WEST SUMATRA ( SUMATRA BARAT)

 West Sumatra (Indonesian: Sumatera Barat, abbreviated to Sumbar) is a province of Indonesia. It lies on the west coast of the island Sumatra. It borders the provinces of North Sumatra (Sumatera Utara) to the north, Riau and Jambi to the east, and Bengkulu to the southeast. It includes the Mentawai Islands off the coast. The capital of the province is Padang.

West Sumatra is one of the earthquake prone areas in Indonesia, due to its location in the tectonic slab located between the confluence of two major continental plates (the Eurasian plate and Indo-Australian plate) and Great Sumatran fault[2], plus the activity of the active volcanoes. Large earthquakes that occurred recently in West Sumatra earthquake is 2009 Sumatra earthquake and the October 2010 Sumatra earthquake.

History

The history of West Sumatra is related to the history of the Minangkabau people. Archaeological evidence indicates that the area surrounding the Limapuluh Koto regency forms the first area inhabited by the Minangkabau. Limapuluh Koto regency covers a number of large rivers which meet at the eastern part of the Sumatran coastline and provided sailing transportation until the end of the last century. The Minangkabau ancestors were believed to have arrived via this route. They sailed from Asia (Indo-China) via the South China Sea, crossing the Malacca Strait and later settled along the Kampar, Siak and Indragiri (or Kuantan) rivers. Some lived and developed their culture and traits around the Limapuluh Koto regency.

The integration with migrants in the ensuing periods introduced cultural changes and an increase in population. Their settlement area gradually became diminished and eventually they spread to other parts of West Sumatra. A portion of them went to the Agam regency while others went to the now Tanah Datar regency. From those areas onward, further spread of the population occurred north of the Agam regency, in particular, the Lubuk Sikaping. Rao and Ophir districts. Most of them settled in the western area such as the coastline and some in the southern parts in Solok, Selayo and the surrounding areas of Muara and Sijunjung.

The history of the West Sumatra Province became more accessible at the time of the rule by Adityawarman. This ruler left considerable amount of evidence of himself, although he did not proclaim that he was the Minangkabau King. Adityawarman ruled Pagaruyung, a region believed by the Minangkabau to be the center of its culture. Adityawarman was the most important figure in Minangkabau history. Apart from introducing a government system by a ruling monarch, he also contributed significantly to the Minangkabau world. His most important contribution was the spread of Buddhism. This religion had a very strong influence in the Minangkabau life. The evidence of such influence found in West Sumatra today includes names such as Saruaso, Pariangan, Padang Barhalo, Candi, Biaro, Sumpur and Selo.

Since the death of Adityawarman in the middle of the 17th century the history of West Sumatra seems more complex. During that time, the connection of West Sumatra with the outside world, in particular, Aceh, became more intense. West Sumatra at that time was the political dominion of Aceh which also monopolized the economy of the area. Coupled with the intensive connection Islam entered into West Sumatra. The new faith eventually became fundamental to the social and cultural way of life in the region. Sheik Burhanuddin was regarded as the first preacher of Islam in West Sumatra. Prior to expanding the faith in the region, he was studying in Aceh.

The dominating influence of Aceh’s politics and economy did not make the people of West Sumatra happy. Ultimately, the growing dissatisfaction gave way to the acceptance of the Dutch although the presence of them also opened up a new chapter in the history of West Sumatra. The arrival of the Dutch in the region caused them to enter the era of colonialism in the very of essence of its meaning.

The first westerner to reach West Sumatra was the French explorer Jean Parmentier in 1529. However, the westerners who came for economic and political reasons were the Dutch. The Dutch commercial fleet was seen along the southern coast of West Sumatra between 1595–1598. Apart from the Dutch, other European nationalities also came to the region such as the Portuguese and the English.

Geography

West Sumatra lies in the middle of the western coast of Sumatra, and has an area of 42,130.82 km². Geographic features include plains, mountainous volcanic highlands formed by the Barisan mountain range that runs from north-west to south-east, and an offshore island archipelago called the Mentawai Islands. The West Sumatran coastline faces the Indian Ocean and stretches 375 km from North Sumatra province in the north-west to Bengkulu in the south-east. The lakes of West Sumatra include: Maninjau (99.5 km²), Singkarak (130.1 km²), Diatas (31.5 km²), Dibawah (14.0 km²), Talang (5.0 km²). The rivers of West Sumatra include: Kuranji, Anai, Ombilin, Suliki, Agam, Sinamar, Arau. The mountains & volcanoes of West Sumatra include: Marapi (2,891 m), Sago (2,271 m), Singgalang (2,877 m), Talakmau (2,912 m), Talang (2,572 m), Tandikat (2,438 m).

Flora and fauna

The province includes large areas of dense tropical forest, which is home to a host of species including: Rafflesia arnoldii (world's largest flower), Sumatran Tiger, Siamang, Malayan tapir, Sumatran Serow, Rusa Deer, Malayan Sun Bear, Bornean Clouded Leopard, and many birds and butterflies.

The province includes two National Parks: Siberut National Park and Kerinci Seblat National Park, as well as a number of nature reserves: Rimbo Panti Nature Reserve, Batang Palupuh Nature Reserve, Lembah Anai Nature Reserve, Lembah Harau Nature Reserve, Bung Hatta Grand Forest Park, Beringin Sakti Nature Reserve

Transport

The province is served by Minangkabau International Airport, opened in July 2005, 23 km north-west of Padang in Ketaping, Padang Pariaman regency. The airport has direct international services to Kuala Lumpur in Malaysia and Singapore, as well as servicing most large cities in Indonesia.

Significant roads include the Trans-Sumatran Highway which runs the length of the province, heading north-west towards Medan and south-east towards Jakarta, the road between Padang and Bukittinggi, and the road between Bukittinggi and Pekanbaru. The provincial government plans to upgrade the later two roads over the next few years to improve traffic flows. In January 2012, the Kelok Sembilan 970-meter long overpass was ready to be opened to the public and was in the trial stage which will be opened for vehicles in April 2012. Kelok Sembilan means 9 sharp turns is an area through which a road with tight bends passes through hilly terrain in the middle of a valley, a nice scenery, but cause congestion. After the overpass opens, the old Kelok Sembilan road is still open for tourists.

Regular bus services run between Padang and Bukittinggi, and the other major cities of Sumatra. Other public transport options within the province include oplet, taxi and horse cart (bendi).

Teluk Bayur port in Padang is the largest and busiest on the western coast of Sumatra. It is used for exporting goods from West Sumatra as well as from some areas of the neighboring provinces.

Railway services run between Padang and Pariaman on weekends only and make a good day trip.

People

The Minangkabau people inhabit the area of West Sumatra province on the island Sumatra. They speak Minangkabau language. They are predominantly Muslim, and they have a reputation throughout Indonesia as traders.

Mentawaians live on the Mentawai Islands, off the western coast of Sumatra, that are also part of the province. They speak Mentawai languages, which are not intelligible with either Indonesian nor Minangkabau. Most of the Mentawais are Christians nowadays.

Sport

West Sumatra is also home of several professional soccer clubs. The most popular of them is Semen Padang, which regularly plays its matches in Haji Agus Salim Stadium, the biggest stadium in West Sumatra. Tour de Singkarak, an annual road cycling race since 2009 is an official tournament series of Union Cycliste International (UCI). It covers more than 700 kilometres, from Padang passing around lake Singkarak and runs through inland West Sumatran cities. This sporting event is also meant to promote West Sumatra tourism.

Tourism

The prime tourist attractions of West Sumatra are the natural environment, and the culture and history of the Minangkabau and Mentawai people.

Natural attractions of the mainland include the tropical forests, mountains, volcanos, lakes, valleys, rivers & waterfalls in the highlands, the fauna and flora, and the beaches around Padang. Many areas are protected as part of National Parks and Reserves. The city of Bukittinggi is a popular central location in the highlands from which to explore the culture and history of the Minangkabau people, including architecture, crafts, dances, music and food. There are a number of museums and cultural centers. Pariaman has one of the famous festivals, Tabuik. The Mentawai Islands are a popular destination for surfers and those looking to experience the culture and more primitive lifestyle of the Mentawai people. For developing West Sumatra tourism, in 2006 the government opened tourist train railway service run between Padang - Padang Panjang - Sawahlunto. The favourite tourism places are

• Jam Gadang - the clocktower in the downtown of Bukittinggi
• Panorama - Viewing to Sianok valley
• Air Manih beach - The beach that stretch from the north to south of Padang coastal
• Padang mountain
• Caroline beach
• Pagarruyung - The Pagarruyung palace in Batusangkar
• Harau valley
• Lake Maninjau
• Lake Singkarak
• Lake Diatas and Lake Dibawah
• Sikuai Island

There are 25 islands at Pesisir Selatan Regency potential to be tourist sites. Cubadak Island (9 hectares), Pagang Island (12 hectares) and Pulau Penyu (Turtle Island) have been developed well. At the northern part will be developed Semangki Besar Island, Semangki Kecil Island, Marak Island, Setan Terusan Island, and Karao Island. At the southern part will be developed Kerabak Ketek Island, Kerabak Gadang Island, and Kosong Island.

Kata-kata bijak tentang pernikahan….. (Marriage wise words)

“A good marriage is at least 80 percent good luck in finding the right person at the right time.
The rest is trust”.

 By Nanette Newman

 “ Marriage is not a word, It’s a sentence- a life sentence…”

 By David Minkoff

"But let there be spaces in your togheterness, And let the winds of heavens dance between you. Love one another but make not a bond of love: Let it rather be a moving sea between the shores of your souls 

By Kahlil Gibran

 ‘Love is blind, but marriage restores its sight” 

By Georg C. Lichtenberg

 “ Ultimately the bond of all companionship, whether in marriage or in a friendship : conversation” 

By Oscar Wilde

 “ In marriage each partner is to be : An encourager rather than a critic A forgiver eather than a collector of hurts An enabler rather than a reformer”…

. By H. Norman Wright and Gary J. Oliver

 “ Love is an ideal thing, Marriage is a real thing” By Goethe The goal in marriage is not to think alike but to think together” 

By Robert C. Dodds

 “Love at first sight is easy to understand, It’s when two people have been looking at each other for a lifetime that it becomes a miracle”

 By Amy Bloom

 “ You don’t marry one person but you marry three : 

The person you think they are, The person they are, and The person they are going to become as a result of being married to you” By Richard Needham

 “ What counts in makimg a happy marriage is not so much how compatible you are, but how you deal with in compability”

 By Leo Tolstoy.........

 From: “Jodoh dari negeri seberang”

Dream comes true

Dulu waktu saya kelas satu SMA yg namanya fast food baru ada satu , dan saat itu baru mulai menjamur dan jd trend sebagai salah satu jajanan alternatif yg agak prestise dibanding bakso atau bakmie.Suatu ketika teman sebangku saya saat itu jeng yul mengajak saya utk mencoba mencicipi di makan di resto fast food tsb. Ya tentu saja kita berdua membuat rencana dulu sebelum kesana. Untuk ukuran saya saat itu yg di beri uang saku harian oleh ibu, tentu saja hal itu termasuk suatu pengeluaran yg agak besar. Saya perlu waktu agar punya uang cukup utk bisa kesana.Tapi ternyata rencana tinggal rencana karena sampai kami berdua berpisah karena naik klas dua SMA dengan jurusan yg berbeda hal tersebut tidak bisa terlaksana jadi kenyataan.Dan waktupun berlalu tanpa terasa sampai akhirnya mendekati dua dasawarsa. Lalu beberapa waktu yg lalu ada reuni atau pertemuan kecil dgn beberapa org mantan teman SMA diadakan di resto fast food yg jeng yul dan saya belum kesampaian dtng kesana. Pada saat makan yg kebetulan ditraktir tersebut ingatan saya pun kembali pada rencana waktu klas satu SMA dulu. Sayang pada reuni kecil tersebut jeng yul tdk ada. Kalau saya akan mengingatkan dia akan rencana trsebut sambil bernostalgia... Yach ini mungkin yang namanya mimpi jd kenyatan atau kata org bhs inggrisny “dream comes true”....

R E U N I

bait I Dulu kita pernah bersama

Dalam satu naungan SMP 58 tercinta

Walau hanya 3 tahun lamanya

Dalam masa menjelang remaja

bait 2 meski masa itu tak lama

Tapi itu sangatlah bermakna

Sebagai bagian langkah menuju cita

bait3 Dan hari ini kita bersua

setelah 22 tahun kita tak jumpa

Berkumpul bersama bapak dan ibu guru kita

Serta teman-teman yang hanya sebagian saja

bait4 syukur tiada terhingga pada TUHAN yang esa

Atas kesempatan reuni bersama

Meskipun hanya begini

Dan mungkin banyak kekurangan di sana sini

Semoga pertemuan ini bisa berlanjut lagi

Sebagai sarana mempererat silahturahmi.......

by. ENHA

N-A-R-S-I-S

Apa itu “NARSIS”

Kira-kira mulai semenjak tahun 2006 seringkali saya dengar anak2 muda usia belasan dan dua puluhan mengatakan kata”Narsis”. Awalnya saya tidak begitu menyimak makna dari kata narsis yang mereka ucapkan. Sepertinya cuma istilah untuk sebayanya yang rada norak, suka foto untuk gaya-gayaan atau istilah lain untuk yang selalu suka ke-PeDean.
Penasaran akhirnya saya coba buka kamus Besar Bahasa Indonesia terbitan Balai Pustaka ternyata narsis itu istilah untuk tumbuhan berbunga putih putih, krem atau kuning yang terdapat di daerah sub tropis. Tumbuhan ini termasuk keluarga Amarylidaceae. Dalam bahasa Inggris disebut sebagai Narcissus yang merupakan jenis tanaman yang berbunga di musim semi. Selain itu ada istilah narsisisme yang menurut kamus besar Bahasa Indonesia mempunyai 2 arti yaitu:

• Keadaan (hal) mencintai diri sendiri secara berlebihan
• Keadan (hal) yang mempunyai kecenderungan atau keinginan seksual dengan diri sendiri.

Berdasarkan mitologi yunani yg saya baca dari wikipedia istilah narsis itu sendiri berasal dari nama dewa narciscus yang tampan yang suka memuji dan mengagumi diri sendiri, dimana dia sangat disukai para wanita. Sayangnya tak satupun dari mereka yang disukai narciscus sampai suatu ketika dewi Echos juga menyintainya. Namun narciscus tetap tidak menyukai Echos, sehingga akhirnya narciscus di kutuk menyintai bayangan dirinya sendiri di air kolam.Lalu tanpa sengaja ia menjulurkan tangannya sehingga akhirnya tenggelam dan lalu tumbuh bunga yang disebut narciscus.
Menurut Sigmund Freud sikap narsis yang berlebihan bisa mengarah kepada Narsistic Personality Disorder (NPD) sebutan untuk mengenali kondisi gangguan karakter pada individu yang menunjukkan kesombongan, egoisme dan kecintaan yang berlebihan pada sendiri
Ada perbedaan khusus antara narsis dan Percaya diri (PD). Orang narsis memposisikan dirinya sebagai objek sedangkan pada PD orang tersebut hanya sebagai subjek. Orang yg PD tidak risau dengan apapun pujian orang lain krn kelebihan yg dimiliki semua di rasakan sebagai anugrah tuhan yang selalu di syukuri sehingga fungsi kompentensi lebih di pentingkan dari pada fisik. PD juga tercermin dari sikap yang terbuka terhadap kritik dan hanya mengalami kekecewaan yg sebentar kalau di kritik. Pada orang narsis jauh dari dalam hati mereka tersimpan sebuah jiwa yang rapuh dan mereka menutupinya dgn betapa hebatnya mereka yang terbukti dari banyaknya pujian orang lain.

DAHSYATNYA GEMPA 30 SEP 2009

Gempa atau lindu adalah guncangan atau gerakan bumi. Ada 2 macam gempa :
1.Gempa tektonik disebabkan karena bergesernya tanah di dlm bumi
2.Gempa vulkanik disebabkan oleh aktivitas gunung berapi.
Pada hari rabu tanggal 30 september 2009 di provinsi Sumatera Barat khususnya di daerah dekat sepanjang pantai mengalami gempa tektonik pada pukul 17.16 WIB dengan kekuatan 7,6 SR (Skala Ritcher). Menurut data dari blog Pemda SUMBAR diperkirakan korban tewas 1195 orang. Di daerah kabupaten Padang-Pariaman ada bukit yang runtuh namanya gunung tigo sehingga longsoran dari bukit tersebut menimbun beberapa desa dibawahnya yaitu : pulau air, cumanak dan lubuk laweh, yang semuanya merupakan kecamatan tandikek. Selain ada juga beberapa desa disisi kiri bukit yang kena longsoran juga tapi tidak sampai tertimbun yaitu korong gunung, padang alai dan kayu angek.
Hal yang menyebabkan gempa tektonik tersebut menurut wikipedia karena propinsi SUMBAR berada di antara pertemuan 2 lempeng benua besar (lempeng eurasia & lempeng Indo-Australia dan patahan/sesar Semangko). Didekat pertemuan lempeng terdapat patahan Mentawai. Ketiganya merupakan daerah seismik aktif.

HARI BATIK TEMPAT KERJAKU ( BATIK DAY IN MY WORK PLACE)

Memperingati diakuinya batik oleh UNESCO sebagai bagian warisan dunia (world’s heritage) yang berasal dari Indonesia maka di tempat kerjaku dianjurkan untuk memakai baju batik pada tanggal 2 oktober 2009. Seru juga kita yang biasanya jarang pakai baju bermotif batik ke tempat kerja, pada hari itu semua pakai baju batik. Biasanya baju batik hanya dipakai untuk menghadiri acara-acara tertentu seperti pergi ke acara resepsi pernikahan atau acara seremonial khusus baik yang formal atau informal.
Batik sendiri adalah salah satu bagian seni budaya masyarakat Indonesia di pulau jawa. Biasanya dibuat dari kain mori yang di tulis atau di lukis dengan malam. Kemudian kain tersebut diberi pewarnaan. Seiring dengan berkembangnya teknologi kini batik bisa juga dibuat dengan dicetak. Batik ditiap daerah di pulau jawa memiliki motif yang beragam yang menjadi ciri khasnya.
Mudah-mudahan dengan adanya hal tersebut batik bisa menjadi pakaian nasional Indonesia. Sehingga batik menjadi identitas atau jati diri bangsa indoseia sebagai salah satu upaya untuk melestarikan budaya asli bangsa Indonesia. Dimana secara tidak langsung bisa meningkatkan perekonomian pengrajin batik di daerah. Tentunya asal kita tetap konsisten dengan hal tersebut. Sehingga bangsa lain tidak seenak mengakui batik sebagai budaya mereka. Maka mulai saat ini pakailah batik yang benar- benar asli buatan dan motif Indonesia bukan batik dari tempat lain walaupun harganya murah meriah........