
During the pre-independence era, cultural influence of foreign colonials and other islanders had systematically displaced or obliterated indigenous customs and religions.

Tattooing on the island was an identity and a personal or communal reflection of the people's relationship to nature, called “arat subulungan”, although there are motivational and design differences from region to region and among clans. Women wear small sleeveless vests and they sharpen their teeth with a chisel for aesthetic reasons to make their teeth look like a shark's.Tattooing is done with a needle and wood which is hammered on the needle by a shaman called sikerei. Women wear the same thing except they wear a piece of cloth wound around the waist. The main clothing for men is a loin cloth and they are adorned with necklaces and flowers in their hair and ears. The Mentawai live in the traditional dwelling called the uma which is a longhouse and is made by weaving bamboo strips together to make walls and thatching the roofs with grass, the floor is raised on stilts and is made of wood planks. We will visit some of the Mentawai Clans and feel their lives. Overnight here before down the river towards Butui Village. Transportation has been provided by our local guide to transfer you to Muntei village. What is included in the cost? - Accommodation (Shared rooms) - Transportation (Boat & car) - Entrance tickets Looking forward to meeting you all, if you have any questions feel free to leave them in the comments or contact me directly.Īfter breakfast in Hotel, you will be transferred to the harbor and a fast ferry will bring you to Muara Siberut.

They will show us the community and explain their customs. Most of our hosts and hostesses are English teachers so language will not be much of a problem. He will be invited as a guest to their homes - a unique way to become acquainted with real Indonesian life. If a visitor tries to understand the culture and Minang traditions he will soon feel himself a member of the clan. They love to talk with visitors and will tell us about their unique society. But Minangkabau land is very special and has the most friendly population group in Indonesia.


There are lovely lakes and spectacular volcanoes. It is mountainous and divided by three valleys. West Sumatra is one of the most beautiful areas of Indonesia. Let's check out the trip details and we can't wait to meet you as our trip mates. We should be happy to share our journey experience with you. I'm open for new family travelers to come to join us. Hi Trip Mates, Again with me Sonia, I want to explore West Sumatra with my family.
