WEST SUMATRA

Rumah Gadang
Turner, Peter. et.al. 1995. Indonesia: A Lonely Planet Travel Survival Kit. Hong Kong: Lonely Planet Publication

West Sumatra is the home of the minangkabau ethnic group. This group comprises 95% of the total population of the province. The capital city is Padang which the third largest city in Sumatra. Islam is a main religion in addition to Christianity and Hinduism.
This province is known for its unique Minang culture of matreilineality. Unlike most ethnic groups in Indonesia, the Minangkabau people believe that mothers are the heads of families as well as decision makers. In fact, in marriage arrangements, the woman's family generally initiates the proposal.
"Rumah Gadang" or the "Big House" is a famous cultural site of this province. The house is usually a place where young people hang out, a meeting room for elders, and generally a gathering space for families.