GADANG HOUSE; padang, WEST SUMATERA

Minangkabau Traditional house is called “Rumah Gadang” that means big house or Rumah Adat is customary house. It is called “Rumah Gadang” because of its big size, but it refers to the big function of the house it self. Gadang House in Minangkabau belongs to all members of relatives along the mother’s line called “Kaum”. The function is as the place for all traditional ceremonies like wedding party or inauguration of a head of clan. The original traditional house it made of wood and bamboo for the back wall. The roof is made of palm vibe. It is about 12 to 20 meters long and 6 to 8 meters wide the position of floor is two to two and half meter above the ground.

The location of a traditional house stretch from west to east, while the numbers of the rooms are 3,5,7,9 and eventhough 17. The construction is expended up with a horn shape roof. The roof looks like the horn of buffalo with 4 -6npoints stretch along the house and a point in addition forward for the front door and ladder. For the expanding form of the construction, there is no any right angle connection to the pillars with the horizontal bars of the building.

The inside of the house is divided into four parts. They are living quarters along one side of that house, which consist of five or more rooms; another side in front of the rooms is a hall for meeting. In some houses, the meeting hall made with a raised floor as the place for the household in a meeting. At both ends of the house are rooms with a higherfloor called “Anjuang”. The rooms at ‘Anjuang’ are used only for a special occasion and usually used by a newly married daughter of the family.

The traditional house is difference based on their clan:

- Bodi Chaniago . The house has smooth floor and does not hae anjuang.

- Koto Piliang. The house has anjuang.

The traditional house based on their shape;

1. Gadang House Rajo Babanding.

Consists of 5 rooms, 30 poles, 4 slightly horn shapes.

2. Gadnag House Rajo Maharam.

Consists of 40 poles. It is called “Gajah Maharam” because the whole shapes look llike elephant that sitting on the floor with the legs together and bent back beside the body.

3. Gadang House Sarambi Papek.

It is smaller than Gadang House Rajo Babandingand consists of 3,4, rooms coinciding with the numbers of pole and there is no “paserek” and bedroom here.