Rumah Gadang

Rumah gadang (Minangkabau: "big house") or rumah bagonjong (Minangkabau: "spired roof house") are the traditional homes (Indonesian: "rumah adat") 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. In the matrilineal Minangkabau society, 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-tiered, 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.

In West Sumatra, traditional rumah gadang reflect the province’s Minangkabau people, and has become the symbol of West Sumatra and Minangkabau culture. Throughout the region, numerous buildings demonstrate the design elements of rumah gadang, including genuine vernacular timber masonry structures built for customary ceremonies, to the more mundane modern structure like those of government offices and public facilities. Today, rumah gadang architectural elements, especially its gonjong horn-like curved roof can be found in modern structures, such as governor and regencies office buildings, marketplaces, hotels, facade of Padang restaurants and Minangkabau International Airport. An istano basa, however, is the largest and most magnificent example of this traditional style.

Sumatra is the sixth largest island in the world and since the time of Marco Polo has been referred to as the 'island of gold'. It is the most resource-rich island of Indonesia, including its tea, pepper and rubber plantations, and oil, tin and other mineral resources. Lying on the equator, Sumatra has a monsoonal climate and, although more rain falls between October and May, there is no extended rainless dry season. Despite large-scale deforestation, Sumatra still has millions of acres of unexploited rainforests that provide building materials. The great hardwood trees required for large scale construction are now, however, in strictly limited supply.

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