The Kubu

Nomads of the rainforest

The Dutch colonial ethnographer Van Eerde wrote in the 1920 that there was no bigger contrast in Indonesia than the highly civilized people from Bali - with their costumes, dances and difficult religious ceremonies - and the primitive Kubu in southern Sumatera, which wandered through the forest naked, lived in simple huts and searched for food. 50 years later members of these two ethnical groups m (...)

Introduction

Introduction to Jambi

The low populated province of Jambi concludes an area the size of Switzerland (53,500 sq.km.), that is irrigated by the Batang Hari, the longest river on Sumatera and her side rivers. The Batang Hari springs on Gunung Rasam (2585 metres) in West Sumatera and lingers for about 800 kilometres towards the east to Selat Malakka. Her most important side rivers are Tebo, Tabir, Merangin, (...)

Kerinci	Sumatera's biggest national reserve

Exciting climax of a journey through Jambi is a visit to the magnificent, isolated Kerinci Valley along the western side of the island. The most nice part of the valley belongs to Kerinci-Seblat, with a total area of 15,000 sq.km, it's the biggest national park of Sumatera. It consists of a 345 kilometre long stretch of the highlands of Bukit Barisan and it's located on the area of four provinces: (...)

Sumateran Rhino	Threathened pocket-sized traveller

The two horned Sumateran rhinoceros (Dicerorhinus sumatrensis) is a direct descendant from the prehistoric furry rhinoceros, which walked on this planet for about 40 milion years ago. This 'pocket-size' rhinoceros is the smallest of the five excisting kinds and less agressive than his African friends. It's an harmless vegetarian with a certain charming level: their youngsters make the same (...)

Visit	Lively harbour along the Batang Hari

The modern provincial capital of Jambi consists of the old, pre-war centrer, seat of the former sultanate Jambi, and the new governmental centre in Telanaipura (City of prince Telanai) just west of it. The population, about 300,000 inhabitants, is ethnically very mixed: Malay, Minangkabau, Arabs, Chinese, Banjarese, Buginese and Jawanese. Jambi is an important tide harbour with a growing economy ( (...)