Ulos & Weaving, Carve & Chisel Art

Ulos or we can say muffler of Batak, it's weaving, used in ceremony of Batak or using daily. Ulos have three color's black, red and white. Ulos have motif and color is different it have means for using the color's and the motif.


In ceremony of Batak, what kind ceremony ? Prepare Ulos that you using must be befit with the ceremony.Mostly women do weaving, with using traditional weaving equipment.


Part of Sopo, Solu (Small Boat), ornament and other is sample of wood carve and chisel Art Batak. Carve and chisel art used three color's black, red, white make unique Batak carve and chisel.
source from:samosirtourism.com

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Batak

Bataks is a community, one of community or ethnic in North Sumatera. While the term is used to include the Toba, Karo, Pak Pak, Simalungun, Angkola and Mandailing groups. Language and culture almost similar. Around the Lake is main of Batak's ethic, especially Batak Toba.

source from:samosirtourism.com

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Cultural Tips

Samosir Island is an Christian island, ninety nine percent of the citizen are christian. Here are some basics guides for going around in Samosir Island as well as in the whole Sumatra, not to offend the locals.

When receiving and giving things, including money, always use the right hand, however inconvenient it can be at times. See bottom tip for reason. Use only the right hand for eating. Sumatrans generally use the hand to eat - no knife and fork. Rice is pinched into a ball and then pushed into your mouth with your thumb.

When eating with fingers, clean them in the water bowl provided. Wait until everyone has finished eating before you go to wash your hand.

Placing your hands on the hips, even casually, is a sign of arrogance or anger. It is rude to place one's feet in such a way that the soles are facing another person.

Take off your shoes when visiting someone's home. If a meal is spontaneously provided, it is impolite to refuse.

When leaving it is polite to thank the wife, even if she has spent all evening in the kitchen. Men touching men and women touching women is commonplace but touching between the sexes is rarely done in public.

Burping is normal. Farting is not. Don't throw things to anyone. It is more polite to hand it over, even if it means moving.

Be prepared for squat toilets and no toilet paper! Most up market hotels have westernised toilets but the sewerage system still doesn't handle toilet paper and will generally clog the toilet making a mess. There will be a basket next to the toilet for the paper waste. Yes can get smelly so try the local way - the bucket of water next to the toilet.

The Sumatrans don't use toilet paper and think it uncleanly to just use toilet paper. There will always be a bucket of water with a ladle or a hose for cleaning yourself. The left hand is used for this purposed - therefore rude to pass things with the left hand. No tips on how best to do this. Just have to work it out yourself for best technique.

As a Sumatran man asked me - if someone slapped some shit on your forehead and then offered you some toilet paper to wipe it off or a bucket of water to clean it off which would you use???

Source from: samosirtourism.com

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Language

Indonesia has hundreds of languages throughout the archipelago of 13,000 islands. Indonesian is the national language. People who live around and in Samosir Island has their own language which named Batak language. Most of the people are speaking Indonesian too, as it is an official language used at school and government

Here are some basic words and phrases in Toba Batak and Indonesian, handy for traveling around Lake Toba.

English	Batak	Indonesian
1	Sada	Satu
2	Dua	Dua
3	Tolu	Tiga
4	Opat	Empat
5	Lima	Lima
6	Onom	Enam
7	Pitu	Tujuh
8	Walu	Delapan
9	Sia	Sembilan
10	Sappulu	Sepuluh
11	Sappulu Sada	Sebelas
20	Dua Pullu	Dua Puluh
100	Saratus	Seratus
1.000	Saribu	Seribu
10.000	Sappulu Ribu	Sepuluh Ribu
100.000	Saratus Ribu	Seratus Ribu
1.000.000	Sajuta / Sada Juta	Sejuta / Satu Juta

English	Batak	Indonesian
Cheers	Lissoi
Hello	Horas	Salam
I Am	Ahu / Au	Saya
You Are	Ho / Hamuna	Kamu
We Are	Hami	Kami
Yes	Olo	Iya
No	Daong	Tidak
Why ?	Boasa ?	Kenapa ?
Eat	Mangan	Makan
Just A Moment	Satokkin	Sebentar
Happy	Sonang / Las Roha	Senang / Bahagia
Delicius	Tabo	Lezat / Enak
Sleep	Modom	Tidur
Thank You	Mauliate	Terima Kasih

source from samosirtourism.com

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Quo Vadis Management of Lake Toba (Ending)

Lake Toba condition is now critical. Needed for comprehensive and concrete steps in handling. In this context, the role and responsibility of local governments (around the Lake Toba) is required. The government is to issue policies on the side of the community and the preservation of Lake Toba. For the presence of industries around the Lake Toba must be critically evaluated.
Besides, people (especially those living around Lake Toba) are required to realize each of the treatment that comes from the outside on the impacts of their lives. To each community that there is a relation to the ecosystem of Lake Toba, or concerned with the future of Lake Toba, both located in and around Lake Toba for your life together to rebuild the ecosystem of Lake Toba. Included with the values and norms must be turned on the local back to the interests of the community and the ecosystem of Lake Toba. (all source from Oscar Siagian, Daily SIB)

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Tor Tor & Gondang

Tor-tor is a typical dance from the island of Samosir, dedication has been used as art and culture in north sumatra especially Batak ethnic. Tor Tor (Traditional Batak Dance) play with Gondang (Traditional Batak Music). You can see Tor Tor and Gondang in Batak ceremony.

In Samosir Sigale Gale (Batak dancing with puppet Sigale Gale) play with Gondang. Sigale Gale are Batak Puppet Boy make from wooden and to make it move like dancing Tor Tor follow the music Gondang using string and move depend to puppeter. Tortor Sigale Gale do in Batak ceremony when parent or somebody was dead and not have child (generation). Old time ago the ceremony called as Papurpur Sapata. And now Tor Tor Sigale Gale are dance and music ceremony for say welcome to tourist.

Musical instruments: Flute, Tulila (type of small trumpet), Hasapi (a two-stringed kecapi, small 'cello'), Saga-Saga (a kind of harmonica), Tanggetang (a small ukulele), Ogung (gong) which includes Oloan, Doal and Panggora, one set of percussion instruments (Gordang, Tataganing and Odap), Hombung (pieces of metal tuned differently stored in a chest), Sarune (a reed instrument), etc.

The text and images taken from samosirtourism.com

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Quo Vadis Management of Lake Toba (Part 5)

The Government seems to tend to have short-term orientation and very pramatis. So many policies are issued only reflect the interests of owners of capital. For example, government attention to Lake Toba and the surrounding community is minimal. As a result, the community and ecosistem Lake Toba is injured. Losses suffered not only the loss of material, but also the social loss. For example, with the death of fish fingerlings in large numbers, which first occurred in the history of Lake Toba. This certainly makes people very important. Irrespective of what factors cause, but that people have been losers.
Another loss is that the policy of Lake Toba less attention of local culture, have made the people around Lake Toba start and began to leave the affected local wisdom. Social losses have occurred. But we do not see that the grand design from the government about the management of Lake Toba. Even the public is also less involved in it.
Now, the collapse is Lake Toba extinction. One evidence is the death of hundreds of tons of fish fingerlings are kept in Keranda Jala learning (KJA) in the waters of Lake Toba. The death of fish fingerlings into the basic foothold for those who care to the preservation of Lake Toba to say that the ecosystem of Lake Toba is now in crisis. History is the history of Lake Toba "suffering". Historical Lake Toba is a history filled with various problems.

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Quo Vadis Management of Lake Toba (Part 4)

Lake Toba was made as the object enjoyed appetite for human greed. The facts found on the issue of Lake Toba indeed originated from the effort of exploitation without limit to the resources available, whether water, land and the surrounding forest. This is then worsened by the coming wave of development that are often less heed aspects of the environment.

During this, actually has tried a variety of programs created to preserve the ecosystem of Lake Toba. Even the organization / institution has been a lot of standing with title "love of Lake Toba." But the fact is, destruction or degradation of the ecosystem of Lake Toba still occur. One example is a program of planting one million trees, but up to now fact, a lot of land around Lake Toba, which is critical.
Then, the presentation of the Lake Toba Festival each year, which was initially to promote tourism on Lake Toba with the local culture. Appeared to have change becomes yippee-yippee. Then, the program for the development of fish, which it considers less characteristics of Lake Toba. Planting of water hyacinth, which was more of a burden for a new ecosystem of Lake Toba.
Even a government policy that seems very fatal is to give permission for the operation of various industries in the vicinity of Lake Toba. The presence of this industry, bring more losses from the profit for the community and the ecosystem of Lake Toba. The industry is their life is very dependent on the ecosystem of Lake Toba.

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Quo Vadis Management of Lake Toba (Part 3)

Then, seen from the aspect of forest and vegetation of Lake Toba also have distinctive characteristics. This is evident from the forest in the Lake Toba , a very broad area as a prisoner Water Lake Toba. From around 260,154 ha, 94,196 ha more or less consists of primary and secondary forest. While the rest of the land is dry, open land and swamps.

The extent of land as it then used to build various industries around Lake Toba. Then, with the added condition lower communities around Lake Toba, and supported by the availability of resources for the industry, making the owners of capital to build industry around Lake Toba. For this reason there is such justification for the owners of capital to exploit the resources of Lake Toba.
Various activities of the utilization of natural resources, it is more eksploratif without considering the aspects of sustainability and preservation of nature. Actually, Lake Toba is very sensitive to changes in various physical and Biotis. This has proven that in the few years after the presence of various industries around Lake Toba, the nothing to see with our eyes can see that the implications of various forms have occurred in the ecosystem of Lake Toba.

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Quo Vadis Management of Lake Toba (Part 2)

Now, the existence of Lake Toba is very unfortunate. So with this, the meaning and function of Lake Toba has been degraded. This is evident from some of the physical characteristics of Lake Toba, which is changed. Lake Toba burden is large. Indeed, long before the Lake Toba ecosystem degradation such as that experienced now in progress, has actually been quite a lot of research and feasibility studies related to the preservation of Lake Toba.

This means that each person has been reminded to do so sensitive in various activities around the Lake Toba. Seen from various perfektif, Lake Toba that have characteristics different from other ecosystems. For example, in terms of geography, climate (climatology), geology, and in terms of cultural communities that live in Lake Toba. Thus, the treatment must be adjusted in processing with the diferent various .
In the aspect of hydrological, Lake Toba is an area of the Regional Water catch-DTA (Catchment Area) and the giant vital for the life of the surrounding community. The amount of water that enter and exit a balanced, making the water of Lake Toba is very stable. However, with man-made, the balance is disrupted. As a result, the surface of the water in Lake Toba fluctuation.

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Quo Vadis Management of Lake Toba (Part 1)

Lake Toba is one tourist attraction, pride of the Indonesian people that (coincidence) is in the region of North Sumatra Province. There are thousands or even millions of tourists every year come to Lake Toba, both originating from within the country (domestic) or come from overseas. Besides that, in history, became the icon of Lake Toba, North Sumatra. This is perhaps related to the value (unique), which is very high, which is owned by Lake Toba, especially as a natural tourist attraction. Panorama natural, that almost no both of them.
Special for the people of Batak (sub-ethnic Batak; Toba, Karo, Pakpak, Simalungun), Lake Toba has a value apart. Therefore, the history of the Batak people, is the history of Lake Toba, and vice versa. This is because the life of the Batak people, who have ties with the ecosystem in Lake Toba. So, for the people of Batak, Lake Toba ecosystem function is very important. Not only tourist attraction, but also as a source of livelihood (agriculture, livestock, etc.), even as transportation and irrigation. So therefore, there is such a relationship between the community and the ecosystem of Lake Toba.To be continued...

(Oscar Siagian, Daily SIB)

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Bung Karno mystery exile in the Lake Toba (Part 2)

Along with the travel history, the exile home directly raise the mystery for visitors. Stay Suparto (40), the home guard, to reveal the mystery of many stories that often coloring the presence gubug former residence of the Bung Karno.

"If the night, many visitors are often heard voices and foot steps from the meeting room that I used Bung Karno," he said. In fact, visitors who did not experience a rare copy. Not only that, Stay away Suparto shows a photo of cervix enough to make hair stand.

Photo shows the image Bung Karno front of the home with a shadowy female figure that shows the long-haired black, with white dress. Women stand to hang it without legs. "This is giving the curious tourists after memfoto the front of the thin shadow of this appear," said the man who has worked in the home for 18 years.

Although many mysteries that shroud exile home Bung Karno, but Stay Suparto grateful himself did not find direct things Unseen. Even he, his wife and four children have been dozens of years living in the complex. "It may have a mate again," he is said. (okezone.com)

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Bung Karno mystery exile in the Lake Toba (Part 1)

Paradise! In the border areas of Lake Toba, North Sumatra, as if this silent witness to outline the history of the Indonesian nation. Witnesses silent suffering experienced proklamator Bung Karno.

A simple wooden wall that faced the panorama Toba as it does not become a forgotten history of Bung Karno. Only a few know that if at the end of 1948, proklamator leaders of the exile in a dilapidated gubug(house) it. Exile during the 22 days by the Dutch government, without electronic equipment and communication equipment.

Almost 60 years ago, but it still wobbly gubug stand firm on the border of Toba. However, it gubug relegation no longer wobbly. Gubug now blossom as a stately home that used to welcome guests of honor province of North Sumatra.

In the marsou propaganda roving Sumatra, MCC also had a home stay in the relegation Bung Karno. Not only the MCC, noted national figures such as Megawati Sukarnoputri and the MPR Chairman Hidayat Nurwahid tourists to visit the Netherlands was home to this.

Gubug dilapidated former was built two floors with four bedrooms large enough. Entering the home, visitors will be invited to become familiar figure Bung Karno. Many of the images and memories of Bung Karno during the deportation installed in the walls was home.To be continued...(okezone.com)

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Typical dishes Batak "NANIURA"

Batak tribe is one of the oldest in Indonesia that have been predicted before the kingdom - the kingdom in the South, East and North. Besides having language and literacy, hobo has a unique cuisine.


They are many cuisine, among others are:
1. Sangsang
2. Na Tinomburan
3. Naniura

Meanwhile, in this case I regard the only one of the special food,
namely NANIURA.

Naniura is one type of cuisine that can be enjoyed with no cooked.
And the guarantee that eating this food is very healthy, because not equipped with
substances - chemical substances or types of ingredients - ingredients that many modern cuisine outstanding at this time in market.

The main ingredients of this dish is a fish. And of course, not all species of fish.
As before, who can only eat this type of food is just be the king - the king, as the
species of fish that is used is the "Type of Fish Batak" or often in the know with the name "Ihan"(Fish), because the type of fish is very complicated and does not smell.

But this time, the fish used is the type of goldfish .
don't worry with thorns goldfish is? Do not worry, thorns - thorns fine fish will become
soft.

For the tourists who visit Tapanuli area, especially Lake Toba. Do not forget to
enjoy this dish, I believe: you certainly will not be hooked and forgeting.

The material - the cuisine is making (Naniura) are as follows;

1. goldfish
2. tamarind seeds jungga
3. andaliman
4. candlenut
5. turmeric
6. ginger
7. dressing
8. under white
9. onion
10. cayenne pepper

Thus, at a glance subject cuisine typical vagabond who no both of them.(taken from sumut2day.wordpress.com)

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History Tours of Toba No Participated Out (The and)

Based on public confidence Batak clans are now derived from the descendants of Siraja Batak. In addition, the existence of this home has also been inaugurated by DewanPengurus Center Punguan Pomparan Teachers Tate Month 1995 ago. This means that when we are in there will be a guard will also explain the existence of the statue is in the Sopo Teachers Tatea Month and the history of summarily.

Along with the legend, the visitors will also enjoy Hobo Stone story that seems to be a storage location of the property by Siraja Batak. Stone is the lower hills of Sopo Teachers Tatea Moon near the village community.

Based on the historical Stone Hobon this can not be solved, but was beaten as if there is room underneath. However, until now could not be opened even though the blasting is carried out with mortar. Next to complete reference on the history Sopo Teachers Tatea Month, the settlement will be found Siraja Batak. This is the location of villages in the hills in the distance over which is not too far away around 500 meters.

To complete the trip must be at least Pusuk Buhit
momentary pause in the hills above the village of Huta in Ginjang.

Why? Because of this location will be clearly visible Tulas the Island
side by side with Samosir Island. Tulas island itself does not have, but it is with the thicket of life and various other wild animals.

Already lengkapkah we travel? Certainly not, as to why we should be in the top Pusuk Buhit. At least to get a feel breezy and cool look at the apex while the panorama of Lake Toba indeed.

Meanwhile, to eliminate stress and take the new spirit, visitors can enjoy the warm water after a fall exactly in the kakai Pusuk Buhit called bathing Aek Rangat located in the village of Sihobung Hobungi. At the least sense of caprice and a new spirit come back. (History Tours of Toba No Participated Out all from Kapanlagi.com)

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History Tours of Toba No Participated Out (Part 4)

This story may be some truth, because if we observe carefully in locations that have been approved by a concrete wall with the community around us will find artefak such as stone washing of natural stone, the holes for the game cocky. So, there are people who believe that if the wells are still sacred, and became one of the items that are frequently visited by tourists who come.

Only one important to note that this location is the inventor of the problem and not the cleanliness drive. Of course, this is a record for local governments and communities to regulation is better.

After moving through the streets of ranges, the tourists who visit will find a location that the sacred stone called the location Hobon, Sopo Teachers Tatean Month, or House of Teachers Tatea Moon and Siraja Batak villages located not far apart. And when we pull the straight line, the position of third location that is considered sacred is exactly one straight from the hills to the hills, which are underneath.

When in Sopo Teachers Tatea Moon will be found statues Siraja Batak with the descendants. In the house with special design Batak community will also be found as statues guard the house, such as elephant, tiger, horse. Meanwhile, the house that stood on top of the hill is designed from wood and stone stairs from the ceiling but still made from ijuk(coconut fiber).

However, the more important is when you want to log in more detail and consider again the details of this house, you must renounce your slippers and shoes. In more detail in Sopo Teachers Tatea Month we will find statues descendants Siraja Batak, such as the Statue of 1,000 with his pair of kings, descendants of Statue Limbong Mulana, the King of All Statues and Sculptures If the King.

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History Tours of Toba No Participated Out (Part 3)

Meanwhile, a package with coverage to the top Pusuk Buhit visitors can also enjoy what is called a sense of the seven wells. Called the seven wells sense because it has seven wells that tap water has a taste different. For the community around Seventh Well Feel the day-to-day be used as the main source of water. So it is not surprising that tourists come, many people who use water that is in there.

Seven wells are in the actual sense Village Sipitudai a hilly district with the Pusuk Buhit Sianjur Start-Start. If we try to feel the seventh fountain that is, the source of the water fountain that we will feel the taste of water: salty, fresh, sour, hard and taste the other.

Meanwhile, based on the description of the local community, source of the water fountain that springs out from under the tree (Beringin). Indeed, well below the location of the Seventh grow large trees later, a very shady and create a shady location around the wells.

Well presence Seven taste is actually a long line with the existence of the underprivileged Sipitudai. Communities around the trust that the existence of these wells is not separate from the king which is in Batam location. If the story muncur back, so the people mentioned that this is the first village of kingdom. To meet the needs of clean water, bathing and other water sources they rely on this.

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