Museum Huta Bolon Simanindo

Museum Huta Bolon Simanindo (29 April 2006)


Museum Huta Bolon Simanindo (GPS: 2.75216, 98.74395) is an old Batak village on the northern part of Lake Toba, about 16 km from Ambarita. Today it is preserved as a museum and cultural centre. Tourists come here to view the restored house of the Toba Batak king, which is now restored as a museum of Batak culture. The house bears intricate decoration painted using just three colours: white, black and red. White symbolises integrity, black symbolises authority while red symbolises far-sighted vision and courage.

In front of the museum is a row of ancient Toba Batak tombs of the ancient Simanindo kings. Just as in Pematang Purba, the Batak kings of Simanindo are Christians. Hence there are Christian motifs in the design of their tombs.

Next to the Simanindo king's house is a replica of a traditional Simanindo Batak village. Here, traditional Batak dances, called Tarian Sigale-Gale, are performed daily at 10:30am and 11:45am to a crowd that is almost always exclusively foreigners, and most likely Westerners. When I was there with a group of AsiaExplorers members, we were the only Asians watching the show.

I enjoy the visit to Museum Huta Bolon Simanindo as it provides an opportunity for visitors like myself to find out more about the unique Batak culture. We arrived here by boat from our hotel in Tuk Tuk. On our way here, we stopped over on tiny Tao Island.

Museum Huta Bolon Simanindo is on the Map of Samosir Island, Indonesia

Entrance to Museum Huta Bolon Simanindo with signage listing the sites and dances. (29 April 2006)


Located near the entrance to the old village are Toba Batak tombs of the ancient Simanindo kings. (29 April 2006)


The house of the Toba Batak king is now converted into the Museum Batak of Simanindo. (29 April 2006)


Displayed inside the Batak museum are various tribal artifacts. (29 April 2006)


Batak Effigies placed on a banyan tree at Museum Huta Bolon Simanindo (29 April 2006)


Dances performing the Sigale-Gale Dance at Museum Huta Bolon Simanindo. (29 April 2006)


Dancers at the Tarian Sigale-Gale. (29 April 2006)


Dancers at the Tarian Sigale-Gale. (29 April 2006)


A water buffalo is included in the Sigale-Gale Dance. (29 April 2006)


Musicians at the Tarian Sigale-Gale. (29 April 2006)


Tourists watching the Sigale-Gale dance. (29 April 2006)


The courtyard of Huta Bolon Simanindo, where the dance performance is staged. (29 April 2006)


Traditional Batak houses at Museum Huta Bolon Simanindo. (29 April 2006)


View of the courtyard from behind the traditional Batak houses. (29 April 2006)


A well-preserved traditional Batak house at Museum Huta Bolon Simanindo. (29 April 2006)


Side view of the traditional Batak houses. (29 April 2006)


The front façade of a traditional Batak house shows its intricate design in black, white and red. (29 April 2006)


The interior of the traditional Batak house in plain. (29 April 2006)


Also on display is Solu Bolon, the royal boat of the Batak in Simanindo. (29 April 2006)


At the courtyard of Museum Huta Bolon Simanindo is the Batak totem pole (29 April 2006)


Group shot with AsiaExplorers members at Museum Huta Bolon Simanindo. (29 April 2006)

Museum Huta Bolon Simanindo on Google Street View

Entrance to Museum Huta Bolon Simanindo (Sep 2019)

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