Folklore for Kids: The Story Behind Simalungun's Name

The Story Behind Simalungun's Name — A North Sumatra Folktale

Chapter 1: Three Kingdoms in Peace

Long, long ago, in a place once called Kampung Nagur, North Sumatra, there lived a peaceful little kingdom named Tanah Djawo. Its people belonged to the Sinaga clan, and they were proud sons and daughters of the Batak land.

Tanah Djawo was ruled by a wise old king who loved his people dearly. Beside him stood his loyal hulubalangs — brave warriors who guarded the kingdom day and night. Because of their courage and the king's wisdom, the people of Tanah Djawo lived in peace, never fearing hunger or danger.

Not far away stood two more kingdoms. To the west was Silou, home of the Purba Tambak clan. To the east was Raya, home of the Saragih Garingging clan. Though each kingdom had its own king and its own people, the three lands had grown as close as brothers.

Every harvest season, the three kings would meet beneath a great banyan tree to share rice, laughter, and stories.

King of Tanah Djawo: "My friends, as long as we three stand together, no storm can shake us."

King of Silou: "You speak the truth, old friend. A single reed breaks easily, but three reeds bound together can hold back a river."

King of Raya: "Then let us always remain bound, brothers — in peace, and if it ever comes to it, in battle too."

The three kings clasped hands, and their people cheered. Little did they know how soon those words would be tested.

Chapter 2: The Shadow of Majapahit

News travels fast, even in ancient times — and one day, a breathless messenger came running into the palace of Tanah Djawo.

Messenger: "Your Majesty! Forgive me for my haste — but soldiers from the great Majapahit Kingdom of Java are marching toward our land! They mean to conquer Tanah Djawo!"

The king's face grew pale, but only for a moment. He rose from his throne and called for riders to be sent at once to Silou and Raya.

King of Tanah Djawo: "Ride swiftly! Tell our brother kings that Tanah Djawo is in danger — and ask if they remember our promise beneath the banyan tree."

It did not take long for an answer to arrive. The King of Silou sent his best warriors within the day, and the King of Raya sent his own soldiers marching through the night, torches lighting their path like a river of fireflies.

King of Silou's warrior: "Tell your king — Silou has not forgotten its promise!"

King of Raya's warrior: "Nor has Raya! We march as one!"

Together, the three kingdoms stood shoulder to shoulder against the mighty army of Majapahit. Drums thundered, spears clashed, and shouts rose over the fields — but by nightfall, the invaders retreated, and Tanah Djawo was saved.

The people celebrated for three days and three nights. And when, sometime later, fierce warriors from the Kingdom of Aceh attacked Silou, it was Tanah Djawo and Raya who came rushing to its defense, just as promised.

For a while, it seemed nothing could break the bond of the three kingdoms.

Chapter 3: An Enemy Without a Name

But peace, as the elders often say, never lasts forever.

One dark season, a mysterious army — so large that no one could say where it truly came from — began attacking the three kingdoms one by one. First it struck Tanah Djawo. Then it swept toward Silou. And finally, it crashed against the gates of Raya.

Young warrior of Tanah Djawo: "Your Majesty, their numbers are endless! For every ten we push back, a hundred more appear!"

King of Tanah Djawo: "Then we shall fight for every inch of our home, until our very last breath."

The three kingdoms fought bravely, calling upon every warrior, every farmer who could lift a spear, every mother who could sound the alarm horn. But this enemy was different from before — too many, too fierce, too relentless. One by one, the three proud kingdoms fell.

The people who survived gathered what little they had left — a few grains of rice, a change of clothes, a child's favorite toy — and fled into the forest, not knowing where they were going, only that they could no longer stay.

Chapter 4: The Long Journey to Sahili Misir

For many days, the people of Nagur Village wandered without a true home. They slept beneath trees, ate wild fruits, and moved from one clearing to another, always searching for a place safe enough to plant new roots.

An elder of Nagur: "My children, do not lose heart. Somewhere in this wide land, there must be a home waiting for us."

A young mother, cradling her baby: "I only hope it comes soon, Elder. My little one has never slept in a house."

At last, after crossing hills and rivers, they came upon a quiet, fertile place surrounded by clear blue water — an island in the middle of a vast lake. The elders named it Sahili Misir. Today, we know this island as Samosir, resting peacefully in the middle of Lake Toba, North Sumatra.

An elder of Nagur: "Here — the soil is rich, the water is calm, and the air is gentle. Let us build our new home upon this island."

And so they did.

Chapter 5: A New Home, But an Old Longing

Seasons passed on Sahili Misir. The people cleared fields, planted rice, raised buffalo and chickens, and built houses with sturdy wooden roofs. Slowly, laughter returned to the island, and children who had once fled in fear now grew up playing along its shores.

Yet, even as life grew comfortable, something still tugged gently at the hearts of the older folk.

An old farmer, watching the sunset over the lake: "Do you ever think of Kampung Nagur, old friend?"

His neighbor: "Every single day. I still remember the sound of our king's laughter beneath the banyan tree."

An old farmer: "I wonder if the fields are still green there... or if the forest has swallowed everything we once knew."

The longing grew stronger and stronger, until finally, the village elders called a great meeting beneath the largest tree on the island.

Chapter 6: The Big Question

The whole village gathered — young and old, farmers and fishermen, mothers with babies on their hips. A respected elder stood before them all.

Village Elder: "My dear people of Sahili Misir. We have found peace here, and for that, we are grateful. But many of us still dream of Kampung Nagur. So today, I ask you plainly — who among you wishes to return home?"

A murmur spread through the crowd. Some hands rose eagerly. Others stayed lowered, and a few voices spoke up in hesitation.

A young woman, holding her child close: "Elder, I was born on this island. My children have only ever known Samosir as home. How can I leave the only life they've known?"

An old fisherman: "And what of our buffalo, our chickens, the fields we've worked so hard to grow? We cannot simply abandon them."

The elder nodded slowly, understanding the weight in their hearts. He raised his hands to calm the crowd.

Village Elder: "Then let it be so. There is no shame in staying, just as there is no shame in leaving. Those who wish to return to Nagur Village — prepare yourselves, for we shall set out at first light. Those who choose to remain here on Sahili Misir — stay, and care for this island well, for it has cared for us."

And so, the people of Nagur Village parted ways — some to stay on the island that had given them a second life, and others to return to the home their hearts had never truly left.

Chapter 7: The Long Road Home

The travelers who chose to return set out at dawn, their hearts pounding with a mixture of hope and nervousness. They walked for days, retracing the very path their parents and grandparents had once fled along in fear.

A young traveler: "Do you think Kampung Nagur will look the same, Grandmother?"

Grandmother: "I hope so, child. In my memory, it was the most beautiful place in the world."

At last, after a long and tiring journey, they reached the hills overlooking their old home. Breathless with excitement, they hurried forward — but what greeted them made every heart fall silent.

Chapter 8: Sima-sima Nalungun

Where there had once been a bustling village full of laughter, music, and the smoke of cooking fires, there was now only silence. Thick bushes and wild grass had swallowed the paths. Trees had grown where houses once stood. No voice called out to greet them. No fire burned in any hearth.

An old traveler, tears in his eyes: "This... this cannot be Kampung Nagur. Where are the roofs? Where are the children playing by the river?"

Grandmother, kneeling and touching the earth: "It is our home, child. It is only... lonely now."

One by one, the travelers wept — not loudly, but softly, the way people cry when a memory they had cherished for years finally meets reality. They remembered their wise king, their brave warriors, the friendship between Tanah Djawo, Silou, and Raya, and the golden days beneath the banyan tree.

A traveler, whispering through his tears: "Sima-sima nalungun..."

In their language, this meant "such a lonely, empty place." The words passed from lip to lip among the grieving travelers, until the whole group repeated it together, as both a mourning and a naming.

All the travelers, together: "Sima-sima nalungun."

And so, the once-joyful Kampung Nagur was given a new name — Sima-sima Nalungun, the lonely land. Over the many years that followed, as the story was told and retold by grandparents to their grandchildren, the name softened and shortened, until it became simply:

Simalungun.

To this very day, Simalungun remains the name of a regency in North Sumatra — a name born not from a battle won, nor a treasure found, but from the tears of a people who once lost their home... and never stopped loving it.

Play through the origin of the name Simalungun in this interactive game! Follow the story of Kampung Nagur, three allied kingdoms, the villagers' journey to Samosir Island, and their return that gave birth to the name "Simalungun".

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Saturday, 24 April 2021

The Story Behind Simalungun's Name — A North Sumatra Folktale