The "Turun Mandi" ceremony in Minangkabau

The ceremony of "Turun Mandi" (which literally means: Going down to bathe) is one tradition that still carried by some of Minangkabau traditional society till now. This is a form of initiation ceremonies of a child, where he introduced into the world outside the home.

In general, according to the customs of traditional communities, the baby child does not come out of his house before he held the "Turun Mandi" ceremony. The word "down" is closely related to forms of Minangkabau traditional house called Rumah Gadang, which is usually elevated. Implementation of the "Turun Mandi" ceremony time is usually determined based on the age of the babies who will be involved in the ceremony. Usually at the age of three months. However, sometimes the execution time of this ceremony is also determined based on the readiness and the agreement of family members.

On the "Turun Mandi" tradition, babies who are involved at, will be bathed by 'bako' (fathers family) of the baby, few strands of the babies hair is cut, then he will be also introduced to the taste of white rice, salt, sugar, and chili. Those things, just posted on his lips, so he could savor the flavor of spices and rice to be eaten later when adult.

Furthermore, for the Minangkabau people, this traditions also interpreted as a ceremony to introduce to a child about the real life, about a world that filled with different tastes and situations. Bitter, sweet, salty, spicy, is a symbol of reality in life that will be met.

There are also many of Minangkabau society member who believe that through "Turun Mandi" ceremony, the reality of life is being implanted into the babies subconscious, so he/she was ready to accept the reality of life and react sensibly early on when he had become an adult human.

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Some of the Rumah Gadang Unique

1. Facing direction.
Usually Rumah Gadang built following the direction of cardinal, extends north to south or or vice versa. So that the window, whether it is located in front or behind of the building is always facing to the direction of sunrise and sunset. This choice is a reflection of the Minangkabau culture of learning to nature. With this option, the occupants of the Rumah gadang can always find out the course of time, morning, afternoon and evening, through the direction of the shadows.

2. Roof Shape
Rumah Gadang roof always made steep, so that no matter how rain, water can not settle on the roofs that made of palm fiber. With the same shape, then in the house will have high ceilings, which function to protect the occupants of the house gadang from hot weather during the day and provide comfort.

3. Wall Forms
Rumah Gadang walls are usually made larger upward. The goal is to avoid exposure water splashing during the rain.

4. House Trap
While pools under the Rumah Gadang, provide good air circulation for occupants of the house. Then in the courtyard of the house gadang, there are two buildings called Rangkiang that serves as a granary.

5. Leaning pole
Rumah Gadang poles have its own slope. In their construction, these poles do not use nails, but wooden pegs. Its function, is to make buildings earthquake resistant. The pegs of poles in the house will be more stronger each time the earthquake shaking. This is the traditional indigenous to their region as the areas with prone earthquake.

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The story of Rambutan in Indonesia

Rambutan (Nephelii lappacei) is one of most popular traditional fruit that is loved by Indonesian society. Usually, rambutan fruit producting at certain times, which is traditionally called "musim rambutan" (rambutan season). Besides of its sweet taste and water contain that can release thirsty, rambutan also contains carbohydrates, protein, fat, phosphorus, iron, calcium and of course vitamin C.

Rambutan fruit skin is usually discarded, but it can be used as medicine. Traditionally, the Indonesian people use it as a remedy dysentery and fever, as for the leaves and bark is used to treat thrush, diarrhea and Hair care.

However, modern research later proved that rambutan seeds can be used to overcome diabetes (diabetes mellitus). If you want to try, here is how to do. First fried the rambutan seeds (as much as needed), then ground up it into powder. To drink it, the rambutan seed powder can be brewed with one cup of hot water, then leave it to cool. After the water is cold, you can drink it all at once. Do it 1-2 times a day. Good luck ..

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Minangkabau, a Story

The member of Minangkabau society known a story about the origins of naming "Minangkabau". According to this perspective, the Minangkabau consists of two words, namely "Minang" (won) and "kabau" (buffalo). It is said that once time ago a king of the nowhere country came to conquer the Melayu people. The Melayu people (in Minangkabau area now) trying to avoid war and proposed a buffalo fighting game instead. The king agreed and began the game.

On the games day, all the people gathered to watch. The King brought a large and ferocious buffalo that hard to beat. As for the Melayu (in Minangkabau area now) did not have that big buffalo. So the intellectual of country gathered for deliberation to find a strategy to keep winning the games.

Then, the game began. Watching the buffalo that is brought by the king, the Melayu people be wry. Especially when they own buffalo presented. It's only a buffalo baby, which makes the king and his soldiers were laughing. But later, the baby buffalo ran into the game area, then plow down the opponent buffalo, and tore the big buffalo's belly. The big buffalo came down fall and die.

Apparently, the buffalo child was breastfed and have been separated from its mother a few days and hunger. Before the game, the children are paired by horns of buffalos that made from sharpened iron.So that, Melayu people (in Minangkabau area now) win the war without bloodshed, and became known as the Minangkabau society.

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Tulak Bala: Send the disaster go away

The Tulak Bala (literally: refused reinforcements) is a ritual performed by Minangkabau traditional communities to drive something called bala (disasters), such as plague, drought or other natural disasters. Typically, this ritual conducted together by the population in certain villages, who feel that the disaster surrounded them. But it may also be implemented as a form of anticipation, so that disasters do not come to their villages.

In the execution of tulak bala ritual, village communities, or some person who was selected as a representative or can also volunteered, who became executor of ritual, usually will down around the village roads as they read the prayers of salvation, which is typically called "ratik". Often too, the reading of ratik is accompanied by the burning of incense, so that the incense smoke also scattered along the villages road. However, this incense burning, in the present day being abandoned, along with the knowledge advanced of the society.

In the past, the smoke of incense is believed could accelerate the arrival of the prayer. According to various sources, the involvement of incense smoke in the in traditional rituals, is a form of Islamic acculturation with the previous religion, ie Hinduism and Buddhism.

After performing the ritual around the village, the executor of ritual which consists of clergy, scholars and community leaders gathered again in a place that had been planned, mostly in the courtyard of a mosque or any house.

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Rumah Gadang In Minangkabau

Rumah gadang (Minangkabau language: 'big house') are the traditional homes of the Minangkabau. 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.


With the Minangkabau society being matrilineal, the rumah gadang is owned by the women of the family who live there - ownership is passed from mother to daughter. The houses have dramatic curved roof structure with multi-tired, upswept gables. Shuttered windows are built into walls incised with profuse painted floral carvings. The term rumah gadang usually refers to the larger communal homes, however, smaller single residences share many of its architectural elements.

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