Mentawai now West Sumatra's main tourist attraction

By Imran Rusli

MENTAWAI (JP): The Mentawai Islands have become the mainstay of West Sumatran tourism.

Its position has been recognized by Nazif Lubuk, chief of the West Sumatra Tourist Department, and Governor Hasan Basri Durin of West Sumatra. They constantly mention that the Mentawai region supports and brightens tourism in their province.

The region's tourist advantage has led to calls for the Mentawai Islands to be made into an independent administrative area. The uniqueness of the area is surely due to the distinctive Mentawai ethnic group, who physically and culturally differ a great deal from the Minangkabau. The Minangkabau are the mainland inhabitants of West Sumatra.

Of the province's 200 tourist attractions, Mentawai is, indeed, a main attraction.

"They like the region's exotic aspects," said Nazif Lubuk. The colorful life of the Mentawai, which hasn't changed for the last hundred years, is one drawing card.

"Just compare these pictures of the Mentawai taken at the onset of Christianity in colonial times, with these recent ones. There is no difference, nothing has changed," insisted Nazif.

Tourists in West Sumatra appear to want more than scenic views. They crave something different, something adventurous. The cluster of islands, located about 100 miles to the west of Padang, offer just that.

In the sub-district office of Muara Siberut, the capital of South Siberut, tourists impressed with the experience have left notes in the visitor book.

"It was quite exhausting, going up and down hill, wading through rivers, picking our way through thistles, crawling over a mudhole emitting a breath killing stench. This is not surprising since the mudhole was actually a playing ground of pigs. Not to mention the mosquitoes and other vicious insects, but, we are happy, and, we would like to spend our honeymoon here. It will be quite unforgettable," wrote an Australian couple.

Itineraries

Tourists heading for West Sumatra always include Mentawai in their itineraries. Its possible that Mentawai is actually their real destination.

"It could be because the Mentawai still respect privacy aside from the fact that they are truly like primitive folk," said Yardhi, the section chief of the Tourism, Post and Telecommunication district administration office in West Sumatra.

Unlike on the mainland, tourists are free to wear few or no clothes on the beach in Mentawai without fear of intervention from the authorities or being gawked at.

Pork is more accessible than in Padang or Bukittinggi, since pork, fish, sagu palm worms and monkey are staples in the region.

It is obvious that the regional government of West Sumatra doesn't understand what foreign tourists look for in a holiday destination.

"Our standards are often not suitable for them," said Nazif.

"For instance, they don't go for neatly organized tourist objects put on sale. This would appeal more to rich and older tourists. Young tourists -- and they form the majority of overseas visitors -- are more likely to fall head over heels for natural, traditional objects."

Nazif said that village women busily pounding paddy in front of their homes, fascinate tourists more than the usual portion of traditional dance performances in star-rated hotels.

They are also very interested in doing the day-to-day activities of a village family, like cooking and wood gathering, and sharing family meals.

"They let out shrieks of joy when they are allowed to attend a wedding feast, but fall asleep at neatly organized Minangkabau wedding occasions," said Nazif.

Local people have their own idea about tourists: "Turih eda Mabesi' ute'."

This, in the Mentawai dialect, means, "tourists are crazy" or "brain sick". The Mentawai don't understand the tastes of sasareu (people from far away).

Kitchen

"They like to come in the kitchen and watch us prepare the meals, they even ask to help," said Maristi, a housewife in Matotonan, South Siberut.

"They help me out with making sagu flour, we started at 4:00 in the early morning," said Sapaikerei, not trying to hide her confusion. She also lives in Matotonan.

"They wanted to give me money, food, drinks and cigarettes, for sharing my bed and sleeping under a mosquito net," said Rauk, who lives in Ugai.

"Like Michael. He grumbled when I didn't hand over this kabid (loincloth of wood bark) I'm wearing. I told him that this one is dirty and I would give him a new one," explained Kunenmanai, who lives in Madobag and later gave in for Rp 20,000 (US$8.75) and a pack of Jie Sam Soe. "He is crazy," he emphasized.

The tourists don't hesitate to try traditional Mentawai food like subbet (round balls of yam flour) andkapurut (dish of sagu flour), even though this eventually results in stomach problems and they have to run to the river to relieve themselves.

"It's a pleasure to relieve oneself in the river," commented Ingrid, a German who wrote down her experience of soaking in the river for half a day after eating 10 subbets.

Other villagers comment how crazy tourists get over everyday tools like lulak (wood plate), gogojai (sagu rasp), jaragjag (mat of pandanus leaves) and jawak (tobacco pouch).

"They hurried to buy these and dragged all sorts of kitchen utensils to Muara," said Amaneti, a villager from Ugai.

The West Sumatra administration is changing its policies after discovering the tastes of tourists.

"The people of Mentawai have been told to learn and to earn profit from the demands of tourists. We do not like to force change upon them, even though education programs and social information are being held. Actually, they need to be spurred on, so they don't lag too far behind their brethren from the coast. However, we are prepared to give more leeway in the field of tourism, because they will eventually learn to adapt to people from different cultures. In the end, they will know what is right and what is not," assured Nazif.