Book

Dalihan Na Tolu (DNT) is one of the most profound indigenous philosophies of the Batak Tapsel-Madina people of North Sumatra, embodying a system of social relationships, moral principles, customary values, and collective responsibilities that have shaped generations of Angkola-Mandailing society. Rooted in ancestral wisdom, DNT provides a philosophical foundation for maintaining balance, respect, solidarity, and harmony among individuals, families, and communities. Like a traditional three-legged stove that remains stable through the balance of its three supporting pillars, Dalihan Na Tolu symbolizes the interconnectedness and interdependence of human relationships. This book explores the historical, cultural, philosophical, and ethnographic dimensions of the Batak Tapsel-Madina people, with particular attention to the three fundamental pillars of Dalihan Na Tolu: Mora (the wife's family or the group accorded honor), Kahanggi (clan relatives or people within the same kinship group), and Anak Boru (the son-in-law's family or the group responsible for service and support). These three social elements establish an enduring framework for kinship, social organization, customary law, decision-making, conflict resolution, and community leadership. Through this framework, readers gain insight into how traditional wisdom guides social interactions and sustains collective identity. Beyond its philosophical foundations, this book examines the practical expressions of DNT in customary ceremonies, traditional rituals, marriage traditions, community gatherings, customary sanctions, and mechanisms for resolving social conflicts. It also highlights the cultural values of mutual respect, cooperation, responsibility, solidarity, deliberation, and social harmony. A distinctive contribution of this work is its exploration of traditional ethnomathematics, demonstrating how mathematical ideas such as geometry, patterns, symmetry, measurement, classification, and spatial relationships can be identified in Batak Tapsel-Madina cultural practices, particularly in traditional weaving, architectural forms, customary objects, and ceremonial arrangements. In the context of globalization.