*This article has been translated from the original Indonesian…*
About 100 miles West of Padang City, in the Indian Ocean, lie the Mentawai Islands. Most famous as a dream surf destination, the islands are also home to fascinating, but often overlooked, tribal communities. The native tribes of these islands are known collectively as the Mentawai.
The Mentawai are a Proto-Malay culture, which settled in the archipelago over 2,500 years ago. The tribe are traditionally hunter-gatherers who lead a semi-nomadic lifestyle in the coastal and rainforest environments of the islands.
The Mentawai have become globally renowned for their traditional use of full body tattoos. The tattoos relate directly to the role and social status of the individual, which in turn is deeply connected to Sabulungan – the Mentawai tribes own unique belief system. Sabulangan is an animist belief in which everything has both a spirit and a soul. Certain objects also carry strong beliefs and are considered sacred. When spirits are not treated well or are forgotten, they may bring bad luck such as illness and haunt those who forget them.
The Mentawai people are characterized by their strong spirituality, body art and also their tendency to sharpen their teeth – a practice that they feel makes a person beautiful. Mentawai tend to live in harmony and peace with the nature around them because they believe that all things in nature have some kind of spiritual essence.
The Mentawai also have the unique tradition of shaman, or Sikerei. A Sikerei is a person believed to have a high spiritual power and closeness to ancestral spirits to cure various diseases. Sikerai are tasked with healing the sick by giving medicinal herbs while performing a special dance, called Turuk. Turuk is a dance to summon ancestral spirits. In the Mentawai tribes, a Sikerei is held in utmost importance and esteem. When engages in acts of healing, the Sikerei must also be accompanied by a mediator who is in charge of maintaining the smooth flow of communication between the tribal population and the realm of the ancestral spirits.
The Mentawai live in a traditional house, called an Uma. An Uma is built using the materials provided by the nature of the surrounding forest, such as wood, sago branches and leaves, bamboo and roots. It symbolizes that the Mentawai people are accustomed to living in nature and can rely entirely on the existing forest. Each Uma is very large and open plan, consisting of four areas. The only partitioned area of the Uma is the kitchen which offers a some privacy and a place to rest.
The staple foods of the Mentawai people are sago and taro, which are both found occurring naturally in the jungle of the Mentawai Islands. Fruit and vegetables are also in ready supply from the jungle, as are proteins, such as the Sago grub; a particular favorite. The Mentawai are keen hunters, making wild boar, deer and even monkey a regular part of their diet.
The Mentawai tribe is one of the oldest in Indonesia. Researchers believe the ancestors of the present day Mentawai people to have inhabited the Mentawai Islands since about 500 BC. The customs and traditions of the Mentawai are very old, but remain very strong, along with their attachment to the forest.
Up to now, the Mentawai people still survive in their homes, and their lives are reasonably far from access to the modern world. However, even with this distance there is a strong spirit and will to develop and modernize, especially with the younger generations. It is not surprising therefore that many young people of the Mentawai tribe are now pursuing higher education.
In order to visit the tribes of Mentawai, tourists are required to seek information in advance, and also to use a trusted local guide. The first step in the journey to Mentawai is to arrive in Padang City, West Sumatra. Direct flights are available from Jakarta and Kuala Lumpur. From Padang, you have two options; you can take the overnight ferry, which is cheaper and certainly an experience, or the speedboat which may not be any more comfortable, but which will only take 4-5 hours.
The Mentawai Islands have a particularly difficult infrastructure, and because of this transport and other necessities can be more expensive than other destinations. We recommend that, where possible, travelers go in groups in order to share some of the costs.
For more information, or for help in planning or budgeting your trip to discover the Mentawai, don’t hesitate to contact us.
Born and raised in Padang, Bayu is an expert on West Sumatran culture and travel. An experienced tour guide, traveler and all-round good guy, he enjoys sharing his expertise, good music and better company.
