, and the start of the new year. This kind of tradition exists in various culture, including the culture of Batak people.

At the end of the year, Batak people will hold a ritual called Mandok Hata in which the whole family members all gather in one place to talk. It is a very respected and important tradition for this ethnic group. It is almost a requirement, especially for the Christian Batak people.

As cited from Lokalisme.id, Mandok Hata is a tradition that is required of all the family members, except for the children and babies. They will sometimes join the event, but do not take part in the ritual.

Mandok Hata is a tradition that has been passed down for generations since a long time ago. The family members will talk with one another and at the end, they will apologize and forgive each other with hugs and kisses. Some even prostrate themselves during the apology.

While some people will be looking forward to it, others will be anxious and worried. This is because there are a lot of things to be talked about during Mandok Hata. A person can let out every repressed feelings and thoughts that they had during that year. It is basically when you are forced to talk about yourself, which can cause embarrassment for some people.

Even so, Mandok Hata is very effective in strengthening family bond. It is a ritual of reflection in which you discover many new things about your family.

It is a way for them to remind each other about what matters and what is right, giving advice to one another, and giving them strength to face a new year and have a fresh start. It helps change everyone’s point of view and behaviors in treating each other.