Punguan as an institution for resolving disputes of the Toba Batak community in Medan

Toba Batak, famous for the nomadic nature of its people, is one of the indigenous tribes of North Sumatra that inhabits Medan. Many of them have left their hometown in North Tapanuli to seek occupations outside the agricultural sector. Those who live in Medan formed a new community. Their customs, culture, and traditions, which are their ancestral heritage, are still being practiced even outside their hometown. This community is called Punguan, which is formed based on territory and genetics. This study describes the existence of Punguan as an institution for resolving disputes of the Toba Batak community in Medan. This is legal research using a juridical normative method. Data was collected through a literature review and analyzed qualitatively. The existence of Punguan has become a social need for the people of Toba Batak, especially in Medan. In addition to functioning as a media of interaction, Punguan is also an institution for effectively resolving internal conflicts with a win-win solution. The existence of Punguan, which is the embodiment of one of the values of Pancasila, deliberation to reach consensus, is expected to be an effective alternative institution for a dispute resolution. This effort requires detailed and sensitive regulations as well as cooperation with local governments in creating derivative regulations relating to customary law institutions