Batak Toba Houses

 The Batak Toba are one of six Batak tribes that inhabit northern and central Sumatra. Each tribe has a distinctive culture and architectural style. Two Batak tribes are Muslim, while the the Toba and another tribe are Christian. The Batak Toba people are concentrated around Lake Toba, the world's largest caldera lake. Their houses are among the most distinctive in Indonesia, with their famous boat-shaped roofs and finely-decorated carvings. The roofs of the Batak Toba houses are formed of sugar palm fiber thatch, held together with rattan cords. However, many houses have abandoned the labor-intensive thatched roof and have converted to zinc metal roofs, which are far more durable in the humid climate.

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