Batak

volcanic crater lake located in North Sumatra, Indonesia

Batak is a collective term used to identify a number of closely related Austronesian ethnic groups predominantly found in North Sumatra and parts of adjacent provinces, Indonesia, who speak the Batak languages. The term always includes the Toba, Karo, Simalungun, Pakpak-Dairi, Angkola and Mandailing, as well as other related ethnic groups with distinct languages and traditional customs (adat).

Samosir, or Samosir Island, is a large volcanic island in Lake Toba, located in North Sumatra Province on 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 the Toba supervolcano some 75,000 years ago.

writing system used for several Batak languages

regency in North Sumatra Province, Indonesia

one of the Batak ethnic groups

Protestant-oriented Christian church in Indonesia

Ulos is the traditional tenun fabric of the Batak people of North Sumatra in Indonesia. The ulos is normally worn draped over the shoulder or shoulders, or in weddings to ceremonially bind the bride and groom together. Ulos are traditionally hand-woven. With increasing modernization, ulos lost its significance.

Dutch Indologist (1824-1894)

one of Batak ethnic groups

Batak ethnic group native to the Simalungun regions in northern Sumatra

one of Batak ethnic groups

one of Batak ethnic groups

thumb|300px|right|A pustaha, or the Batak divination book, with its cover carved with images of Boraspati.

horse breed

mythological beliefs

magic staff used by shamans of the Batak people

architecture from North Sumatra, Indonesia

The term Parmalim or malim describes the followers of the Malim religion (Ugamo Malim or Batak nation religion), the modern form of the traditional Batak religion. People who are not familiar with the Batak language may erroneously assume Parmalim is the name of the religion rather than its practitioners.

thumb|A flood of Silindoeng (Silindung Valley) plain at Taroetoeng (1917)

Sigalegale (Batak: ᯘᯪᯎᯞᯩᯎᯞᯩ ) is a wooden puppet used in a funeral dance performance of the Batak people in Samosir Island, Northern Sumatra. Sigale Gale is a well-known feature for visiting tourists. During the dance, the puppet is operated from behind, like a marionette, using strings that run through the ornate wooden platform on which it stands. The setup enables its arms and body to be moved and its head to turn.