The turbulence of the plane rocks me again as it has been over the past two hours. I sit scrunched in my seat trying violently not to throw up but finally give up. I reach over for my sickness bag while staring out of the window, hoping for a miracle. But my retching stops midway as the cloud cover parts to reveal the Lake Toba. The serene blue colour locked in the brown mountains is a sight to behold as my plane lands in Silangit, home to one of Indonesia’s indigenous tribes, the Bataks.

Who are the Bataks?

The Bataks were first described in history in the early 1800’s partly because of their isolation from the invading colonialists. This allowed the heterogeneous group of tribes to stick to their indigenous culture. But with the advent of modernization getting closer to them, they have been stripped of that immunity. My first encounter with this almost extinct tribe is at the TB Silalahi Centre, named after Tiopan Bernard Silalahi whose name has been synonymous with the development of the North Sumatra region. The Batak museum situated here houses a plethora of artifacts that represent the lifestyle of the Bataks. Although the museum is home to artifacts from centuries ago, it’s modern design is something that startles you. The museum not only acts as a unifying symbol for the different Bataks tribes, it also reinforces the deeply rooted cultural values that the Bataks abide by. The top two floors of the museum are filled with artifacts of daily life; utensils, farming tools and scriptures which date back to the 1800s.

TB Silalahi Centre: An ode to the Bataks

Although the indoor museum is a marvel to behold, the outdoor museum Huta Batak feels like being in time travel. I was instantly transported back to the early 19th century as I gazed upon their residences also known as Rumah Bolom. The peculiarly shaped houses are very specific to the Batak culture and have three very distinct features. Firstly, the rear portion of the roofs is higher than the front. The philosophy behind that is that the rear portion of the house represents the coming generations and the Bataks hope that they will prosper with this act. Secondly, the doors of the houses are also very small so that any arriving guest has to bow down before the host as a sign of respect. Lastly, each of these houses has a burial pit where their dead used to be buried. A visit to the TB Silalahi Centre is not complete without observing the Tor-Tor Dance. Dressed up in colours of red, gold, violet and black, the beautiful Batak ladies twirled in simultaneous turns as I stood mesmerized. The music is slow and languid as the hour-long dance fades into a sunset on Lake Toba.

Lake Toba

There is something really soulful as the sun reflects off the water as my ferry races towards its next destination, the serenity of early morning broken by the sound of the diesel engine. The lake is one of the places you must come to escape the cacophony of the city. Located within the volcanic mountain ranges of Northern Sumatra, it spreads out as an expanse of deep blue colours. Although the shores and they have been occupied by hotels and establishments, it still retains its characteristic quietness in the wee hours of the morning.

Ambarita Village, Samosir Island

Deep inside the lake lies one of the Bataks original villages on Samosir Island. A half-hour ferry ride transports us to the destination as the sun begins to break clear of the horizon. The time comes to a standstill as I walk along the streets and the narrow alleyways. Colourfully dressed Bataki females dressed in their traditional attire go about their daily lifestyle oblivious to the host of cameras clicking at their homes. The red brick Rumah houses are intermixed with modern structures and converge upon a common town centre. This is where all the villagers congregate for their customary festivals.

The deep rooted culture of the Bataks

The essence of the Bataks is their deep-rooted cultural ties which have held strong even in today’s modernization. Two events hold a major significance in the life of a Batak: marriage and death. It is said that Bataks can only marry outside their own tribe as everyone in the tribe is deemed to be a relative. The marriage customs start off in quite a traditional way with white coloured dresses for the groom and red for the bride. Their marriage customs draw heavily from the Christian and Muslim religions and take the whole day to be completed with fervent dancing and lots of food. To involve yourself fully in their culture, there is no better way than to participate in the Si Gale Gale dance. Complete with the traditional headgear, I sway lightly to the music as the whole community joins in.

If you thought that the Bataks celebrated marriages in an elaborate way, wait till you get to their death ceremonies. An elaborate series of procedures that finally culminate in laying their loved one to rest means that the burial grounds hold enormous significance. Littered with bones and skulls, the burial grounds are separated by mounds of earth expounding the Bataki belief that larger your mound after death, the closer you are to heaven.

Indonesia’s Batak population has shrunk down to a few thousand with the new generations heading to the cities in search of their fortunes. Visit this indigenous group of North Sumatrans before they are lost to the pages of history.

How to get there?

Jakarta to Silangit airport followed by a 3-hour ride to Parapat which is at the edge of Lake Toba.

What else to do?

Trekking, Tomok village, Tuk Tuk village

Best time to visit

May to September