My first trip to Lake Toba in Indonesia. Took a ferry out to Samosir Island to visit the village, Hutta Siallagan and was fascinated by the story told of the Bataks people. The traditional Batak houses or Long House which could house as many as 12 families. Carvings or paintings of animals like lizards, snakes and mythical birds are tha main decoration on the facade or roofs of these Batak houses. I learn that the auspicious colours of the Bataks are red, white and black.
The houses have no door or windows and the people entered the house by a ladder through trap doors in the raised floor. Poultry were raised under the raised floors.