Pahlawan Napoleon dari Batak: Kisah Tuan Rondahaim Saragih

President of Indonesia, Prabowo Subianto, bestowed the title of National Hero to ten figures on the occasion of Heroes’ Day 2025 at the State Palace in Jakarta. The conferment was based on Presidential Decision Number 116/TK/2025 regarding the bestowing of the National Hero title. Among the ten names, one of them was the late Tuan Rondahaim Saragih from North Sumatra, who received the National Hero title in the Armed Struggle category. He was known as the “Napoleon der Bataks” or Napoleon of the Batak people, for his fight against Dutch colonialism in the Simalungun region and its surroundings in North Sumatra in the 19th century. Born in 1828 in Simandamei, Sinondang, Pamatang Raya, Tuan Rondahaim came from the noble Partuanon Raya family. In 1876, he was formally appointed as the 14th Grand King of Partuanan Raya, a traditional kingdom with significant influence in the Simalungun area. Known for his military strategy, Tuan Rondahaim succeeded in uniting various small kingdoms in Simalungun to resist Dutch colonization, including Siantar, Bandar, Sidamanik, Tanah Jawa, Pane, Raya, Purba, Silimakuta, and Dolok Silou. One of his monumental achievements in battling the colonizers was the attack and destruction of the Dutch military headquarters in Serbelawan, symbolizing the resilience and fighting spirit of the Simalungun people under his leadership. Throughout his reign, Partuanan Raya was the only kingdom in Simalungun that was never conquered by the Dutch. He was also the only king from North Sumatra who was never captured by the Dutch until his death in 1891. His consistent, firm, and indomitable attitude gave rise to a leadership style that was respected and obeyed by his people. He passed away in 1891, leading to a gradual decline in resistance against colonialism in Simalungun. Five years after his death, the Dutch returned to Partuanon Raya to compel his son, Sumayan Tuan Kapoltakan Saragih Garingging, to acknowledge Dutch authority in Simalungun. This resulted in the Dutch taking over lands in Simalungun for their plantations in 1900. In recognition of his anti-colonial efforts, President BJ Habibie honored Tuan Rondahaim with the Bintang Jasa Medal based on Presidential Decision Number 077/TK/1999 on August 13, 1999. His name was immortalized in the Tuan Rondahaim Saragih Regional General Hospital (RSUD) in Pematang Raya, North Sumatra, and a street in Pematang Siantar City bears his name.

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