Speech of grieve and sorrow from Ris boru Malango in Germany!
(This speach was held directly to the familiy and guests during funeral-celebration. We used Handy-Phone and spoke into the megaphone over there)
My dear mother, sisters, brothers and all relatives, including aunts, uncles, nephews, nices and cousins. Dear neighbours, dear friends!
The message of the passing away of our beloved Father Ama ni Roma Simalango reached me during work in Germany. Thank you all for immediate calling and sending mails by relatives.
Now my grieve and sorrow is so huge. We feel so sad about his passing away. We have nearly no words for this. We can not come to our father’s funeral just in time. I am a Batak, so it is the most important duty and my highest inner desire to join my family now in these days of grieve and mourning.
We did hope so much to meet him still alive or to be with him during the big funeral celebration jsut now. I’m sure, many persons will come. Our father was not rich in money, but rich in good spirit, rich in cultural knowledge, rich in good behaviour. When he was happy and laughing, he shared his great inner happiness with us all. Father Ama ni Roma was an amazing men, a great character with very high intelligence. He had a strong mind and a strong will. Sometimes, this was not so easy for his children.
Together with his wife, my mother Nai Roma Simalango, father was always very generous, especially to visitors from other countries.
Many persons came from Netherlands, France, Swiss and Germany. Father Roma always did welcome them in their house and guide them around Sidihoni. So it happened when I came there for the first time in year 1982. He took me to a Gondang feast. At this time I started to love the culture of Batak and the friendly people from Samosir and Sidihoni.
I became Father Romas oldest daughter through adoption. I love him like my direct father from the own blood. He gave me the name: RIS. This means: One of us.
For me, it is the most sad fact that I can not be physically next to him and to my beloved family. My place is among you, my dear sisters. My place is next to his coffin. I would like to touch him the last time.
Please tell my words of “good bye” to him. I wish he will be strong fort the last journey on the way to heaven and GOD. We who are still alive, don´t know about the afterwards and about heaven. Maybe our father does meet our ancestors now.
May God bless him. And may God bless you, my family and relatives in Sidihoni. May you all be very strong and healthy.
Britta and I we will reach Sidihoni in April. Then we will pray at our familiy-grave. Like in the famous Batak-Song which I love so much, we will come too late. This hurts most. NOT to be present during funeral does nearly break my heart.
Father Ama ni Roma Simalango at a visit of my friend Werner Peipp in 2008
I hope, father got the message that we will come and spend a feast for him as he was still alive. We hope this message made him happy. He had a long life, he has very nice children and grandchildren, he has very nice sons and daughters in law. He was not rich in money, but he is rich because of you all. You keep together, you share the work, you help each other, you share the costs and you give him a Gondang for farewell and for high honour.
What you give is GREAT and makes me happy. Thank you so very much for giving this feast.
May you all return in good health. May you arrive at home with a satisfied heart. May you and your children carry the good qualities of our father in their own life and into the future.
May God bless you all and us as well.
Greetings from Ris and Britta and our families.
When I left Sidihoni after my adoption in 1989 you told me this old batak poem:
"When we look up into the sky our souls will meet in the stars " So it is !
Info: Thanks to above pictures are made by D. Lankes und M. Naibaho.
