Dinamika Upacara Pasahat Tondi Ugamo Malim di Kota Medan: Negosiasi Ritual dan Ketahanan Identitas di Tengah Arus Modernitas

Abstract

This study aims to analyze the dynamics of the Pasahat Tondi ceremony within the Ugamo Malim community in Medan City as a response to modernity and urbanization. In a heterogeneous metropolitan environment, Ugamo Malim adherents face challenges in maintaining traditional rituals originally based on nature and specific geographical spaces in the Toba region. Using a descriptive qualitative method with a theological-sociological approach. The findings indicate a phenomenon of "Transposition of Sacredness," where the essence of the ritual is preserved through material negotiation, such as using water sanctified through prayer as a substitute for natural springs (mual). Furthermore, this ceremony functions as a political-cultural act to reclaim identity space and as a fortress for the ancient Batak language. The results conclude that the Parmalim community in Medan undergoes managerial and digital recontextualization of rituals to maintain the spiritual resilience of the soul (tondi), ensuring it remains relevant without losing its sacred substance amidst the urban "concrete jungle.