A compelling yet controversial theory has emerged, suggesting a connection between the Pakpak people of Batak land and the enigmatic tale of the Waqwaq tribe, chronicled in the legends of ancient Arab seafarers. This legend speaks of a wondrous tree, described as so precious it surpassed any notion of a "money tree," even hyperbolically recounted as bearing human fruit.
Intriguingly, the narrative of humans sharing a profound bond with trees doesn't seem entirely foreign to the Pakpak community. Their traditions and beliefs might hold echoes of such ancient narratives. Furthermore, the Pakpak lands are renowned for their rich resources of frankincense and camphor trees, highly valuable commodities in bygone eras, adding an economic dimension to this potential link.
Linguistically, the word 'pakpak' in the Pakpak language itself carries the meaning of 'high' or 'tall'. This interpretation points towards the possibility that the naming of the tribe is deeply rooted in the geographical landscape they inhabit – the highlands or mountainous regions. Thus, the designation 'Pakpak people' could simply refer to the inhabitants of these elevated territories.
However, the exploration of the etymology of 'pakpak' doesn't end with geographical interpretations. A fascinating linguistic theory posits a connection between 'pakpak' and 'wakwak,' a term purportedly used by the inhabitants of the land of Abunawas (modern-day Iraq) in ancient times to refer to the region now known as Batak land.
Curiously, the trace of the name 'Pakpak' isn't confined to North Sumatra. We also find the name 'Fakfak' in Papua, a toponym exhibiting a striking phonetic similarity. Moreover, in the Philippines, history records a warrior named Datu Amai Pakpak or Datu Ama ni Pakpak who fiercely resisted Spanish colonization in the late 19th century.
In the annals of maritime history, particularly within Ibn Khurradadhbih's Kitab al-Masalik wa 'l-Mamalik (The Book of Roads and Kingdoms), a description of the vastness of the Indian Ocean is provided. He estimated the sea's expanse from Qulzum (the head of the Red Sea) to Waqwaq to be 4500 farsakhs.
Furthermore, he noted the distance from Qulzum to the port of Farama in the Mediterranean as 25 farsakhs. Based on meridian degree calculations, the 4500-farsakh distance to Waqwaq equated to 180 degrees, placing Waqwaq at the world's halfway point when measured from Qulzum.
Despite its fantastical descriptions and the far eastern location that casts doubt on its geographical reality, Ibn Khurradadhbih insisted that Waqwaq was a real place. He even mentioned it multiple times in his writings, describing "East China as the lands of Waqwaq, which are very rich in gold that the inhabitants use to make necklaces and chains for their dogs and monkeys. They also make woven robes of gold, and excellent ebony wood is found there in abundance." He further added that "gold and ebony are all exported from Waqwaq."
Scholars have attempted to identify the mysterious location of Waqwaq. De Goeje initially theorized that Waqwaq was Japan, although no historical evidence of a Japanese naval attack on East Africa in the 10th century was found. French scholar Gabriel Ferrand later proposed that Waqwaq might refer to Madagascar, or even Sumatra. These speculations were based on historical accounts of potential raids from the Indonesian archipelago on Madagascar and the South African coast, or the Austronesian linguistic acculturation in Madagascar.
Al-Biruni, in his 10th-century CE work Kitab al-Hind (Book on India), largely based on Sanskrit sources, mentioned a land inhabited by people born from trees and hanging from branches by their navels. From this description arises the possibility that the legend of the Waqwaq tree has roots in Sanskrit sources, and the Arab tales of Waqwaq are blurred interpretations from a time when the Indonesian archipelago was still under Hindu-Buddhist cultural influence.
The tale of the Waqwaq Tree subsequently spread westward, alongside the influx of Eastern narratives. The story appeared in one of Friar Odoric's 14th-century travel manuscripts and in a medieval French romance about Alexander the Great. The last recorded trace of the Waqwaq Tree narrative dates back to 1685, as the mysteries of the Indian Ocean began to unravel in European accounts. This mention is found in the Safinat Sulayman (The Ship of Solomon), a Persian account of a voyage to Siam (Thailand) written by an author accompanying the mission. He recounted hearing this peculiar story from a Dutch captain.
The Dutch captain narrated his voyage to China, during which they anchored in a bay of an island to escape a severe storm. On this island, they encountered inhabitants with a strange appearance, barely resembling living beings. Their legs were short, their bodies naked, and their hair exceptionally long. At night, both men and women would climb to the tops of the trees in the forest, carrying their children in their arms. Upon reaching a tree, they would tie their long hair to a branch and hang there throughout the night.
Despite the numerous manuscripts recording the existence of Waqwaq, none could definitively pinpoint its geographical location. The phonetic similarity to 'Fakfak' sparked speculation that Waqwaq might refer to the Fakfak region in West Papua. However, regardless of its true form and location, it is evident that the concept of Waqwaq has deep roots in Sanskrit Hindu texts, mentioned in the eighth century, recounted by an Arab sailor to a Chinese envoy, passed on to a French friar, and ultimately retold by a Dutch sea captain to a Persian envoy for the King of Siam. This story continues to resonate, leaving behind a mysterious trail that may extend far to the land of the Pakpak in North Sumatra.