Dari mano asal nyo palito,
dari telong nan ba tali
Dari mano asal niniak kito,
dari puncak gunuang Marapi
Pantun above is the pride pantun Minang people, who speak of their lineage or origin. The key word is Gunuang (Mount) Marapi, which according to their history (tambo) is hereditary, is the place where their ancestors came from.
Why from the top of the mountain? There is a history written in the tambo. Its upper reaches are Minang People are descendants of the great King of the world ruler named King Iskandar Zulkarnain of Macedon.
The story is that the three sons of Iskandar Zulkarnain, Maharajo Alif, Maharajo Depang and Maharajo Dirajo sailed together, and while on their way arguing that the crown of the kingdom fell into the sea.
Maharajo Dirajo who brings Cati Bilang Pandai - a goldsmith - manages to make one similar to the missing crown. The crown is then handed over to his brothers, but they return it to Maharajo Dirajo because he is considered the most entitled to receive, for having found him.
They were brothers and sisters. Maharajo Alif continued his journey to the West and became King in Byzantium, while Maharajo Depang to the East became a King in China and Japan.
When Maharajo Dirajo to the south his boat was declared at the top of Mount Merapi when Noah's Flood struck. Once the flood receded, from the peak of Mount Merapi is believed to be the origin of nature Minangkabau down Maharajo Dirajo entourage and residing around it.
Originally seen the peak of Mount Merapi as big as duck eggs. Over time due to low tide, then seen most of the mountain. Until the above philosophy emerged:
"From mano origin nyo palito, from telong and ba strap. From mano origin niniak kito, from the top gunuang Marapi ". (Where is the lamp from which the rope comes from where our ancestors came from the top of Mount Merapi "
Not surprisingly, Marapi mountain is very special and used as an icon for Ranah Minang. The mountain is loaded with history, though only through tambo. This mountain lies stretches across two districts, namely Tanah Datar and Agam.
But Marapi has not been perfect, because it must be mentioned his companion. The "bride" is none other than Mount Singgalang. These two mountains are like twin mountains, with a distance not too far away.
Mount Marapi (2,891 mdpl) and Singgalang (2,877 mdpl), for the climbers of West Sumatra, even from outside of West Sumatra, and international climbers, the two mountains must be climbed. For mountain-spirited people, not afdol and yet to Ranah Minang it seems if you have never set foot on both peaks of the mountain.
The characters are both much different. Mount Marapi is still active. Some of the craters still continue to smoke. Its twin, Mount Singgalang, has long died. The crater is already covered in water forming a large lake named Talago Dewi. About the duration of the climb, it takes longer to ride Singgalang than Marapi.
A solo marathon climber named Willem Sigar Tasiam (58) was able to complete two mountain climbing in West Sumatra in one day in 2016 ago. He climbed Mount Marapi and Singgalang precisely Wednesday, June 1, 2016.
Willem began climbing Mount Marapi at around 00.00 am and back at the initial climbing post in Koto Baru, Tanah Datar at around 08.00 pm. Then, Willem went straight to the starting post of climbing Mount Singgalang and started climbing at 10:00 pm. Willem arrived back at the post climbing Mount Singgalang in Pandai Sikek Village, Koto Sepuluh, Tanah Datar Regency at 18.30 WIB.
Mount Singgalang included in the District IV Koto, Agam District, West Sumatra. To get to the top of this mountain can be traveled through several climbing routes, including the New Koto, Balingka and Toboh lines. But of these three paths, the most common and often used is the New Koto path.
Mount Singgalang has a height of about 2877 mdpl with volcanic mountain species that are no longer active. The mountain is a damp forest forest and many store water content.
At an altitude of about 2765 mdpl there are 2 pieces Telaga with an area of about one hectare which is a former dead crater. This lake is named Telaga Dewi and Telaga Kumbang. Beautiful scenery is the main attraction of Mount Singgalang which always attract tourists to visit it.
While Marapi, is one of the volcanoes that are still active in Sumatra. Icon of this mountain is Peak Pigeon, the highest peak that can make the climbers freely sweeping the view down, without obstacles. There is a term, have not climbed Mount Marapi, if not "tasted" Peak Merpati.
Merapi and Singgalang are the two natural charms of the amazing Minang Ranah, which are landed by two mountains that stand firmly guard the Ranah Minang. Sturdy and beautiful, and no wonder, these two mountains are often so easy targets photographers capture this twin mountain from the air with the best camera.