How people livein Indonesia

More than half of all Indonesians work on the land and live in villages called kampungs. Traditional houses are built from forest materials and have roofs thatched with palm. Families work together to plant and harvest crops and raise animals. Village communities share tools and equipment. Each village has a school for younger children. Older children usually travel each day to regional secondary schools.

There are some distinctive styles of traditional houses in various parts of Indonesia, built by some of the ethnic groups of some islands. The Toraja people of Sulawesi build beautiful carved houses with long bamboo roofs that rise to a point at each end. These houses are built inland facing the mountains, which the Toraja people believe is where the gods live. Horns of water buffalo decorate the houses above the doorway, as emblems of strength and power.

The Dayak people of Kalimantan and the Batak people of Sumatra build houses on stilts about 2-3 metres above the ground. Dayak houses often have carvings on the walls. Several families share the house, and their goats, pigs or cows are kept under the house. The height of the house is protection against floods and wild animals. Batak houses have roofs rising in a sharp point at each end, facing north and south.

In the big cities and towns of Indonesia, there are modern buildings, shopping centres, offices and government buildings. Many people live and work in the cities and towns. Many of them live in modern flats and apartments or in low-cost multi-storey houses. Some live in western-style houses. Poor people live in kampungs, or small settlements.

Acknowledge this source in your bibliography like this:
A Trip to Indonesia (2001). [Online], Available: www.kidcyber.com.au

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updated August, 2001