heraclio&#39;s Guestbook

7th October 2010

siregar
non-member comment

Book: Tuanku Rao
Read this book "Tuanku Rao" it's about Batak history and culture: http://naulibasa-magz.com/index.php/web/news/index/2/1875396217 ***Baca link ini tentang buku "Tuanku Rao" bila anda ingin mengetahui atau mendalami sejarah Batak: http://naulibasa-magz.com/index.php/web/news/index/2/1875396217 Buku bisa dibeli di toko-toko buku terdekat- Gunung Agung, Gramedia dsb.***

8th March 2010

martin
non-member comment

interested
hey thanks for all the commentary...humorous and enlightening, thinking of going from Singapore..what do you suggest as the least painful way to go also where to stay at the lake....Mr.Moons I hear is lovely..don't want ants in my room either so if you could advise would be muchly appreciated..are you a photographer by any chance?? cordially, Martin

23rd January 2010

annemarie van Zelst
non-member comment

racism in my blog
I am amazed at the vile language by some of the reactions to my blog. I find for example no proof of racist remarks in my blog, purely observations from a personal objective. I clearely state in my blog that some of the stuff I wrote down came from Batak people I met on this trip in 2009, though I have to admit that during my years of backpacking around the globe with my old and bulky backpack my only real amigo, I have met dozens upon dozens of locals who accuse the Western tourist of racism when things don't go the way they like it/see it...plainly put you don't like my blog, don't READ it. Or else have the nerves to challenge me to a fair debate. I do accept your comment though being a strong believer that everybody on this planet, whatever creed or race is entitled to his/her own opinion. Hans, the author.

From Blog: Inside Batak territory

22nd January 2010

Uli Kozok
non-member comment

Batak, Burma, Cannibalisme etc.
Mauliate, Boru Nauli and others. I agree that the quality of this arrogant and racist blog is about as low as it gets - but some of the comments are interesting. Allen, quoting some obscure "wiki-answers" as if they contained the ultimate truth is not a good example of scholarship. The overwhelming evidence does point to the fact that some (but not all) of the Batak ethnic groups did indeed practice ritual anthropophagy. That the Batak originate from the Karen has actually been proposed by Batak themselves, notably Karo Batak who thought that the word 'Karo' somehow resembled 'Karen'. Of course this is pure folk etymology. The theory that the Batak and other so called "proto-Malay" people originate from mainland Southeast Asia has been postulated in the 1920ies or 1930ies by the Austrian anthropologist Heine-Gelderen, and is still very popular in Indonesia. Modern archaeological and linguistic studies have shown that the Austronesian entered Indonesia from the Philippines and not from mainland SEA and there is no good reason why the Batak should be an exception. The story, hinted at by Boru Na Uli, that the missionaries Lyman and Munson were eaten by the Batak in 1834 was created by the German missionaries, notably Nommensen. There is absolutely no proof that they were eaten and the early reports point only mention that they were killed. Finding any reliable information on the Internet on Batak history is, unfortunately, difficult.

From Blog: Inside Batak territory

24th December 2009

anonymous
non-member comment

fferfe

From Blog: Blood red spagetti.

14th December 2009

Alan Rutherford
non-member comment

Mina, your style of argument is poor. Your scholarship, lacking. Even you believe the myth that Bataks were cannibals. They were not. (http://wiki.answers.com/Q/Were_the_Batak_people_cannibals). As for Hans, leave him alone. He is only a simple traveler who cannot be asked to question some words, especially words printed on paper. A blogger, by nature, wants to spew forth his thoughts. Asking him to think for himself, is another matter.

From Blog: Inside Batak territory

23rd November 2009

eindelijk gevonden
ik wist niet dat je hand klausman heette. Vrije vertaling naar het duits zeker... Groeten de buurvrouw

From Blog: Out on the lava bed

29th October 2009

canibalism
I agree with you though I do wonder if you have ever REALLY been starving....if you have you will undferstand why some people do resort to eating human flesh which does not mean I agree on the practice, just merely making a statement. I the case of Lake Toba I am afraid their little human digestion hobbies had nada to do with starvation. Thanks for your comment. Hans from Amsterdam.

29th October 2009

ajibona olayinka
non-member comment

abolish cannibalism
The idea of human eating human should not be something we should be experience now, if God says thou shall not kill and the only palatable food is to eat fellow human,i think ts an act of pure insanity such a person should expose to proper psychoactive evaluation.It is purely satanic yinka from nigeria

15th October 2009

deleted_49612
deleted_49612

Ah, you are in S. America now. I will be travelling from Sao Paulo, Brazil, to Uruguay and back to Sao Paulo along the coast for a couple of weeks from 14th November. If you are in the area maybe we can meet for a coffee or something. :)

From Blog: A female metamorphoses

29th September 2009

Robert Jolly
non-member comment

Superman Hans
Thanks Hans for bringing your travel stories to life with your well written describtions of your journeys, the photographs and especially your great drawings. You have certainly packed a lot into your travels. Well done!

From Blog: A few last words on this trip

29th September 2009

Diane
non-member comment

I am looking forward to your next trip. I enjoy reading your perspective, so interesting and makes me feel I'm right there.

From Blog: A few last words on this trip

5th September 2009

deleted_49612
deleted_49612

Great sketches. :)

From Blog: My self-chosen life as a vagabond

11th August 2009

reaction from the autor
Though I'm appaled by the vile and abuse in your vocabulary I have gone to the trouble of copying and publishing my sources. If they are wrong no reason to badmouth poor me for, I would rather you save some of that stuff for Lonely Planet head office in Melbourne or for the Moon Publications instead. Nor am I much impressed by your critical approach to my nationality, can't understand the reasons for that..or your wh*orehouse wishes on my behalf...really below the belt and I can only feel happy that that sort of SH*T is beyond me!!! I'm quite happy to continue this conversation aboutn my blog any further provided you leave that abusive language there where it belongs...NAMELY INDIDE YOUR OWN HEAD!!! As a final point: My blog did stir some STRONG emotions in you considering the amount and intentions of your comments...though negative in their nature - even vulgar, vile and abusive to the max - I consider that POSITIVE in its very nature. Hans.

From Blog: Inside Batak territory

10th August 2009

Batks coming from Burma is a myth
Perhaps I was a little too nasty with my last reply, I'm sorry, but being Dutch I'm sure your use to it. So. anyways, I believe I have found the origin for the myth that the Bataks of Indonesia came from Thailand and Burma (Myanmar). I will quote from the book The House in Southeast Asia by Stephen Sparkes and Signe Howell of the Nordic Association for S>E> Asian Studies and the Nordic Institute of Asian Studies on page 115, speaking about Batak house construction "With some imagination the house resembles a ship on poles, which was seen by some romantic ethnologists as evidence of the MYTH that the Bataks have sailed to Sumatra from an area which is now called Burma" So you see there is no evidence for your claims that the Bataks came from the Karen people of Thailand and Burma. Don't take my word for it, ask any Batak, no where have I ever heard any say there is any true to your myth Mina P.S. here is the sacred web link http://books.google.com/books?id=HZASayzAtgEC&pg=PA114&lpg=PA114&dq=origins+of+the+batak+of+sumatra&source=bl&ots=s6kITJtvVB&sig=vJ-mOqEiDTDJS8X8JSl16rQwOU8&hl=en&ei=mXmASumsLuKMtgeXtMjvAQ&sa=X&oi=book_result&ct=result&resnum=8#v=onepage&q=&f=false

From Blog: Inside Batak territory

10th August 2009

my reaction to your comment
I am a little take aback by your heavy comment on my blog. Either you don't understand english too well or else you are totally misinformed. First of all the Batak people did originate from Myanmar andf Northen Thai Karen tribes being forced to immigrate to Sumatra by marauding and invading Mongol and Siam hordes in the early 1200/1300 After Christ, read the history on the Batak people on their home page or the Lonely Planet Travel guide on Indonesia - I will galdly make copies and send them to your e-mail address underlined and all that. As for canibalism...their little human meat indigestrion did not stop with just eating criminals....hardly any serious road between local villages and excited stories from semi-drunk local batak males as well as that local lady in Amarit were clear on the destiny of anybody falling into the hands of hungry Batak canibals, once again I refer both to the Batak homepage on the Sacred Internet as well, as the History on the Batak people Lonely Planet section. With about 50.00 Chatolic/protestant Batak living among millions of Muslim Sumatran people I would hardly call Sumatra a catholic stronghold. I don't remember ever having said anything negative about Batak ladies in my blog, merely stating the fact that they love to marry Ferringi males, you yourself claim tro be married to a Batak lady,... really don't understand your negative statement on this subject....? On overall, I think your statement stinks and is founded on misguided self-importance, feeling protective of people your akin to due to your marriage, nothing wrong in that weren't it for the fact that the things you accuse me off, namely my information par exemple, is totally lost on yourself. Hans from Amsterdam.

7th August 2009

where do you get your information ?
Please, show me anywhere that it is written the Bataks of Sumatra originated from the people of Thailand, do you know Indonesia and Thailand are two separate countries that don't even border on another ? You would be better off to claim they came from Malaysia as it would sound more credible BTW, you seem to have some kind of hatred in your heart for the Bataks and Lake Toba. I'm sure most Bataks would'nt want to leave there as it is so beautiful and peaceful. The Bataks I have met living in other countries all wish to return there.as do their non-Batak spouses. I myself hope to return and live there one day and I'm Greek.

7th August 2009

where do you get your information ?
Please, show me anywhere that it is written the Bataks of Sumatra originated from the people of Thailand, do you know Indonesia and Thailand are two separate countries that don't even border on another ? You would be better off to claim they came from Malaysia as it would sound more credible BTW, you seem to have some kind of hatred in your heart for the Bataks and Lake Toba. I'm sure most Bataks would'nt want to leave there as it is so beautiful and peaceful. The Bataks I have met living in other countries all wish to return there.as do their non-Batak spouses. I myself hope to return and live there one day and I'm Greek.

7th August 2009

where do you get your information ?
Please, show me anywhere that it is written the Bataks of Sumatra originated from the people of Thailand, do you know Indonesia and Thailand are two separate countries that don't even border on another ? You would be better off to claim they came from Malaysia as it would sound more credible BTW, you seem to have some kind of hatred in your heart for the Bataks and Lake Toba. I'm sure most Bataks would'nt want to leave there as it is so beautiful and peaceful. The Bataks I have met living in other countries all wish to return there.as do their non-Batak spouses. I myself hope to return and live there one day and I'm Greek.

7th August 2009

where do you get your information ?
Please, show me anywhere that it is written the Bataks of Sumatra originated from the people of Thailand, do you know Indonesia and Thailand are two separate countries that don't even border on another ? You would be better off to claim they came from Malaysia as it would sound more credible BTW, you seem to have some kind of hatred in your heart for the Bataks and Lake Toba. I'm sure most Bataks would'nt want to leave there as it is so beautiful and peaceful. The Bataks I have met living in other countries all wish to return there.as do their non-Batak spouses. I myself hope to return and live there one day and I'm Greek.

7th August 2009

where do you get your information ?
Please, show me anywhere that it is written the Bataks of Sumatra originated from the people of Thailand, do you know Indonesia and Thailand are two separate countries that don't even border on another ? You would be better off to claim they came from Malaysia as it would sound more credible BTW, you seem to have some kind of hatred in your heart for the Bataks and Lake Toba. I'm sure most Bataks would'nt want to leave there as it is so beautiful and peaceful. The Bataks I have met living in other countries all wish to return there.as do their non-Batak spouses. I myself hope to return and live there one day and I'm Greek.