The Mandailing in the Homeland

Na Mora Na Toras / The Mandailing Institution of governance

Before Dutch intervention, the Mandailing inhabitants of a certain locality were governed by the traditional leadership called Na Mora Na Toras (The Nobles and the Elders). The title refers to the leaders of customary law (adat) in their personal capacity as well as the institution they represent.

The leaders called Na Mora (the Nobles) are the ruling elite from the landed clan (marga tanah). The landed clan or nobility are the rulers (rajas). In Lower Mandailing, the Nasution are the noble house while in Upper Mandailing, the Lubis are the noble house. By virtue of being victorious in war or being founders of new settlements in the past, they are rajas until today.

The Na Toras (the Elders) are not from the ruling elite as they are not from the landed clan. Nonetheless, they are recognised as part of Mandailing leadership and governance because they have the authority to endorse matters of custom (adat). In deciding matters of adat, say in a marriage, the agreement of the Na Toras has to be sought before it can be sanctioned by the Na Mora.

The institution of Na Mora Na Toras played out its dynamic roles in the Mandailing settlements, each one with a defined territory and a given population. The Na Mora Na Toras were abolished by the Japanese military government during the Japanese Occupation. Although the Na Mora Na Toras are still recognised as custodians of adat (customary law and traditions), their power and influence have been greatly curtailed, and their roles are mainly ceremonial.

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