Bataknese? Is it a must?

I just had a short visit from my Bapa Uda. Bapa uda is a term for an uncle in Bataknese custom but not related in blood as a blood-related uncle as surname-related uncle. He intended to visit my dad, who was unfortunately went to the church. He was going to HKBP, and stopped by because he missed my dad. [ahh…so sweet]

For politeness sake, I accompanied him for 15 minutes, talking in the living room about me. yeah, you read it correctly, about me. He opened the conversation about my father then my work then my kawan. Kawan is a term used to refer to a boyfriend, also in Bataknese custom.

He asked me directly whether I already has kawan. He told me specifically that I should pray to God so He can give me clues and I can, eventually, showed path to be with the one God wants me to be. I smiled as an answer, thinking that he must have been kiddin’ me??

He told me that I should try to find a man of our culture, as in Bataknese man, so I can preserve the custom and tradition of Bataknese in my future family. He shared his experience with his own daughter. He said that when his daughter was about to marry a Javanese man, he said that he had lost all hope to his daughter and asked her to rethink everything. And, surprisingly, she did. So, she broke up and found another man, this time Bataknese man. I just showed him straight face as an answer. Then I told him that I won’t survive with the culture. And he, then, started to tell all about..family closeness…bounding…etc. I rolled my eyes, can’t believe that I was hearing this from this man, who I don’t even know his name.

Anyway… just a bit surprise in this hot Sunday morning. I thought you wanna know.