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West Sumatra
The West Sumatra province, home to more than 4 million Minangkabau people, first appears in the historical record in the 14th century, when a Javanese Sumatran ruler named Adityawarman issued stone inscriptions in and around Tanahdatar. However his rule seems to have had little impact upon the agrarian society of the highlands. After his death (his last dated inscription in 1374) we hear little of his successors.
The Minang, or the Minagkabau, is an energetic people known throughout Indonesia for their matrilineal kinship, their finely honed commercial instinct, their fiery cuisine and their strong faith in Islam. They are also famous as travelers and migrants, due to the traditional practice of Merantau (young males going abroad to seek their fortune).
Now more Minang probably live outside of West Sumatra than those that remain in West Sumatra. All of them nevertheless consider these beautiful highlands-the darek-to be their homeland.
The fertile Minang highlands were originally settled by Austronesia-speaking people several thousand years ago, and this was the first area in Sumatra to develop a culture based on irrigated rice cultivation. Early European visitors like Raffles were astounded by the density of population, which they found here.
Minang legends dating from Islamic times trace the ancestry of West Sumatra’s inhabit- ants back to Sri Maharajo Dirajo (The Glorious King of Kings), a descendant of Alexander the Great whose ship sailed to Sumatra and lodged atop Mt. Marapi the volcano southeast of Bukittinggi whose summit was then the only land protruding above the sea. As the waters receded, he and his followers settled at Pariangan (Adode of the Ancestors), a village in the Tanahdatar Valley on the volcano’s southern slopes. From here they spread to the nearby valleys of Agam and Limapuluh Kota (Fifty Fortresses).
Another popular story tells of a threatened attack by a huge army from Java Greatly outnumbered, the Minang proposed a contest between two buffalo instead o a bloody-armed conflict. The Javanese agreed, and produced an enormous beast from Java. To their great surprise, the Minang brought forth a tiny calf. What the Javanese did not realize was, that the calf / had not been fed for days, and had a knife tied to its snout. The calf nuzzled the bell of the startled war buffalo, goring and killing it. The Javanese withdrew, and the Minangkabau have ever since claimed that their name derives from Minang (victorious) and Kabau (buffalo).
There may be a kernel of historical truth in the story. The Javanese did launch several attacks against Sumatra in the late 13th and 14th centuries, and ancient earthen ram- parts with names like Kota Jawa (Javanese Fort) testify to a Javanese presence.
But it seems likely that the story of the buffalo calf is apocryphal, and the name Minagkabau probably derives instead from – Pinang Kabhuan archaic expressive meaning ‘original home’.
After Lake Toba, the fertile valleys and scenic lakes of the Sumatran highlands are undoubtedly the most memorable-and also the most often visited sights on the island. This the traditional home land of the dynamic Minangkabau people who have scattered and settled throughout Indonesia and who are known far and wide for their strong business sense, their spicy hot cuisine and their old matrilineal system.
West Sumatra is actually composed of three distinct regions: a volcanic highland, a long coastal plain which is swampy in some places and cultivated in others, and a string of jungle-clad islands lying about 100 km offshore.
The province is dominated by the Bukit Barisan – two parallel ranges of mountain peaks interspersed with broad valleys and several highland lakes. Most of these mountain are still covered in a blanket of pristine Montana forest, broken in places by jagged peaks, which thrust above the tree line.
The highest peak in West Sumatra is Mt. Kerinci, a dormant volcano standing 3,800 m high (the highest in Indonesia, outside of Irian Jaya’s Mt.). a number of others rise above 2,000 m, notable smoldering Mt. Marapi (2,831 m) just to the southeast of Bukittinggi.
The largest and most spectacular lake is Maninjau – 17 km long and 8 km across which snuggles inside an ancient, steep walled crater just to the west of Bukittinggi. Another Crater Lake, Singkarak, is similar in size and lies just to the southeast of here. Both are easy to reach, and have, accommodations and facilities like water-skiing.
The central and northern highlands of the province contain several valleys which ‘have been intensively cultivated for hundreds, perhaps thousands of years, forming an ancient cultural heartland for the region. Three of these, the luau Nan Togo (‘three – valleys’), with a combined area of some 230 – square km, are the homeland of the Minangkabau – or Minang people – who have spread from these beautiful mountain valleys throughout the whole of Sumatra to. Java and even to the Malay Peninsula. This” is partly the result of a Minangkabau tradition known as merantau (going abroad to seek one’s fortune).
Minang or Padang restaurants, as they are known, are a familiar sight throughout much of the archipelago, and are even found today in many European and American cities.
One hundred km off the coast of West Sumatra lies the Mentawai Islands, which were uplifted when the Indian continental plate collided with the Sunda shelf some 80 million years as ago. The island chain Sipora, North and South Pagi, and numerous smaller ones. Most are still covered in tropical rain forest, and are fringed by un spoilt coral reefs teeming with marine life.
The large island of Siberut is noted for its exceptionally archaic culture. Until very recently the inhabitants practiced many Stone Age traditions, and even today one can find traditional uma or long houses where tattoing and elaborate rituals de- signed to please the soul of the community are held.
The Minang have fascinated generations of anthropologists an account of their unusual combination of a matrilineal family system with affirm adherence to Islam. They are in fact one of the few people in the world to have maintained a system of matrilineal kinship into modem times – one in which descent and inheritance are traced through women rather than men.
The Minang are organized into matrilineal clan groups-called suku and in each village a number of suku are represented. According to tradition, there were originally only four clans, but they became divided in the course of time and there are now approximately 23, each with its own name.
Land, houses and certain valuable goods are owned in common by a lineage, and these possessions may not be sold except under a few conditions. Male representatives of the lineage, such as the penghulu or headman, are responsible for the management of communal property, but it is the women who have the right to use and be queath it to their offspring.
Despite the fact that they are devout Muslims, few Minangkabau question the compatibility of such matrilineal traditions with those of Islam. ‘ Adat (custom) is based on syarak (Islamic law), and syarak is based on the Holy Quran,’ so they’re old traditional belief says.
Minang intellectuals and religious leaders, however, have frequently criticized the traditional matrilineal pattern of inheritance as running counter to Islamic law, which states that sons are entitled to two-thirds of their parents’ estate, and daughters only to one-third. The outcome of such debates is usually a compromise – which old ancestral property should be divided according to the matrilineal custom, while earned property should be inherited according to Islamic law. But this has so far not been put into general practice and houses are still inherited by daughters rather than sons.
The main attraction in downtown Padang is the Provincial Museum (Museum Negeri Adhityawarman) at Jl Pangeran Diponegoro 10, next to the Hotel Minang. The museum stands in a park and is built in the traditional Minang style known as Gajah Maharam. Collections include prehistoric artifacts, stamps, imported ceramics, manuscripts, modem art, and ethnographic displays of Minang and the people of the Mentawai Islands, which lie to. The west off Padang’s coast.
Kampung Cina (Chinatown), south of the central business and hotel district, where turn of the century houses line the streets are a good place to start to roam Padang. From Jl Hiligon continue south along Jl Pondok and Jl Niaga. On these streets, one can find Chinese herbalists and coffee shops.
At the southern end of Jl Niaga, turn right (west) along the river through the Muara district, past the old colonial water front where small cargo vessels still dock. Hand-paddled ferries cross the sluggish Batang Arau River from here, which are full of small boats and a sight in itself. On the other side one can follow a footpath the Chinese cemetery up on the hillside, where there is a splendid view of the waterfront and the city. The hill, called Bukit Monyet (Monkey Hill) used to be a favorite subject of 19th-century artists.
To the west, standing guard at the mouth of the Batang Arau and overlooking the sea is a perfectly formed hill known as Gunung Padang. A path leads up to Siti Nurbaya park at the top (named after the heroine of an early Indonesian novel), where one can find the remains of an old bunker and the Dutch trigonometrically point for all early surveys of West Sumatra. Near the base of the hill is a World War II cannon, which still points across the harbor entrance. From Padang Hill, a path leads south about-4 km and an hour’s walk along the coast to the area’s most popular beach, Air Manis.
Bungus is another small village 23 km south of Padang – some 43 minutes by bemo situated on a lovely bay with calm water and a good beach, a section of which has been made into a resort.
From Bungus one can hire a small outrigger to visit the coral islands, which lie an hour offshore. All the islands have some shade, but at high tide there is often just a narrow fringe of sand left between the water and the rocks.
Another good beach is Pasir Jambak, which lies north of Padang past the airport. To get there, take a bemo, ‘or watch for the signboard saying ‘Pasir Jambak’ about 2 km past the airport, where you take a left. From their walk the last km from the entry gate to the beach and a small entrance fee is charged.
Bukittinggi lies at the center of the Agam valley – one of three valleys which although less than a degree south of the equator, Bukittinggi has a cool climate due to its elevation – 900 meters above sea level.
It rains frequently, but many tourists nevertheless find this to be the most hospitable city in Sumatra everything is within walking distance, food and lodging is good, there are lots to see and the residents are very friendly.
The principal landmark of Bukittinggi is Jam Gadang (The Great Clock) – a clock tower with a miniature Minang house overlooking the main square. On Saturdays and Sundays, the lively Pasar Atas central market next-door spills out into the streets. All kinds of fruits, vegetables, spices and meats (except pork) are sold in open-air stands run by assertive Minang ladies.
From here walk up Bukittinggi’s main street, Jalan Ahmad Yani, which is lined with antique and souvenir shops, restaurants and offices. Two unique stair-streets lead down from here to the right, to Jl Cinduamato, and are lined with more souvenir shops.
To get a good view of the town and the surrounding area, climb up Jl Cinduamato to Taman Bundo Kanduang, a park at the top of the hill. The name of the park refers to the legendary ‘Great Mother’ symbolic of the matrilineal Minang. The zoo is crowded on Sundays, when it is the principal place in town to see and be seen, however, the animals are kept in rather miserable conditions.
Bukittinggi formerly was called Fort de Kock, after the Dutch fortification erected at the edge of a steep-sided ridge here in 1823. Stone ruins and a few cannon are all that is left of the fort, known locally as the benteng.
Another breathtaking panorama is on the southwestern edge of Bukittinggi, which skirts the lovely Ngarai Sianok Canyon, part of a tectonic rift valley, running the entire length of the island; this canyon has sheer walls and a flat bottom, and offers a haunting early morning spectacle. A look out point known as Panorama Park overlooks the canyon and is a popular spot with locals who come to stroll in the afternoon air.
A path leads down into the canyon, past Japanese-bulit tunnels under the park. One can explore these tunnels, but a flashlight and guide are essential. Kota Gadang is a village of silversmiths a few km from Bukittinggi across the Sianok Canyon. Walk one km down into the canyon, turn left and cross a small bridge over the river, and follow the trail up a long flight of steps. The specialty here is delicate silver filigree.
The ancient homeland of the Minangkabau the luak nan tigo or ‘three valleys’ of western central Sumatra – is an incredibly beautiful region of lush rice fields, towering volcanoes and spectacular crater lakes.
To the south and east of the volcano is Tanahdatar (Level Land), with its focus around the town of Batusangkar. This is wher the royal Minang court was located from the 14th to 19th centuries. Ancient tombs, inscriptions, palace sites, megalithic stones and other remains dot the area. Tanahdatar was renowned for its gold and iron mines in former times. The Agam valley lies to the north and west of Merapi, centering around town of Bukittinggi.
The third and most fertile of the valleys is known as Limapuluh Kota, lies to the east around the large town of Payakumbuh. Megalithic remains abound here, and it is thought that this may in fact have been the earliest of the valleys to be settled.
Although the culture and language in all three valleys is the same, each is unique from the standpoint of both history and of scenic beauty.
West Sumatra’s most famous sight is undoubtedly Lake Maninjau (To Look Out Across) a lake set inside an ancient crater that is 17 km long and 8 km wide, surrounded on all sides by steep, 600 m jungle clad walls. Maninjau’s spectacular scenery rivals that of Toba, though on a smaller scale.
The lake shimmers on windless days and its transparent waters teem with fish, which swim to the surface at the drop of a crumb. This is the ideal place to relax and enjoy the tranquility of nature. The swimming is good, pleasant walks through picturesque villages and dense forests, with adequate facilities that include several hotels, restaurants, boats and even water skiing.
The 2-hour journey to the lake is a wonderful experience in itself. Take the main road south from Bukittinggi for 3 km then turn right (west) at a clearly marked crossing. This road skirts the foot of Bukit Kapanasan, passes the small town of Matur, and then crosses a lush valley before climbing up the crater’s rim to Embun Pagi (Morning Dew).
Puncak Lalvang is another, higher lockout point north of Embun Pagi. The steeply descending track down from Lawang passes through forests, coffee plantations and village gardens before meeting the lakeshore road. Allow 2 to 3 hours for the descent.
Small boats leave from Maninjau, ferrying villagers around the shores of the lake. This is the best way to sightsee, stopping at various villages along the way. A small road also skirts the northern lakeshore via the villages of Bayor and Kotakecil to Mukomuko, on the opposite (western) shore. A river cuts west through the crater wall here-and drains the lake; there is a hydroelectric project and a hot spring nearby.
A rough track also leads from Maninjau to Mukomuko around the lake’s southern perimeter. From here, the main road continues west down to the Indian Ocean at Tkiu, where it is possible to travel down the coast to Pariaman and Padang. For a round-trip with a full day at the lake, allow 3-4 days.
The renowned weaving village of Pandai Sikat (or Sikek – the name literally means (‘Weavers’) lies just 12 km (about 20 minutes) south of Bukittinggi.
To get there from Bukittinggi, turn off the main road to the right (west)at Kotabaru and follow a small side road for 1 km. Young men sit by the side of the street carving decorative murals and furniture, while girls weave the traditional gold and silk songket on large shuttle looms to supplement the family income.
The dormant cone of Mount Singgalang (2.887 m)towers to the west of Pandai Sikat. It is an easy 4-hour climb to the top a long a well trodden trail from a TV relay station that is visible from the village. Get an early start, in order to get to the top while it is still clear. Descend along the same path, or via a track leading north to Kotatua, on the Maninjau road.
It is also possible to climb Mount Merapi from here (register first at the police station in Kotabaru), however the ascent is treacherous and is better attempted from the southern flank.
From Bukittinggi, travel south to Padangpanjang, then turn east (left). The road passes villages with fine examples of traditional architecture. Don’t miss the large wooden surau or men’s house at Batipuh, constructed in the aristocratic Kota Piliang style.
Just after Batipuh, turn off to the left (northeast) in the direction of Batusangkar. The road here skirts the southern flanks of Mt. Merapi, and after about 3 km a small track to the left (north) scrambles up the steep volcanic slopes to the traditional village of Pariangan, 830 meters above sea level.
One km further from Pariangan is a field called sawah gadang setampang baniah the ‘great paddy of the seeds’. According to tradition, this was the first cultivated field in West Sumatra, and all rice grown in the area is said to have come from a single sheaf of seedlings.
On the way back, just before reaching the main road, stop in the village of Tabek to see several examples of old Minang architecture. The council hall (balai adat) is believed to be the oldest building in West Sumatra.
Seven km further east one enters the village of Dusun Tuo (Old Village). Here, on the north (left) side of the road in an enclosure; is the ancient batu batikam – a ‘pierced stone’ on an altar like structure surrounded by stone ancestor seats. According to legend the stone was pierced in a battle between two powerful Minang chiefs, Datuk Ketumanggungan and Datuk Perpatih Nan Sabatang. The site has been faithfully restored. Some anthropologists have suggested that the pierced stone is a female symbol, and a might have been used in religious ceremonies. Nearby are traces of terraces, suggesting that the site once contained more structures.
A further km east is the village of Limo Kaum (Five Clans). In a low shed here are three large standing stones and several other stone object including a mortar and an inscription collectively known as the Kubu Rajo. The name Kubu Rajo may be interpreted as ‘Raja’s fort or “Raja’s grave’.
Another section of the site contains a number of stones set up on small terraces. One of them once bore an inscription issued by the 14th century ruler Adityavarman, in which he compared himself to a heavenly wish granting tree or kalpataru a motif often sculpted on ancient temples in Java.
Limo Kaum also contains good examples of Minang architecture, all within walking distance. The mosque is especially ramous, built in the early Sumatra Islamic style with a five storied roof supported by 121 huge wooden pillars, with a large pool beside.
From Limo Kaum, proceed another 6 km east to Batusangkar, the largest town in the Tanahdatar area and the site of an early Dutch fortification, Fort van der Capellen, built in 1821 during the Paderi Wars. The council hall (balai adat) at the southeastern comer of the town square is built in traditional Minang style, ornately carved with designs found in local textiles.
Little can be seen of the Old Dutch fort (now the town’s police station), and the most vivid reminder of the colonial presence, is the house of the former district chief, now the residence of the bupati, across the road from the council hall. In front of the bupati’s house is a collection of bits and pieces from the past.
Beyond Batusangkar, visitors may make a small circuit of several important historic sites east of the town. Proceeding in a clock wise direction, thus leaving Batusangkar by the northeast one arrives first at Pagarruyung a small village 3 km away which may be reached on foot, bemo or horse drawn bendi this was the site of the palace of the last Raja Alam of the Minangkabau, Sultan Arifin Muning Alam Syah. In 1815 the extremist Paderi movement attacked the royal family and massacred all but the sultan and one of his grand children.
No trace of the palace remains, but visitors may see several 14th century inscription and other stones collected here. The inscriptions are probably from Bukit Gombak, further to the south, where other 14th century inscriptions have also been found at a place called Batu Basurat (literally Inscribed Stone).
Following the road south along the banks of the Selo River, the next important village is Gudam. A Muslim graveyard here contains unique tomb stones with designs featuring a Kris in a belt and other more characteristic Minangkabau shapes. According to tradition, the stones mark the burial places of Pagaruyung nobles. In nearby Padang Magek, however, similar stones with ornate decoration are said to have marked out a course for traditional horse racing ceremonies. Such races were still held in recent times, and probably date back to the pre-Islamic period.
Further along, at Padang Seminyak, is the famous Balai Janggo the recently reconstructed palace of the Minangkabau ruler. A fire destroyed the old palace in 1976, but six years of construction have restored its former magnificence.
In front of the palace stand two rice storage barns (rankiang). Behind is the royal bathing pool and a path that leads to the royal hunting grounds.
From here the road crosses the Selo River, skirts the foot of Gombak Hill and returns to Batusangkar thus completing the basic Tanahdatar tour. Rather than retracing the same route back to Bukittinggi, however, follow a scenic back road over a pass between Mts. Merapi and Malintang, through the traditional villages of Raorao and Tabatpatah. From atop a ridge after Tabatpatah, on the other side of the pass, one has a sweeping panorama of the entire Limapuluh Kota area on a clear day including Payakumbuh and the Harau Canyon, with shimmering rice fields and hazy mountains in the distance.
Those with more time to spend will want to go south from Tanahdatar to Lake Singkarak a crater lake similar in size and scenic beauty to Maninjau. From Batusangkar, a side road serviced by bemo climbs up over the low crater wall and down to the lake, passing through the charming hilltop of Balimbing (the name means ‘star fruit’) a traditional place with several rumah gadang, some said to be 300 years old and built without a single nail.
The road meets the shore of the lake at the town of Umbilin, where hotels and restaurants provide a convenient stopping over point. It is not as peaceful as Maninjau, due to the traffic, but boats can be rented and it is still a good place for swimming, hiking and just lazing about.
The road leads to a remote hill tope village known as Sulitair (‘Scarce Water’), where there is a huge, 64 meter rumah gadang containing 20 individual apartments, occupied by just 4 families. Reminiscent of a Dayak longhouse, it is considered by local residents to represent the last material vestige of their ancestral adat young men returning home from the rantau must re-acquaint themselves with local customs by living in the rumah gadang, prior to marrying one of the village’s pretty maidens.
The broad and fertile valley known as Limapuluh Kota (the Fifty Fortified Villages) spreads out at the northern foot of Mt. Malintang (2,262 m). the largest town here is Payakumbuh, an administrative and market center 33 km east of Bukittinggi. The entire valley is intensely cultivated, and is scattered with scores of large megalithic stones that were mysteriously arranged and carved by an unknown prehistoric people. These remains suggest that Limapuluh Kota may have been where the first ancestors of Minang lived.
A small side road follows the river, arriving after 13 km at the village of Guguk. On the right side of the road here is the old village council house or balai adat, and in an adjacent open space stand a number of megaliths the tallest measuring 2.73 m.
In addition to the council house site, many more stones are found scattered throughout the village. Many more menhirs and stone objects can be found to the south of Guguk around Kuranji and Sungai Talang, a well as to the northwest in the villages of Balubus (13 km from Payakumbuh), Limbanang (20 km) and Suliki (26 km). The later three lie along the same road and can be visited in a few hours.
From Limbanang, a track to the right leads up into a remote, bowl-shaped valley known as Mahat. The valley is about 3 km in diameter and is ringed by steep-walled mountains where hundreds if not thousands of fascinating megaliths are found, including some of the most interesting carved menhirs in West Sumatra.
During the colonial period, the Dutch were drawn by the valley’s natural beauty and historic interest and built a government rest house here.
Limapuluh Kota’s most famous attraction lies 14 km northeast of Payakumbuh, just off the main highway lading to Pekanbaru in neighboring Riau Province. This is the stunning Harau Canyon a broad geological cleft whose 100 m granite walls enclose a lush 313 ha nature reserve where one can trek through dense rainforest, splash round in delightfully cool water, and spot monkeys, butterflies and birds.
To get there, take the main highway from Payakumbuh II km north to the village of Lamaksaru and turn left; the reserve is 3 km in. Snacks and drinks are sold at stalls, but bring your own food if you want something substantial. There is a small admission fee.
On your way back, detour a further 3 km north on the main road to Kotabaru, where excellent Minangkabau songket is woven. From here, one can also continue north on a much longer detour (4 hours each way) across the border with Riau to the ancient remains of Muara Takus. Here, in a clearing in the jungle, stands the largest ancient brick building in Sumatra a tall stupa flanked by the ruins of several other brick sanctuaries.
The stupa has the unusual form of a tower rather than the squat bell shape normally associated with Buddhist architecture. This brick and sandstone stupa, known as Candi Mahligai, was restored in the 1980s and the new exterior completely en caves the earlier building.
Several other foundations can be seen nearby. To the west is Candi Bungsu, a platform on which stood two more stupas, and to the north is Candi Tua originally the largest structure of all, with two stairways leading up to yet another stupa. The temples are surrounded by brick walls 74 m long on each side. An eastern rampart more than 2 km long surrounds the complex, but only three sides are distinguishable.
The mysterious site lies in a remote area, yet it must have been important for the elaborateness of the ruins indicate that a sizable population once lived here. There is no record of any kingdom in this area, but short inscriptions found among the ruins point to a date in the 11th and 12th century AD. A legend describes the site as the burial place of a Hindu ruler who was turned into BR elephant, and wild elephants are said to return to the site on the night of every full moon to dance in homage of their departed lord.
The Minang, or the Minagkabau, is an energetic people known throughout Indonesia for their matrilineal kinship, their finely honed commercial instinct, their fiery cuisine and their strong faith in Islam. They are also famous as travelers and migrants, due to the traditional practice of Merantau (young males going abroad to seek their fortune).
Now more Minang probably live outside of West Sumatra than those that remain in West Sumatra. All of them nevertheless consider these beautiful highlands-the darek-to be their homeland.
The fertile Minang highlands were originally settled by Austronesia-speaking people several thousand years ago, and this was the first area in Sumatra to develop a culture based on irrigated rice cultivation. Early European visitors like Raffles were astounded by the density of population, which they found here.
Minang legends dating from Islamic times trace the ancestry of West Sumatra’s inhabit- ants back to Sri Maharajo Dirajo (The Glorious King of Kings), a descendant of Alexander the Great whose ship sailed to Sumatra and lodged atop Mt. Marapi the volcano southeast of Bukittinggi whose summit was then the only land protruding above the sea. As the waters receded, he and his followers settled at Pariangan (Adode of the Ancestors), a village in the Tanahdatar Valley on the volcano’s southern slopes. From here they spread to the nearby valleys of Agam and Limapuluh Kota (Fifty Fortresses).
Another popular story tells of a threatened attack by a huge army from Java Greatly outnumbered, the Minang proposed a contest between two buffalo instead o a bloody-armed conflict. The Javanese agreed, and produced an enormous beast from Java. To their great surprise, the Minang brought forth a tiny calf. What the Javanese did not realize was, that the calf / had not been fed for days, and had a knife tied to its snout. The calf nuzzled the bell of the startled war buffalo, goring and killing it. The Javanese withdrew, and the Minangkabau have ever since claimed that their name derives from Minang (victorious) and Kabau (buffalo).
There may be a kernel of historical truth in the story. The Javanese did launch several attacks against Sumatra in the late 13th and 14th centuries, and ancient earthen ram- parts with names like Kota Jawa (Javanese Fort) testify to a Javanese presence.
But it seems likely that the story of the buffalo calf is apocryphal, and the name Minagkabau probably derives instead from – Pinang Kabhuan archaic expressive meaning ‘original home’.
After Lake Toba, the fertile valleys and scenic lakes of the Sumatran highlands are undoubtedly the most memorable-and also the most often visited sights on the island. This the traditional home land of the dynamic Minangkabau people who have scattered and settled throughout Indonesia and who are known far and wide for their strong business sense, their spicy hot cuisine and their old matrilineal system.
West Sumatra is actually composed of three distinct regions: a volcanic highland, a long coastal plain which is swampy in some places and cultivated in others, and a string of jungle-clad islands lying about 100 km offshore.
The province is dominated by the Bukit Barisan – two parallel ranges of mountain peaks interspersed with broad valleys and several highland lakes. Most of these mountain are still covered in a blanket of pristine Montana forest, broken in places by jagged peaks, which thrust above the tree line.
The highest peak in West Sumatra is Mt. Kerinci, a dormant volcano standing 3,800 m high (the highest in Indonesia, outside of Irian Jaya’s Mt.). a number of others rise above 2,000 m, notable smoldering Mt. Marapi (2,831 m) just to the southeast of Bukittinggi.
The largest and most spectacular lake is Maninjau – 17 km long and 8 km across which snuggles inside an ancient, steep walled crater just to the west of Bukittinggi. Another Crater Lake, Singkarak, is similar in size and lies just to the southeast of here. Both are easy to reach, and have, accommodations and facilities like water-skiing.
The central and northern highlands of the province contain several valleys which ‘have been intensively cultivated for hundreds, perhaps thousands of years, forming an ancient cultural heartland for the region. Three of these, the luau Nan Togo (‘three – valleys’), with a combined area of some 230 – square km, are the homeland of the Minangkabau – or Minang people – who have spread from these beautiful mountain valleys throughout the whole of Sumatra to. Java and even to the Malay Peninsula. This” is partly the result of a Minangkabau tradition known as merantau (going abroad to seek one’s fortune).
Minang or Padang restaurants, as they are known, are a familiar sight throughout much of the archipelago, and are even found today in many European and American cities.
One hundred km off the coast of West Sumatra lies the Mentawai Islands, which were uplifted when the Indian continental plate collided with the Sunda shelf some 80 million years as ago. The island chain Sipora, North and South Pagi, and numerous smaller ones. Most are still covered in tropical rain forest, and are fringed by un spoilt coral reefs teeming with marine life.
The large island of Siberut is noted for its exceptionally archaic culture. Until very recently the inhabitants practiced many Stone Age traditions, and even today one can find traditional uma or long houses where tattoing and elaborate rituals de- signed to please the soul of the community are held.
The Minang have fascinated generations of anthropologists an account of their unusual combination of a matrilineal family system with affirm adherence to Islam. They are in fact one of the few people in the world to have maintained a system of matrilineal kinship into modem times – one in which descent and inheritance are traced through women rather than men.
The Minang are organized into matrilineal clan groups-called suku and in each village a number of suku are represented. According to tradition, there were originally only four clans, but they became divided in the course of time and there are now approximately 23, each with its own name.
Land, houses and certain valuable goods are owned in common by a lineage, and these possessions may not be sold except under a few conditions. Male representatives of the lineage, such as the penghulu or headman, are responsible for the management of communal property, but it is the women who have the right to use and be queath it to their offspring.
Despite the fact that they are devout Muslims, few Minangkabau question the compatibility of such matrilineal traditions with those of Islam. ‘ Adat (custom) is based on syarak (Islamic law), and syarak is based on the Holy Quran,’ so they’re old traditional belief says.
Minang intellectuals and religious leaders, however, have frequently criticized the traditional matrilineal pattern of inheritance as running counter to Islamic law, which states that sons are entitled to two-thirds of their parents’ estate, and daughters only to one-third. The outcome of such debates is usually a compromise – which old ancestral property should be divided according to the matrilineal custom, while earned property should be inherited according to Islamic law. But this has so far not been put into general practice and houses are still inherited by daughters rather than sons.
- PADANG : GATEWAY TO MINANG LAND
The main attraction in downtown Padang is the Provincial Museum (Museum Negeri Adhityawarman) at Jl Pangeran Diponegoro 10, next to the Hotel Minang. The museum stands in a park and is built in the traditional Minang style known as Gajah Maharam. Collections include prehistoric artifacts, stamps, imported ceramics, manuscripts, modem art, and ethnographic displays of Minang and the people of the Mentawai Islands, which lie to. The west off Padang’s coast.
Kampung Cina (Chinatown), south of the central business and hotel district, where turn of the century houses line the streets are a good place to start to roam Padang. From Jl Hiligon continue south along Jl Pondok and Jl Niaga. On these streets, one can find Chinese herbalists and coffee shops.
At the southern end of Jl Niaga, turn right (west) along the river through the Muara district, past the old colonial water front where small cargo vessels still dock. Hand-paddled ferries cross the sluggish Batang Arau River from here, which are full of small boats and a sight in itself. On the other side one can follow a footpath the Chinese cemetery up on the hillside, where there is a splendid view of the waterfront and the city. The hill, called Bukit Monyet (Monkey Hill) used to be a favorite subject of 19th-century artists.
To the west, standing guard at the mouth of the Batang Arau and overlooking the sea is a perfectly formed hill known as Gunung Padang. A path leads up to Siti Nurbaya park at the top (named after the heroine of an early Indonesian novel), where one can find the remains of an old bunker and the Dutch trigonometrically point for all early surveys of West Sumatra. Near the base of the hill is a World War II cannon, which still points across the harbor entrance. From Padang Hill, a path leads south about-4 km and an hour’s walk along the coast to the area’s most popular beach, Air Manis.
Bungus is another small village 23 km south of Padang – some 43 minutes by bemo situated on a lovely bay with calm water and a good beach, a section of which has been made into a resort.
From Bungus one can hire a small outrigger to visit the coral islands, which lie an hour offshore. All the islands have some shade, but at high tide there is often just a narrow fringe of sand left between the water and the rocks.
Another good beach is Pasir Jambak, which lies north of Padang past the airport. To get there, take a bemo, ‘or watch for the signboard saying ‘Pasir Jambak’ about 2 km past the airport, where you take a left. From their walk the last km from the entry gate to the beach and a small entrance fee is charged.
- BUKIT TINGGI
Bukittinggi lies at the center of the Agam valley – one of three valleys which although less than a degree south of the equator, Bukittinggi has a cool climate due to its elevation – 900 meters above sea level.It rains frequently, but many tourists nevertheless find this to be the most hospitable city in Sumatra everything is within walking distance, food and lodging is good, there are lots to see and the residents are very friendly.
The principal landmark of Bukittinggi is Jam Gadang (The Great Clock) – a clock tower with a miniature Minang house overlooking the main square. On Saturdays and Sundays, the lively Pasar Atas central market next-door spills out into the streets. All kinds of fruits, vegetables, spices and meats (except pork) are sold in open-air stands run by assertive Minang ladies.
From here walk up Bukittinggi’s main street, Jalan Ahmad Yani, which is lined with antique and souvenir shops, restaurants and offices. Two unique stair-streets lead down from here to the right, to Jl Cinduamato, and are lined with more souvenir shops.
To get a good view of the town and the surrounding area, climb up Jl Cinduamato to Taman Bundo Kanduang, a park at the top of the hill. The name of the park refers to the legendary ‘Great Mother’ symbolic of the matrilineal Minang. The zoo is crowded on Sundays, when it is the principal place in town to see and be seen, however, the animals are kept in rather miserable conditions.
Bukittinggi formerly was called Fort de Kock, after the Dutch fortification erected at the edge of a steep-sided ridge here in 1823. Stone ruins and a few cannon are all that is left of the fort, known locally as the benteng.
Another breathtaking panorama is on the southwestern edge of Bukittinggi, which skirts the lovely Ngarai Sianok Canyon, part of a tectonic rift valley, running the entire length of the island; this canyon has sheer walls and a flat bottom, and offers a haunting early morning spectacle. A look out point known as Panorama Park overlooks the canyon and is a popular spot with locals who come to stroll in the afternoon air.
A path leads down into the canyon, past Japanese-bulit tunnels under the park. One can explore these tunnels, but a flashlight and guide are essential. Kota Gadang is a village of silversmiths a few km from Bukittinggi across the Sianok Canyon. Walk one km down into the canyon, turn left and cross a small bridge over the river, and follow the trail up a long flight of steps. The specialty here is delicate silver filigree.
The ancient homeland of the Minangkabau the luak nan tigo or ‘three valleys’ of western central Sumatra – is an incredibly beautiful region of lush rice fields, towering volcanoes and spectacular crater lakes.
To the south and east of the volcano is Tanahdatar (Level Land), with its focus around the town of Batusangkar. This is wher the royal Minang court was located from the 14th to 19th centuries. Ancient tombs, inscriptions, palace sites, megalithic stones and other remains dot the area. Tanahdatar was renowned for its gold and iron mines in former times. The Agam valley lies to the north and west of Merapi, centering around town of Bukittinggi.
The third and most fertile of the valleys is known as Limapuluh Kota, lies to the east around the large town of Payakumbuh. Megalithic remains abound here, and it is thought that this may in fact have been the earliest of the valleys to be settled.
Although the culture and language in all three valleys is the same, each is unique from the standpoint of both history and of scenic beauty.
- LAKE MANINJAU
West Sumatra’s most famous sight is undoubtedly Lake Maninjau (To Look Out Across) a lake set inside an ancient crater that is 17 km long and 8 km wide, surrounded on all sides by steep, 600 m jungle clad walls. Maninjau’s spectacular scenery rivals that of Toba, though on a smaller scale.The lake shimmers on windless days and its transparent waters teem with fish, which swim to the surface at the drop of a crumb. This is the ideal place to relax and enjoy the tranquility of nature. The swimming is good, pleasant walks through picturesque villages and dense forests, with adequate facilities that include several hotels, restaurants, boats and even water skiing.
The 2-hour journey to the lake is a wonderful experience in itself. Take the main road south from Bukittinggi for 3 km then turn right (west) at a clearly marked crossing. This road skirts the foot of Bukit Kapanasan, passes the small town of Matur, and then crosses a lush valley before climbing up the crater’s rim to Embun Pagi (Morning Dew).
Puncak Lalvang is another, higher lockout point north of Embun Pagi. The steeply descending track down from Lawang passes through forests, coffee plantations and village gardens before meeting the lakeshore road. Allow 2 to 3 hours for the descent.
Small boats leave from Maninjau, ferrying villagers around the shores of the lake. This is the best way to sightsee, stopping at various villages along the way. A small road also skirts the northern lakeshore via the villages of Bayor and Kotakecil to Mukomuko, on the opposite (western) shore. A river cuts west through the crater wall here-and drains the lake; there is a hydroelectric project and a hot spring nearby.
A rough track also leads from Maninjau to Mukomuko around the lake’s southern perimeter. From here, the main road continues west down to the Indian Ocean at Tkiu, where it is possible to travel down the coast to Pariaman and Padang. For a round-trip with a full day at the lake, allow 3-4 days.
The renowned weaving village of Pandai Sikat (or Sikek – the name literally means (‘Weavers’) lies just 12 km (about 20 minutes) south of Bukittinggi.
To get there from Bukittinggi, turn off the main road to the right (west)at Kotabaru and follow a small side road for 1 km. Young men sit by the side of the street carving decorative murals and furniture, while girls weave the traditional gold and silk songket on large shuttle looms to supplement the family income.
The dormant cone of Mount Singgalang (2.887 m)towers to the west of Pandai Sikat. It is an easy 4-hour climb to the top a long a well trodden trail from a TV relay station that is visible from the village. Get an early start, in order to get to the top while it is still clear. Descend along the same path, or via a track leading north to Kotatua, on the Maninjau road.
It is also possible to climb Mount Merapi from here (register first at the police station in Kotabaru), however the ascent is treacherous and is better attempted from the southern flank.
From Bukittinggi, travel south to Padangpanjang, then turn east (left). The road passes villages with fine examples of traditional architecture. Don’t miss the large wooden surau or men’s house at Batipuh, constructed in the aristocratic Kota Piliang style.
Just after Batipuh, turn off to the left (northeast) in the direction of Batusangkar. The road here skirts the southern flanks of Mt. Merapi, and after about 3 km a small track to the left (north) scrambles up the steep volcanic slopes to the traditional village of Pariangan, 830 meters above sea level.
One km further from Pariangan is a field called sawah gadang setampang baniah the ‘great paddy of the seeds’. According to tradition, this was the first cultivated field in West Sumatra, and all rice grown in the area is said to have come from a single sheaf of seedlings.
On the way back, just before reaching the main road, stop in the village of Tabek to see several examples of old Minang architecture. The council hall (balai adat) is believed to be the oldest building in West Sumatra.
Seven km further east one enters the village of Dusun Tuo (Old Village). Here, on the north (left) side of the road in an enclosure; is the ancient batu batikam – a ‘pierced stone’ on an altar like structure surrounded by stone ancestor seats. According to legend the stone was pierced in a battle between two powerful Minang chiefs, Datuk Ketumanggungan and Datuk Perpatih Nan Sabatang. The site has been faithfully restored. Some anthropologists have suggested that the pierced stone is a female symbol, and a might have been used in religious ceremonies. Nearby are traces of terraces, suggesting that the site once contained more structures.
A further km east is the village of Limo Kaum (Five Clans). In a low shed here are three large standing stones and several other stone object including a mortar and an inscription collectively known as the Kubu Rajo. The name Kubu Rajo may be interpreted as ‘Raja’s fort or “Raja’s grave’.
Another section of the site contains a number of stones set up on small terraces. One of them once bore an inscription issued by the 14th century ruler Adityavarman, in which he compared himself to a heavenly wish granting tree or kalpataru a motif often sculpted on ancient temples in Java.
Limo Kaum also contains good examples of Minang architecture, all within walking distance. The mosque is especially ramous, built in the early Sumatra Islamic style with a five storied roof supported by 121 huge wooden pillars, with a large pool beside.
From Limo Kaum, proceed another 6 km east to Batusangkar, the largest town in the Tanahdatar area and the site of an early Dutch fortification, Fort van der Capellen, built in 1821 during the Paderi Wars. The council hall (balai adat) at the southeastern comer of the town square is built in traditional Minang style, ornately carved with designs found in local textiles.
Little can be seen of the Old Dutch fort (now the town’s police station), and the most vivid reminder of the colonial presence, is the house of the former district chief, now the residence of the bupati, across the road from the council hall. In front of the bupati’s house is a collection of bits and pieces from the past.
Beyond Batusangkar, visitors may make a small circuit of several important historic sites east of the town. Proceeding in a clock wise direction, thus leaving Batusangkar by the northeast one arrives first at Pagarruyung a small village 3 km away which may be reached on foot, bemo or horse drawn bendi this was the site of the palace of the last Raja Alam of the Minangkabau, Sultan Arifin Muning Alam Syah. In 1815 the extremist Paderi movement attacked the royal family and massacred all but the sultan and one of his grand children.
No trace of the palace remains, but visitors may see several 14th century inscription and other stones collected here. The inscriptions are probably from Bukit Gombak, further to the south, where other 14th century inscriptions have also been found at a place called Batu Basurat (literally Inscribed Stone).
Following the road south along the banks of the Selo River, the next important village is Gudam. A Muslim graveyard here contains unique tomb stones with designs featuring a Kris in a belt and other more characteristic Minangkabau shapes. According to tradition, the stones mark the burial places of Pagaruyung nobles. In nearby Padang Magek, however, similar stones with ornate decoration are said to have marked out a course for traditional horse racing ceremonies. Such races were still held in recent times, and probably date back to the pre-Islamic period.
Further along, at Padang Seminyak, is the famous Balai Janggo the recently reconstructed palace of the Minangkabau ruler. A fire destroyed the old palace in 1976, but six years of construction have restored its former magnificence.
In front of the palace stand two rice storage barns (rankiang). Behind is the royal bathing pool and a path that leads to the royal hunting grounds.
From here the road crosses the Selo River, skirts the foot of Gombak Hill and returns to Batusangkar thus completing the basic Tanahdatar tour. Rather than retracing the same route back to Bukittinggi, however, follow a scenic back road over a pass between Mts. Merapi and Malintang, through the traditional villages of Raorao and Tabatpatah. From atop a ridge after Tabatpatah, on the other side of the pass, one has a sweeping panorama of the entire Limapuluh Kota area on a clear day including Payakumbuh and the Harau Canyon, with shimmering rice fields and hazy mountains in the distance.
Those with more time to spend will want to go south from Tanahdatar to Lake Singkarak a crater lake similar in size and scenic beauty to Maninjau. From Batusangkar, a side road serviced by bemo climbs up over the low crater wall and down to the lake, passing through the charming hilltop of Balimbing (the name means ‘star fruit’) a traditional place with several rumah gadang, some said to be 300 years old and built without a single nail.
The road meets the shore of the lake at the town of Umbilin, where hotels and restaurants provide a convenient stopping over point. It is not as peaceful as Maninjau, due to the traffic, but boats can be rented and it is still a good place for swimming, hiking and just lazing about.
The road leads to a remote hill tope village known as Sulitair (‘Scarce Water’), where there is a huge, 64 meter rumah gadang containing 20 individual apartments, occupied by just 4 families. Reminiscent of a Dayak longhouse, it is considered by local residents to represent the last material vestige of their ancestral adat young men returning home from the rantau must re-acquaint themselves with local customs by living in the rumah gadang, prior to marrying one of the village’s pretty maidens.
The broad and fertile valley known as Limapuluh Kota (the Fifty Fortified Villages) spreads out at the northern foot of Mt. Malintang (2,262 m). the largest town here is Payakumbuh, an administrative and market center 33 km east of Bukittinggi. The entire valley is intensely cultivated, and is scattered with scores of large megalithic stones that were mysteriously arranged and carved by an unknown prehistoric people. These remains suggest that Limapuluh Kota may have been where the first ancestors of Minang lived.
A small side road follows the river, arriving after 13 km at the village of Guguk. On the right side of the road here is the old village council house or balai adat, and in an adjacent open space stand a number of megaliths the tallest measuring 2.73 m.
In addition to the council house site, many more stones are found scattered throughout the village. Many more menhirs and stone objects can be found to the south of Guguk around Kuranji and Sungai Talang, a well as to the northwest in the villages of Balubus (13 km from Payakumbuh), Limbanang (20 km) and Suliki (26 km). The later three lie along the same road and can be visited in a few hours.
From Limbanang, a track to the right leads up into a remote, bowl-shaped valley known as Mahat. The valley is about 3 km in diameter and is ringed by steep-walled mountains where hundreds if not thousands of fascinating megaliths are found, including some of the most interesting carved menhirs in West Sumatra.
During the colonial period, the Dutch were drawn by the valley’s natural beauty and historic interest and built a government rest house here.
Limapuluh Kota’s most famous attraction lies 14 km northeast of Payakumbuh, just off the main highway lading to Pekanbaru in neighboring Riau Province. This is the stunning Harau Canyon a broad geological cleft whose 100 m granite walls enclose a lush 313 ha nature reserve where one can trek through dense rainforest, splash round in delightfully cool water, and spot monkeys, butterflies and birds.
To get there, take the main highway from Payakumbuh II km north to the village of Lamaksaru and turn left; the reserve is 3 km in. Snacks and drinks are sold at stalls, but bring your own food if you want something substantial. There is a small admission fee.
On your way back, detour a further 3 km north on the main road to Kotabaru, where excellent Minangkabau songket is woven. From here, one can also continue north on a much longer detour (4 hours each way) across the border with Riau to the ancient remains of Muara Takus. Here, in a clearing in the jungle, stands the largest ancient brick building in Sumatra a tall stupa flanked by the ruins of several other brick sanctuaries.
The stupa has the unusual form of a tower rather than the squat bell shape normally associated with Buddhist architecture. This brick and sandstone stupa, known as Candi Mahligai, was restored in the 1980s and the new exterior completely en caves the earlier building.
Several other foundations can be seen nearby. To the west is Candi Bungsu, a platform on which stood two more stupas, and to the north is Candi Tua originally the largest structure of all, with two stairways leading up to yet another stupa. The temples are surrounded by brick walls 74 m long on each side. An eastern rampart more than 2 km long surrounds the complex, but only three sides are distinguishable.
The mysterious site lies in a remote area, yet it must have been important for the elaborateness of the ruins indicate that a sizable population once lived here. There is no record of any kingdom in this area, but short inscriptions found among the ruins point to a date in the 11th and 12th century AD. A legend describes the site as the burial place of a Hindu ruler who was turned into BR elephant, and wild elephants are said to return to the site on the night of every full moon to dance in homage of their departed lord.