Inside the Uma

The last two days we spent with a Mentawai family in their traditional Uma. Daily life here revolves around family: chatting, endless sweet coffee and tea, jokes, feeding the pigs and chickens, carving wooden tools, preparing sago, and weaving baskets. I even joined them for a somewhat tragic shrimp and fish hunt, dressed in banana leaves. Hours were lost playing dominoes (losers get coffee grounds smeared on their faces).
Life here is undeniably simple. No electricity, internet, or toilets (just the river). Outside the Uma, there's only endless forest, mud, and insects. Sleeping is on the floor under a mosquito net. Food must be caught and cooked over a fire. Yet, there's something about it. In my home, we don't have as many visitors in a month as the Uma had in two days. People constantly arrive (and stay overnight, given the distances). They share food and gifts, and the warmth is genuine. Even with the language barrier, I felt like part of the family after a short time. We became quite close with them, and leaving was really difficult 😥 .
The journey back was challenging: a trek through muddy jungle, a canoe ride to the village, and then a ferry to Sumatra. Exceptional experience 😌🌱.Read more