Toba Earth Discovery

     NINNA.ID -When Miranda, a solo female traveller from France, came to explore Samosir Island with me, I wanted her to experience more than just the beautiful scenery of Lake Toba. For me, travelling is not only about visiting places, taking pictures, and moving to the next destination. It is also about understanding the people, their history, their traditions, and the stories behind the places we visit. I wanted Miranda to know Batak, not only as the name of an ethnic group, but as a people with a long history, strong family ties, rich traditions, and a culture that is still part of everyday life. Our first day started with a visit to Kampung Ulos Hutaraja. In this traditional Batak village, local women continue to weave ulos, the traditional cloth that holds an important place in Batak culture. Miranda from France visited my great-grandmother's traditional Batak house in Samosir — one of the most meaningful moments of our journey together.[/caption] For the Batak peo...

    When I first received the information about my guests, Martin, Anke and Lilian, I thought they were Singaporean, because their flight from Singapore. I did not know much about them because I was only assigned as their tour guide for their journey in Sumatra. I received the job from a travel agent in Sumatra, and my responsibility was to take care of their trip during their time here. Their journey was a five-day, four-night trip covering Medan, Bukit Lawang, Berastagi and Samosir Island. The program included jungle trekking in Bukit Lawang, visiting Batak villages, enjoying the scenery around Lake Toba and exploring several places in Samosir. When I finally met them, I noticed that their faces looked a little mixed. I became curious and intentionally asked whether they had Indonesian ancestry. My guess was right. They told me that they have German-Indonesian heritage. I still did not know exactly where their family originally came from. For me, it was not really important ...

     NINNA.ID -The Batak is the name for a group of sub-societies that live in the rugged highlands and plains around Lake Toba in northern Sumatra. The word Batak is believed to have originally been a derogatory term meaning “primitive” used by lowland Muslims to describe highland people. Today there is little stigma attached to the word. [Source: “Encyclopedia of World Cultures, East and Southeast Asia” edited by Paul Hockings (G.K. Hall & Company, 1993) Living in a beautiful part of North Sumatra around Lake Toba, the Batak people are divided into six main cultures, each with its language and traditions. [caption id="attachment_3459" align="alignnone" width="600"]  The view that can be seen if you visit Bukit Burung[/caption] Although geographically isolated, the Bataks have a history of regular contact with the outside world. Trade between the highlands and other regions saw the exchange of goods such as salt, cloth and iron for gold, rice, and cas...

    This is taken/cop from this Batak Culture on Samosir Island – frombluetogreen.com   Nestled at the edge of Lake Toba, our time staying in the Toledo hotel on Samosir Island was the perfect, peaceful closing chapter to our unforgettable journey through Sumatra. Nearly as big in area as Singapore, Samosir, the ‘island within an island’ is the fifth largest lake island in the world. The island had a laid-back way of life and a rich history. We had the opportunity to delve into the culture of the Batak people which offered a unique and different side of Indonesia. Our stay on Samosir Island, in the heart of Lake Toba, was the perfect way to end an unforgettable journey through Sumatra. Surrounded by peaceful waters, dramatic landscapes, and a slower pace of life, Samosir offered us something more than beautiful scenery. It gave us the opportunity to step into the world of the Batak people and discover a rich culture shaped by history, tradition, art, and community. Samosi...