Located on the coast of Lake Toba, Tomok is a traditional village. One of its main attractions is the Batak traditional house. The house is built with ironwood (a type of wood known for its hardness and strength) while the saddle-shaped roofs are made of tough sugar palm (Arenga pinnata) black fibre. You will also find a sarcophagus of a Sidabutar chieftain, carved from a single rock. The face is sculptured like a lion-faced mythical creature - part bull, part elephant. There is a small statue in the saddle-shaped lid of a woman carrying a bow that is believed to represent the dead chief’s wife [1].
This Learning Experience will teach you about various types of materials. You will also learn how materials used in the coffin vary in relation to status hierarchy. This Learning Experience is suitable for lower secondary students, year 1-3.