North Sulawesi Wooden Houses

Rumah Pewaris or Walewangko is a traditional house in the Minahasa area, North Sulawesi Province. Minahasa, formerly known as Tanah Malesung, was a peninsula where the Portuguese and Spanish settled. Because of its fertile soil, the Portuguese and Spanish were attracted to the area. Meanwhile, the first king of Manado was a descendant of the Spanish, namely Muntu Untu. From this first king, it is believed that the Minahasa people know the traditional house. During the reign of this first king, simple technological touches became known, for example, several woodworking tools began to enter and become known to the public. In the physical form of a traditional house, the two supporting poles cannot be connected. So, it can be imagined that the people at that time, when they took wood as material for traditional houses, already used woodworking tools.

The Pewaris house is also used as a storage area for local residents' crops. The house is a house on stilts. The construction of stilt houses in the past aimed at avoiding enemy attacks and wild beasts. The heir's house has 26 supporting poles using wood on the ground floor and the 1st floor using wood and concrete.

According to legend, the Minahasa came from the two people who came to northern Celebes, they were men Toar (Sun) and women Lumimu'ut (land). Lumimu'ut is a female warrior, formed from rock, washed in the sea, heated by the sun and nourished by the West Wind. Etymologically, Minahasa comes from the word Mina-Esa (Minaesa) or Maesayang which means to become one or unite, meaning the hope of uniting various Minahasa sub-ethnic groups consisting of Tontemboan, Tombulu, Tonsea, Tolour (Tondano), Tonsa-wang, Ponosakan, Pasan and Bantik. The name "Minahasa" itself was only used recently. "Minahasa" is generally defined as "has become one". Minahasa Traditional Houses have been known for their distinctive architectural forms and construction. This house develops over time.

Rumah Pewaris is in the form of a house on stilts which as a whole is made of ironwood. Typical wood of the island of Borneo which is known to be strong and weather resistant. The Dayak people often refer to ironwood as iron wood. This is in accordance with the structure of the wood, which will become harder like iron when exposed to water. Has carvings on the walls, roof ends, fences, stairs, and other parts of the house. The carvings, which are dominated by yellow, white and black, are not only used as decoration, but are also said to be able to provide good luck as a repellent for disaster.

Like other areas, traditional houses are made based on the values ​​and structure of the Minahasa community. The part under the heir's house is commonly used as a storage area for crops or godong. This traditional house is divided into several parts. The main part is also called the front. This section is not equipped with a wall so it is similar to a veranda. This front section is also usually used as a place for customary leaders or tribal chiefs who want to inform the people. Furthermore, the front porch, this section is equipped with a wall and is located right after the entrance. The room functions as a place to receive guests and to hold traditional ceremonies and banquets for invitations.

This traditional house also has a room for receiving guests who are still related to the owner of the house. Sometimes this room is also used as a place to entertain female guests and also a place for family members to carry out their daily activities. In general, this section is directly connected to the kitchen, bed, and also the place to eat. If you look closely, the uniqueness of this heir's house lies in the architecture in front of the house. Just pay attention to the arrangement of the stairs, which are two and located on the left and right of the house. It is said that these two ladders are closely related to the beliefs of the Minahasa tribe in driving away evil spirits. If the spirit goes up through one ladder, it will immediately descend again through another ladder

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