By: Syamsuddin Nasution
(Chairman of DPC ASWIN Madina)
Atia mardanon Tarutung sisere (it’s Golden Durian season) which grows in the Eresis area (an area where Sisere Durian grows a lot) Tuesday 11/2/2025 is truly rich in its results. The natural wealth is greatly utilized by local residents even though it is as it is. Especially when the seasonal variety of natural products seems to be enjoyed by residents who want to participate. Currently, it is the season of golden durian (Tarutung si sere – a Mandailing term).
This Tarutung si sere variant is a natural wealth of Mandailing that has been passed down from generation to generation without any intensive planting or cultivation. However, this Tarutung season sometimes annoys the owners or residents who ask for it.
Let’s say A, B, C, D etc. (not their real names) have Tarutung si Sere on land that cannot be owned privately or grows in a forest without an owner (topak di arangan). The good thing is that they can produce Tarutung and manage it themselves which can add to their wealth.
One day, other residents (nearby communities) asked to taste Tarutung si sere, indeed they were given, instead of enjoying Tarutung si sere, they were given Tarutung sirepes/sidingkil (a durian variant with lots of stones or thin flesh).
Hoping that other residents could taste or enjoy Tarutung si sere, but what was enjoyed was limited to Tarutung si dingkil or the flesh enjoyed was around 100 mg to 200 mg. It’s sad indeed, sometimes the residents who asked to spend capital to reach the Tarutung location only got 200 mg of Tarutung or less.
It is impossible for local residents to enjoy Tarutung, and Tarutung harvesters who claim to be owners even though they do not grow it on their own land are more likely to share it with the land supervisor. The funny thing is that Tarutung developers give some of the Tarutung results to those who claim to be land owners.
It’s also the Tarutung season, the term pretending to be close (SKSD) is sometimes put forward. Claiming to be relatives or others, so are Tarutung owners/developers who are sometimes indifferent. What’s even funnier is that residents who want to enjoy Tarutung si sere never give up, they have already gotten around 100 mg but repeatedly ask to try Tarutung si sere again, but instead what they get is only a smaller amount, namely si repes (50-200 mg).
Indeed, if the Tarutung season is sometimes far from the words closeness and brotherhood? Tarutung sometimes makes relationships that have been going on for several years strained. After the Tarutung season, they realize that Tarutung is just a season.
That’s the richness of Alam Mandailing Natal, sometimes there are also Tarutung that are picked using heavy equipment (beco). There are also those that are harvested using manual chisels. Tarutung si sere is true if it is picked using beco, or manual chisels the results are really yellow Tarutung durian.
Tarutung is only enjoyed by a handful of people who dare to play. If Tarutung was managed by the regional authorities, the residents would definitely be able to enjoy it evenly. The results of Tarutung are sold and returned to the residents to be used as infrastructure or others, but after all, the developers and supervisors are the ones who enjoy it.
For example, if there are victims of the Tarutung harvest, who is responsible?, Tarutung’s self is sharp. This must be considered by the regional authorities or maybe the authorities also enjoy Tarutung si sere and finally become blind?
Madina, February 11, 2025
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