After being banned for years, Horjabius, a traditional celebration among the Batak community of Lake Toba, North Sumatra, has been revived.

The cultural event was banned by the Dutch colonial government due to fears that it could give rise to a spirit of rebellion, while Christian missionaries of the time said the event was based on a kind of animism and was thus forbidden.

But money does matter. Today, in the name of tourism — the light of which has begun to fade from Lake Toba — and of cultural preservation, Horjabius has been restored among the Batak people.

Horjabius cannot be separated from dances, gondang (a musical instrument native to Batak-North Sumatran cultures) and sacrificial offerings. …baca selengkapnya »

The journey to Lake Toba from Medan, the capital of North Sumatra, is quite long and arduous — three to four hours should be allowed — but as one approaches the lake’s shores, one is simultaneously filled with a sense of relief and exciting anticipation about what is about to be revealed.

Taking the more scenic route past the hillside resort of Brastagi along the way is advisable, as this represents a far more attractive route than the trans-Sumatra road which, though interesting in its own way, is mostly a straight road with a constant traffic of heavy trucks. The scenic Brastagi route takes the traveler through hills and villages that exemplify this Batak region.

The sense of relief is genuine as winding and undulating roads bring the traveler closer and closer to the lake. On this particular journey, the weather from Brastagi onwards had been cloudy and rather rainy but approaching the lake, the weather seemed to clear almost miraculously. …baca selengkapnya »

Located in the mountainous highlands of northern Sumatra, the Batak are one of the largest indigenous groups in Indonesia. They are divided into six groups, the Toba, Pak Pak/Dairi, Karo, Angkola, Mandailing, and Simalungun, and have an estimated total population of 3 million.

The traditional communal houses of the Batak have three levels, which correspond to the three levels of their universe: the upper world, the middle world, and the lower world. The high roof represents the upper world, the realm of the gods. The living level (elevated above the ground on pillars) is symbolic of the middle world where humans dwell. The space for animals below the living level represents the lower world, believed to be the home of a mythological dragon. The main decorative elements of communal houses are large, carved animal heads. These sculptures, positioned at the ends of side beams, function as protective devices that have the ability to release positive energy as well as protect the inhabitants from disease or evil. …baca selengkapnya »

The Batak people of Northern Sumatra have a history of weaving Ulos ni tondi (Cloth of the Soul) for ritual and ceremonial purposes that dates back to their earliest history.

Batak myth tells that Lake Toba is the centre of the Earth & that the Batak are descendants of the first humans. The Toba Batak People live on Samosir Island & around the shores of Lake Toba.

Weaving is still a vital and imporant part of the batak way of life. …baca selengkapnya »

Coffee production in Sumatra began in the 18th century under colonial domination, introduced first to the northern region of Aceh around Lake Tawar Lake.

Most coffee is produced around the Lake Toba region, in the subregions of Lintong Nihuta, Sumbul, and the aforementioned Takengon. But Sumatrans are not often sold by region, because presumably the regional differences are not that distinct. Rather, the quality of the picking, preparation and processing of the coffee determines much of the cup character in this coffee. In fact, Sumtrans are sold as Mandheling, which is simply the

Indonesian ethnic group that is most involved in coffee production!.
Indonesians are available as dry, semi-washed and (sometimes) fully-washed coffees. While a fully washed coffee may appear to have less defects, it may be inferior in the cup to a ugly, dry-processed coffee. (A recent Sumatra sample I cupped that was perfect & polished was probably the most flavorless, dull Mandheling I have ever had!) Dry processed, wild coffees will have more body and often more of the character that makes Indonesians so appealing and slightly funky: grading seems to often ignore percentage of weird looking beans. …baca selengkapnya »