Siberut Island And Mentawai People.

                                                                             

                                                                           

The Mentawaians believe that all living objects, men , plants and animals are supposed to have spirits. The only specialist in the community is the medicine man, KEREI , responsible for communication with the spirit and the souls. In case of misfortune or illness, he is called in to restore harmony within the group or in relation with the spirits in the environment. An elaborate Taboo system based on religious beliefs with respect to the environment is a dominant characteristic of traditional life on siberut.

The Mentawaian are traditionally organized as patrineal groups and the social life centered around the UMA, a communal long house which held a clan of people related through a common ancestor. The UMA vary in size. between 10 to 20 members divide in nuclear family units, referred to as LALEP. Because of internal friction, the clan might split up and form a new group might or a single family.