Batak Culture

So, who are the Batak people? As briefly as possible, the Batak people are an ethnic group on the island of Sumatra in the Republic of Indonesia. The Batak people number roughly 9 million. The largest of the Batak sub-groups are the Toba Batak, about 5 million in total. The Toba Batak people are predominantly Lutheran today and are active members of the worldwide Lutheran communion.

Although traditional Batak culture is still vibrant and visible to visitors (as in this women in traditional dress holding an Ulos), Batak kids grow up playing Xbox and eating at McDonalds just like their counterparts in the USA.

Originally from the area around Lake Toba, the Batak people have migrated to many places in Indonesia, especially Jakarta, and to Europe and the United States. It is possible that today as many as half of all Bataks live outside the historic Batakland of North Sumatra. The reason that many Batak people have migrated away from the historic Batak homeland has to do with their strong emphasis on education and vocational success. Because of the cultural Batak emphases on nurturing and educating their children, Batak children grow up and become national leaders in the Indonesian military, sciences, business and industry. These successful Batak people bring their Christian faith and churches with them and have established Batak churches in the rest of Indonesia, South East Asia, Europe and the United States.