The Minangkabau

Visiting relatives at the Minang

Western Sumatera is the habitat of about four milion Minangkabau (normally called Minang), an energic population which is known all over Indonesia for their strong relations, it's sharp mind of trading, hot kitchen and strong believe in islam. The Minang are also travellers and migrants, because of their tradition of merantau, young people trying to find their luck elsewhere, it's most like (...)

Introduction

Introduction to Sumatera Barat

Besides Danau Toba, the fertile valleys and picturesque lakes of the West Sumateran highlands are undoubtly the most impressive and most visited parts of the island. This has been the living area of the highly dynamic Minangkabau - which have spread all over Indonesia and are known for their trading spirit, kitchen and traditional lifestyle - for centuries. Sumatera Barat in fact consists of (...)

Bukit Tinggi	Cultural capital near the equator

Bukit Tinggi ('High Hill') is in the middle of the Agam Valley, one of the three valleys which form the heart of the Minangkabau. While Padang is the modern business and governmental centre, Bukit Tinggi is the cultural capital of the Minangkabau principalty. Bukit Tinggi, the biggest city in the highlands, grew from the Dutch fortress 'de Kock', which was built during the Paderi wars in 1825 (...)

Minang fabrics	Goldbrocates with tradition

Minangkabau fabrics of rich gold- and silverbrocate play an important role during events like birth, circumstantion, marriage and funeral. These sparkling and difficultly designed fabrics form a materialistic expression of the Minangkabau adat. Like a traditional proverb tells: 'Fabrics are the skins of the adat'. Women weaved these costly fabrics on a surface of silk or cotton, on which they (...)

Minang highlands	Reconnaissance of the Motherland

Just behind Padang, along the western coast of Sumatera, is a beautifull highland with mountain ranges and valleys. Fertile ricefields, impressive vulcanoes and spectaculair crater lakes take turns. The luak nan tigo or the 'three valleys', roughtly form a triangle with in the centre the holy Gunung Merapi (2891 meter), the highest and most active vulcano in the environment; this should be (...)

History	Land of rice, gold and pepper

The fertile Minangkabai highlands became the habitat of the Austronesian-speaking communities which arrived here first in Sumatera and started irrigated rice cultures. The first European visitors, like Raffles, were amazed about the high population density. About the history of Sumatera Barat before 1400, little is known, however mines in the highlands were already exporting gold since fairly (...)

Padang	Colonial harbour at the ocean shore

Padang is the provincial capital of Sumatera Barat and the main gate to the Minangkabau highlands. The city, with a population of about 500,000 people, grew about ten per cent over the last years, and it's seaport, six km south of the city, is the biggest along the western coast of Sumatera. Shipt moored here fo load rubber, cinnamon, coffee, tea, nutmeg, ratten, plywood, concrete and coasl (from (...)

Rumah gadang	Message of honesty

The unique character of the Minangkabau is illustrated in their architecture. To understand their houses, knowledge of their place on society is needed. This system is explained by the Minangkabau themselves. Traditional Minangkabau houses are called rumah gadang lit. 'big house'. They are rectangle, long structures with walls that seem to fall over in towards the points of the roofs. (...)