North Sumatra’s capital of Medan is the western gateway to Indonesia. Facing the Malay peninsula across the Malacca Strait, North Sulawesi is a land of great mountains, waterfalls, a vast lake, a mixture of cultural groups and plantations of rubber, tobacco, palmoil and coffee.
The province’s most interesting destination is Lake Toba, situated in the centre of the mountain range. The area of Tapanuli is the homeland of the Batak people.
The Bataks have retained many of the ancient cultural traditions due to their isolation in the high mountains and live in tribal or clan groupings. According to tradition, all Bataks are descendants of Si Raja Batak, a hero ancestor of supernatural parentage born on a holy mountain adjacent to Lake Toba. Through him the Bataks received their sacred “adat” or traditions. His sons founded the first two “marga” or clans, from which all are descended.
The highland Bataks are a group apart from the coastal Moslem Malays in the northeast and the primitive people on the Nias island who have been protected by the sea from outside influence.
Where the Bataks settled there were kings and tribal chiefs. Their dwelling places, tombs and ancient villages remain, preserved through centuries as are their traditions in spite of Western influence brought by Christian missionaries.
The center of Batak culture is Samosir island in the Toba lake.
Nias, is situated in the Indian Ocean off the south western coast is in island of 5,263 square km in size, and has a wealth of archaeological sites.
The land of the Minangkabau, West Sumatra, has a distinct culture and architecture which distinguishes it from the rest of the island.
A land of scenic beauty and tourism, Bukittinggi is in the highlands, north of the provincial capital of Padang.
Most prominent in the West Sumatra landscape are the hornshaped roofs of the houses nestled in coconut groves. The shape of the roofs, like those of the women’s headdress, are in honour of the legendary buffalo calf who won the fight against a bull and there by gave the people of West Sumatra their freedom from Javanese overlordship.
According to the legend, the West Sumatra once challenged invaders from Jaya to a bull fight and fielded a starved buffalo calf with sharp knives tied to its short horns. Mistaking the opponent’s bull for its mother, it ran to suckle and stabbed it, winning the day for West Sumatra. The name Minangkabau means triumphant buffalo.
The Minangkabau follow a community and family life based on a matrilineal system by which all inheritance passes through the womenfolk. The Moslem religion plys an important role in communities which cluster round mosques and the traditional council house.
As it is the women who own the properties, the men are known for their wanderlust and entrepreneurship. Travelling is considered a mark of success and there fore many of them are found on “Merantau” (travel) in other parts of the country. Proof of this is the many Minang or Padang restaurants, serving very spicy food, found in all major towns.
The people are hospitable and eloquent in a poetic style of speech and ceremonies and festivals are colourful occasions.
West Sumatra province comprises a broad coastal belt where the capital is situated and a hinterland range of high mountains which dip into picturesque valleys and lakes.
Padang is an hour’s flight from Jakarta and the highlands are accessible by regular bus service and taxis.
West Sumatra are cultured in music and dance and in the art of self defence called “silat” which is performed to music and has highly stylized movements.