Batak
1
9.4
- proper noun
- The Batak community is known for its distinctive music and dance, which are central to their celebrations.
Examples
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In the late 1840s, German doctor, botanist, and explorer Franz Junghuhn had put forward the notion that Sumatra was the 'original seat' of two different races: the Malays and the Batak.
Academic text (2018) -
He grouped the Batak with the Dayak and Balinese.
Academic text (2018) -
For instance, the artwork of local carvers among the Toba Batak of Indonesia.
Academic text (2010) -
He also saw people who reminded him of Javanese, Minangkabau, Nias Islanders, or Batak.
Academic text (2018) -
Ethnic minorities such as the Batak, Dyak, Ambonese, and Timorese are accorded no special status or autonomy.
Academic text (1992) -
On Samosir Island, we trekked along dirt tracks through giant ferns to visit the Karo Batak villages dotting the hills.
Fiction book (1997) -
During my trip to Indonesia, I learned about the Batak people and their unique cultural traditions.
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In the northern region of Sumatra, the Batak people speak a variety of Austronesian languages.
Surface Forms
Etymology
Batak is the name a group of people from northern Sumatra use for themselves. The same name was given to the related Batak languages they speak, so Batak now means both the people and their languages.