Batak architecture

Last updated November 26, 2023

Batak architecture refers to the related architectural traditions and designs of the various Batak peoples of North Sumatra, Indonesia. There are six groups of Batak who speak separate but related languages: the Angkola, the Mandailing to the south, the Toba, to the north the Pakpak/Dairi, the Simalungun, and the Karo. While the groups are now Muslim or Christian, elements of the ancient Batak religion remain, particularly amongst the Karo.

The bale ("meeting hall"), rumah ("house"), and sopo ("rice barn") are the three main building types common to the different Batak groups. The rumah has traditionally been a large house in which a group of families live communally. During the day, the interior is shared living space, and at night, cloth or matting drapes provide families with privacy. Most Batak now live in modern homes, and many traditional houses are abandoned or in a poor state of repair.

The architecture and village layouts of the six Batak groups also show significant differences. Toba Batak houses, for example, are boat-shaped with intricately carved gables and upsweeping roof ridges. Karo Batak houses rise up in tiers. Both are built on piles and are derived from an ancient Dong-Son model.

Villages

The Toba and Karo Batak live in permanent villages and cultivate irrigated rice and vegetables. On the other hand, the Angkola, the Mandailing, and the Pakpak practiced slash-and-burn agriculture which required frequent changes of location and their villages were only semi-permanent.^[1]

Irrigated rice cultivation can support a large population, and the Toba and the Karo live in densely clustered villages, which are limited to around ten homes to save farming land. Unirrigated slash-and-burn agriculture supported smaller villages with only several houses. All villages are located near watercourses and fields. Internecine Batak warfare before the twentieth century saw villages sited in easily defensible positions. High bamboo stockades fortified Pakpak villages and barriers of earthen ramparts with bamboo fencing and trees.^[1]

Each Batak group has its own rules and traditions guiding village layout. Toba Batak houses are laid out side by side with their front gables facing the street. Traditionally, each house would have had a rice barn granary opposite which would a complementary row in the village. The street formed between the row of houses and the row of granaries is known as the alaman and is used as an area for work the drying of rice. The Mandailing also build their houses in row, however, like the Minangkabau the front gable faces the neighbouring house's rear gable. The Karo and the Pakpak do not lay their houses out in streets but around a village focal points such as the meeting hall (bale) or rice pounding house (lesung).^[1]

Toba architecture

Batak Toba culture centres on Lake Toba and the sacred island of Samosir that lies within it. Jabu is the Toba language word for rumah adat. The houses are made up of three sections. A substructure of large wooden pillars resting on flat stones (or concrete nowadays) protects the structure from rising damp. Some of these pillars support longitudinal beams known as labe-labe, which run the length of the house at head height to carry the massive roof. Other pillars carry two large beams with carved singa heads which, with two lateral beams mortised into them, form a great ring beam bearing the small living area. The substructure is strengthened by beams mortised into the piles which double as night stalls for cattle. Walls are lightweight and lean outwards and provide additional stability to the structure. The wall and the wall plate supporting the rafters hang from the labe-labe with rattan cord, while the base of the wall sits on the ring beam. The rafters spring from the wall plate and are angled outwards producing the roof curve. In lieu of horizontal bracing battens, diagonal ties—running from the middle of the labe-labe to the gable ends—provide reinforcement.^[2]

The large steeply-pitched saddle back roof dominates the structure. The roofs are traditionally thatched, and with no internal roof trusses they provide a large internal space. Sharply projected triangular eaves and gables overlap all around the substructure. The front gable extends further than the rear gable and is finely carved and painted with motifs of suns, starts, cockerels, and geometric motifs in red, white, and black. The rear gable remains plain.^[2]

The living area, which is supported by lateral and transverse beams, is small and dark. Light enters through a small window in each of the four sides. The inhabitants spend most of their time outdoors and the house is largely used for sleeping. An attic space is provided by a flat wooden ceiling over the front third of the living area. Family heirlooms and sometimes shrines are stored here. Traditionally, the Toba Batak would cook over a hearth at the front of the living room making the living area smoky. With recent changes in hygiene practises, the kitchen is now often in an extension at the rear of the house.^[2]

The original Toba Batak houses were large communal houses, but these have now become rare, with most houses now built in the ethnic Malay style with both modern and traditional materials. While more spacious, better ventilated, brighter, and cheaper to build, the jabu is considered more prestigious. Where jabu are still lived, they are generally smaller single-family dwellings. Whereas previous versions of the jabu were accessed through a trap door concealing steps in the floor, times are now less dangerous and more convenient wooden ladders at the front of the house provide access.^[2]

Toba Batak rice barns ( sopo ) were built in a similar style but are smaller than the jabu. Rice was stored within the roof and was supported by six large wooden pillars, which carried large wooden discs to prevent rodent ingress. The open platform beneath the roof structure was used as a working and general storage space and as a sleeping place for guests and unmarried men. Rice barns are now rarely used for grain storage, and many have been converted to living areas by walling off the open-air section between the sub-structure and the roof, and adding a door.^[2]

Karo architecture

The Karo rumah adat (traditional house), known as 'Siwaluh Jabu', is, as with the Rumah Aceh, oriented North-South, possibly for shelter from the sun.

Karo rumah adat are longhouses, for multiple family occupancy, up to twelve families in some areas, though usually eight.^[3] A Karo longhouse would be large, in order to accommodate so many families, and is built on stilts.^[4]

The houses are constructed from wood, bamboo, using ijuk fibres for binding (no nails or screws are used) and for the thatched roof. The design is naturally earthquake-resistant.^[5]

In order to choose a suitable site for the house, the guru (witch doctor) would be consulted, who would determine whether the land was bad or good. A plot would be staked out using coconut fronds, and other villagers would be given four days to object to the proposed construction.

After the four-day period had elapsed, a hole was dug in the centre of the plot, into which was placed a knife, betel leaf and rice. The guru and the kalimbubu and anak beru would perform rites to determine that the ground was suitable.

After the site was ready, a seven-day ceremony was performed, consulting the spirits of the forest (for wood) and arranging payment for the craftsmen responsible for creating decoration of the house.

All the occupants of the village would then erect the pillars supporting the house, after which they would eat together.

The colours used in Karo designs are red, white and black. The red signifies a zest for life, a 'get-up-and-go', the colour seen in traditional clothes used in weddings, black the colour of death, man's ignorance of Dibata's (God) will, and white, the colour of God's holiness.

Ornamentation is very important in Karo houses, with Buffalo horns an essential decoration of the rumah adat,^[5] and two white-painted horns are mounted on each end of the roof (the mounting is done in the night, so nobody sees), using both male and female buffalo. Ornaments in Karo houses served traditionally to protect the residents from evil spirits, and to demonstrate the status of the owner.^[6] With the fading of traditional religious beliefs (permena), they are now largely decorative and a reminder of past cultural traditions.

Ornaments of Karo homes are found in three ways:

The house is decorated with braided bamboo in a variety of geometric designs.^[6] The geometric designs have been classified into seventeen types, each having special magic properties, such as the Tupak salah Silima-lima (five-pointed star), symbolising the merga silima, and deterring those who would try to upset the integrity of it.^[7]
The kitchen is decorated with carvings
An intaglio carved gecko protects the occupants from evil spirits

Roof

The roof of the Karo house is different from other Batak peoples, being a hip roof. The roof is the dominant feature of the house, sometimes being as tall as 15 metres high, against the supports and walls, both around 1.5 metres each.

The most basic house, known as rumah beru-beru, has a basic hip and saddle roof.^[8] The rumah tersek has a double-storied roof with a saddle roof on top of the lower part. This improves ventilation in the house, reducing the impact of cooking smoke. A house with four gables, known as a si empat ayo has two saddle roofs crossed at right angles. In some cases an anjong-anjong, or miniature house, may be placed atop the house for further decoration

Internal organization

The Karo adat house has two entrances, on the north and south ends, with a small terrace (ture) on each and stairs leading up to the house.^[4] The ture serves as a place to bathe children and to chat at night.

The traditional eight-family Karo longhouse contained four kitchens, each shared between two close families, and containing two stoves each. The stoves was made using five stones as a symbol of the Karo merga silima (five Marga).

The house was structured so that the pengulu (leader) of the house occupies the front-left room, with his sembuyak (parents) in the room to the right.^[9] In a mirror image, his anak beru and kalimbubu would occupy the corresponding rooms entering from the rear of the house. The four rooms in the middle of the house were of lower status and each contained a kitchen, which was shared with the rooms on their outside.

Keben

The keben^[10] or rice barn is an important part of Karo culture, since rice represents a store of wealth, and the size of the keben therefore demonstrates one's wealth.

Gallery

The painting of the interweaving of two "ajo", the interlaced triangles intended for the roofing of a traditional Karo house.

Related Research Articles

North Sumatra is a province of Indonesia located on the northern part of the island of Sumatra. Its capital and largest city is Medan. It is bordered by Aceh on the northwest and Riau and West Sumatra in the southeast, with two different coastlines located on the Indian Ocean and the Strait of Malacca, and a maritime border with Malaysia to the east. North Sumatra is Indonesia's fourth most populous province after West Java, East Java and Central Java, and the third-largest province on the island of Sumatra after the neighbouring Riau. It covers an area of 72,981 km².It is approximately same with size of Sierra Leone.According to the 2020 census, the province's population in that year was 14,799,361. The mid-2022 official estimate was 15,115,206. North Sumatra is a multi-ethnic province. The Malay people are regarded as the natives of the east coast of the province, while the west coast of the province is mainly inhabited by the Batak. The central highlands region around Lake Toba is predominantly inhabited by other Batak groups. The Nias people are natives to Nias Island and its surrounding islets. With the opening of tobacco plantations in East Sumatra during the colonial era, the colonial government employed many contract labourers for plantations, mainly Chinese, Javanese and Indian migrants. The majority did not return after their contract ended and decided to stay in the province. The recent rapid urbanisation also attracted neighbouring people from Aceh, Riau and West Sumatra.

Samosir, or Samosir Island, is a large volcanic island in Lake Toba, located in the north of the island of Sumatra in Indonesia. Administratively, Samosir Island is governed as six of the nine districts within Samosir Regency. The lake and island were formed after the eruption of a supervolcano some 75,000 years ago. The island was originally a peninsula connected to the surrounding caldera wall by a small isthmus, which was cut through by the Tano Ponggol Canal in 1907 to aid navigation.

Batak is a collective term used to identify a number of closely related Austronesian ethnic groups predominantly found in North Sumatra, Indonesia, who speak Batak languages. The term is used to include the Karo, Pakpak, Simalungun, Toba, Angkola, and Mandailing, related ethnic groups with distinct languages and traditional customs (adat).

Rumah Gadang or Rumah Bagonjong "house for the Minangkabau people" are the traditional homes of the Minangkabau in West Sumatra, Indonesia. The architecture, construction, internal and external decoration, and the functions of the house reflect the culture and values of the Minangkabau. A Rumah Gadang serves as a residence, a hall for family meetings, and for ceremonial activities. In the matrilineal Minangkabau society, the Rumah Gadang is owned by the women of the family who live there; ownership is passed from mother to daughter.

The Karo, or Karonese, are a people of the Tanah Karo and part of the Karo people from North Sumatera, Indonesia. The Karo lands consist of Karo Regency, plus neighboring areas in East Aceh Regency, Langkat Regency, Dairi Regency, Simalungun Regency and Deli Serdang Regency. In addition, the cities of Binjai and Medan, both bordered by Deli Serdang Regency, contain significant Karo populations, particularly in the Padang Bulan area of Medan. The town of Sibolangit, Deli Serdang Regency in the foothills on the road from Medan to Berastagi is also a significant Karo town.

The Mandailing is an ethnic group in Sumatera, Indonesia that is commonly associated with the Batak people. They are found mainly in the northern section of the island of Sumatra in Indonesia. They came under the influence of the Kaum Padri who ruled the Minangkabau of Tanah Datar. As a result, the Mandailing were influenced by Muslim culture and converted to Islam. There are also a group of Mandailing in Malaysia, especially in the states of Selangor and Perak. They are closely related to the Angkola and Toba.

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Tongkonan is the traditional ancestral house, or rumah adat of the Torajan people, in South Sulawesi, Indonesia. Tongkonan have a distinguishing boat-shaped and oversized saddleback roof. Like most of Indonesia's Austronesian-based traditional architecture, tongkonan are built on piles. The construction of tongkonan is laborious work and it is usually built with the help of all family members or friends. In the original Toraja society, only nobles had the right to build tongkonan. Commoners live in smaller and less decorated homes called banua.

Dairi Regency is an inland regency on the west shore of Lake Toba in North Sumatra, Indonesia. The regency covers an area of 1,927.77 square kilometres (744.32 sq mi) and it had a population of 269,848 people at the 2010 Census and 308,764 at the 2020 Census; the official estimate as at mid 2022 was 315,460. Its seat is at the town of Sidikalang.

The Simalungun people are an ethnic group in North Sumatra, considered one of the Batak peoples. Simalungun people live mostly in Simalungun Regency and the surrounding areas, including the city of Pematang Siantar, an autonomous city, but previously part of Simalungun Regency.

Toba Batak people are the largest ethnic group of the Batak peoples of North Sumatra, Indonesia. The common phrase of ‘Batak’ usually refers to the Batak Toba people. This mistake is caused by the Toba people being the largest sub-group of the Batak ethnic and their differing social habit has been to self-identify as merely Batak instead of ‘Toba’ or ‘Batak Toba’, contrary to the habit of the Karo, Mandailing, Simalungun, Pakpak communities who commonly self-identify with their respective sub-groups.

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A bolon house is a Northern Sumatra traditional house in Indonesia. Bolon houses are also tourist objects in Northern Sumatra. Bolon houses are made with wood. The house floor is made with boards. The roof is made with rumbia leaves. Bolon houses have no individual rooms, but the space inside is divided. There is space for the house leader, for family meetings, for daughters that have married but have no house of their own, and for the oldest son that has already married. This space is influenced by Batak culture. In ancient times, bolon houses used to be the place where 13 kings of Batak live. Today, only a few bolon houses can be found in North Sumatra.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Rangkiang</span>

Rangkiang is a granary or rice barn of the Minangkabau people used to keep rice. The rangkiang is a distinctive feature of Minangkabau architecture. The structure is traditionally found in the courtyard of a rumah gadang, the traditional house of Minangkabau people.

A sopo is a treasury structure in the architecture of the Toba Batak people from North Sumatra, Indonesia. Its form is similar to that of a Batak traditional house with the exception of being smaller in size and a construction ritual that is the opposite of a Batak house. Sopo is used as a repository for various items, e.g. rice, magical items, or trophies. Sopo can also be used as a meeting point for social activities.

A jambur is a structure that is used as a multipurpose hall by the Karo people of North Sumatra, Indonesia. The traditional jambur is a large pavilion-like structure, raised above ground, wall-less, and placed under a large Karo traditional house roof style. Karo ritual ceremonies e.g. wedding feast, funeral, or general feasts are held within the jambur. Jambur can still be found in big cities of North Sumatra, e.g. Medan, Kabanjahe, Berastagi, as well as small villages in the Karo lands.

Gorga is a form of artistic decoration found in the culture of Batak Toba in North Sumatra, Indonesia. The gorga motif is in the shape of flourishes and undulations. The motif is either painted or carved onto wood using three colors: white, red, black; each corresponds with different realms in the Batak Toba cosmology. Gorga motif is often found in Batak Toba architecture e.g. a Batak Toba house or objects e.g. music instruments. They are meant to protect the building or object from spiritual harm e.g. evil spirits sent from neighboring village.

Rumah ulu is a vernacular house found in the highland of South Sumatra, Indonesia. The house is associated with the Uluan people who reside in the region of the upstream of the Ogan and Musi River.

Sundanese traditional house refers to the traditional vernacular houses of the Sundanese people, who predominantly inhabited the western parts of Java island, Indonesia. The architecture of a Sundanese house is characterized by its functionality, simplicity, modesty, uniformity with a little detail, its use of natural thatched materials, and the quite faithful adherence to harmony with nature and the environment.

References

1 2 3 Dawson, Barry; Gillow, John (1994). The Traditional Architecture of Indonesia. London: Thames and Hudson. pp. 35–36. ISBN 0-500-34132-X.
1 2 3 4 5 Dawson, Barry; Gillow, John (1994). The Traditional Architecture of Indonesia. London: Thames and Hudson. pp. 36–39. ISBN 0-500-34132-X.
↑ "Indigenous Peoples of the World — The Karo Batak". www.peoplesoftheworld.org.
1 2 "Rumah Khas Karo Terancam Punah". Archived from the original on 2010-06-01. Retrieved 2010-11-10.
1 2 "PENDAHULUAN" (PDF). repository.usu.ac.id. Retrieved 2020-04-25.
1 2 Les Batak: des hommes en Indonésie : un peuple de l'île de Sumatra
↑ "?" (PDF). repository.usu.ac.id. Retrieved 2020-04-25.(registration required)
↑ Kinship, descent, and alliance among the Karo Batak - Masri Singarimbun
↑ "TRADITIONAL HOUSE SI WALUH JABU" (PDF). repository.usu.ac.id. Retrieved 2020-04-25.
↑ Breath becomes the wind: old and new in Karo religion

External links

Cross, Pamela A. (January 18, 2014). "Karo Batak architecture". Tribal textiles.info. Tribal Textiles. Archived from the original on 2018-08-05. Retrieved August 5, 2018.

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[Dawson_35-36-1] 1 2 3 Dawson, Barry; Gillow, John (1994). The Traditional Architecture of Indonesia. London: Thames and Hudson. pp. 35–36. ISBN 0-500-34132-X.

[Dawson_36-39-2] 1 2 3 4 5 Dawson, Barry; Gillow, John (1994). The Traditional Architecture of Indonesia. London: Thames and Hudson. pp. 36–39. ISBN 0-500-34132-X.

[3] "Indigenous Peoples of the World — The Karo Batak". www.peoplesoftheworld.org.

[kompas-4] 1 2 "Rumah Khas Karo Terancam Punah". Archived from the original on 2010-06-01. Retrieved 2010-11-10.

[fuc1-5] 1 2 "PENDAHULUAN" (PDF). repository.usu.ac.id. Retrieved 2020-04-25.

[lesbat-6] 1 2 Les Batak: des hommes en Indonésie : un peuple de l'île de Sumatra

[7] "?" (PDF). repository.usu.ac.id. Retrieved 2020-04-25.(registration required)

[8] Kinship, descent, and alliance among the Karo Batak - Masri Singarimbun

[kar2-9] "TRADITIONAL HOUSE SI WALUH JABU" (PDF). repository.usu.ac.id. Retrieved 2020-04-25.

[10] Breath becomes the wind: old and new in Karo religion

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