As a side trip from our trip to Malaysia, we flew to the Indonesian island of Sumatra. Our goal was to reach the mountain town (3,000 feet above sea level) of Bukittinggi - home of the staunchly matrilineal Minangkabau people.
Although we only traveled a few hundred miles by air, Sumatra felt worlds away from the Malay mainland. Gone was the well-ordered transportation network typical of a former British colony (Malaysia). Instead, we were flung into the chaos of Indonesian roadways where every mode of tranport - cars, trucks, buses, bicycles, motorcyles - jockeys for space along with chickens, dogs, horses, pedestrians and the occasional oxen.
The town of Bukittinggi will win no beauty prizes. But the warmth of the people made us believe that it was one of the most attractive places we had ever visited.
Date(s): July 1999. Album by David Kohl. Photos by David Kohl & Ross Rosenberg. 1 - 16 of 22 Total. 3019 Visits.
Sumatra/Malaya Map Antique Dutch map of the area. It was on exhibit at the Centre for Documentation on Minangakabau Culture in Padangpanjang. Note the unusual orientation of the map - north is to the left; south to the right.
Mt. Merapi view from our hotel room Gunung Merapi (Fire Mountain) could be seen from our room at the Novotel in Bukittinggi.
Buffalo
Cattle Market Near Bukittinggi The two men in the foreground of this photograph are negotiating the price of a cow using their fingers. Their hands are covered with a towel to conceal the price from others.
Palace mosque The curved roof - representing the horns of the buffalo - is typical of the wood and thatch Minangkabau architecture.
Replica of Minangkabau Meeting House
Detail of a buffalo head on the house The name "Minangkabau" means "the buffalo wins". The name came about after the native people won a buffalo fighting contest with the invading Javanese.
Harau Valley The Harau Valley - a day trip from Bukittinggi - is a rain forest canyon with a carpet of rice patties and walls cascading with spectacular waterfalls.
Waterfall in the Harau Valley
Harau Valley waterfall
Girls on a raft Beside a Harau Valley waterfall.
Girls shampooing
Dance performance The Saayun Salangkah dance show of traditional Minangkabau dances held every Wednesday and Saturday in Bukittinggi. The "plate dance" - where dancers lept barefoot onto broken dishes - was a highlight. We loved the whole show so much that we saw it twice.
