A new Mentawai.org

by Glenn

If you’re a first time visitor, and from looking at the stats I see that most people are, then you may be wondering what a “new” Mentawai.org could be about and why it should matter.

mentawai

Ok, here is what it used to look like. This is what I’m talking about. The simplest HTML page done in Word back in 2000. Links to wickedly long—and dry—articles. What was I thinking? (Well, they’re still long and dry; they’re just better presented).

Still, by studying them carefully, you will be miles ahead of 99.99% of everyone else when it comes to gaining a deeper understanding of Mentawai. You’ll be able to look at a traditional house (uma) and immediately know whether it’s a type 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, or 6 House.  Something to argue about with friends as you are waiting for the next swell. Awesome.

Using WordPress to build this site turns it from a static old dinosaur (a bit like me)  into something more dynamic (a lot like me 🙂 ). There is content on as wide a variety of subjects as possible relating to the lifestyle and culture of surf and Mentawai, and a bit on surf elsewhere in Indonesia where it seems to fit. What a place, eh? As culturally rich a region you’ll find anywhere—and as rich a wavefield as well. Taken as a whole (Indonesia spans the breadth of the USA or Australia), it is unequalled anywhere.

There’ll also be some stuff about how the world looks from the locals point of view. That was always the aim of the site from the start. But now they’ll be sharing their POV with a few others.

Now, if you want to find out a bit about me who’s been runnin’ this joint (mainly in absentia) for the past 20 years then hop over to the “What’s it all about page” or whatever the hell I called it.

heading for the surf
Group photo before refreshments at Sari Wansah’s house, Central Sumatra
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