traditional south sumatra house made of wood - Kistang
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traditional south sumatra house made of wood

Kistang - Limas house is one of the traditional houses in Indonesia, typical of South Sumatra Province.

traditional south sumatra house made of wood
traditional south sumatra house made of wood


As the name suggests, this Limas House is in the shape of a pyramid. The building is multi-storey with its own cultural philosophy for each level. These levels are referred to by the community as bengkilas. The levels of this house are accompanied by five rooms called kekijing.

This is a symbol of the five levels of social life, namely age, type, talent, rank, and dignity. The details of each level are different. If you visit one of the Limas Houses in the Sriwijaya area, you will be welcomed on the terrace or second floor. Limas house is very spacious and is often used as a place for celebrations or traditional events.

The Limas House itself is an evolution of the Baghi Basemah House, a stilt house that has existed since the Srivijaya era. The structure of the stilt house is clearly the legacy of Austronesian ancestors from Taiwan and Zhejiang, to avoid flooding and wild animals.

The roof of the pyramid-shaped joglo house is an influence of Javanese culture because the previous King of Srivijaya, Balaputradewa was the youngest son of King Sailendra, Samaratungga. However, he was expelled to Sriwijaya, his mother's hometown, by his older sister, Pramodawardhani and brother-in-law, Rakai Pikatan.

Meanwhile, the patterned carvings with gold and red mangosteen on the interior of Limas House are the influence of the Chinese people. After the collapse of Sriwijaya, South Sumatra became home to many immigrants from the Bamboo Curtain country. In fact, one of the Dukes in Palembang is a Chinese person, namely Tan Swan Liong alias Chen Xuan Long (陳玄龍) alias Arya Dillah.

In other words, Rumah Limas is an irreplaceable cultural treasure for 'Wong Kito Galo' and proof that Palembang culture is very rich and full of tolerance.

-Nanda Editor: Manda

Source: Yudi Pratama. Limas House: Reflection on the Acculturation History of the South Sumatran Society. Jambura History & Culture Journal. Vol 1 no 1, 2019. #AveNeohistorian #palembang #sumateraselatan #wongkitogalo

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