Transformation of Batak People’s Perception and Treatment of God Mulajadi na Bolon in Different Eras

This study aims to describe the perception of the Batak Toba people and the government toward Mulajadi na Bolon. According to folklore, the God of the Batak people was named Mulajadi na Bolon and was worshipped in line with the Parmalim religion practiced before colonization entered Tapanuli, North Sumatra, Indonesia. The religious rituals of Parmalim were prohibited in the colonial era, and its adherents were called animists. Moreover, Parmalim was not recognized as a religion after independence, and its adherents were advised to identify with one of the religions recognized by the government. The trend changed in the reform era, where the Parmalim was recognized by the state, and several rituals were performed to support tourism in Lake Toba, North Sumatra, Indonesia. Therefore, this study adopted a qualitative design with a combination of literature review and field survey. The literature review focused on the historical documents, academic publications, and institutional reports related to the Batak belief system. Meanwhile, the field survey was conducted between 2016 and 2019 through direct observation and contextual analysis. The data obtained were analyzed by triangulating field results with historical references and the study to examine transformations in religious perception. This study was established on the postcolonial, power, and hegemony theories. The results showed that in each era, public perception of Mulajadi na Bolon was continuously transforming and expected to be increasingly glorified in the future.