Sumatera boasts an array of extraordinary beauty covering the Barisan Mountain chain in the west, with the active volcano Mount Kerinci as the highest point at 3,805 m (12,467 ft) and swampy lowlands in the east. Surrounded by breathtaking sceneries, the volcanic activity of this region bestowed the region with fertile lands with deposits of coal and gold. The volcanic activity branches from Sumatra’s location on the Pacific Ring of Fire, the reason why Sumatra has had some of the most powerful earthquakes.

The magnificent island of Sumatera was once known as Suwarnadwipa, which means the Island of Gold in Sanskrit.  Historically, the Strait of Melaka, an important trade route between India and China exposed the east coast of Sumatra to the foreign traders. During that period, the Kingdom of Sriwijaya and Aceh Sultanate had their glorious days as they were among the major hubs for the traders who were looking for local products, such as gold and spices.

Through the interactions with foreign traders, many of the local people have learned new knowledge, gained new skills and been able to responsibly maximise the opulent resources that the island has to offer.  Some of the local people design and make jewellery from metal and gold with beautiful designs inspired from various sources, while others have become exquisite weavers creating many cloths with complex designs using a combination of gold, silver and natural dye threads. In some communities, the people have peculiar skills in woodcarving, pottery and basketry. What is captivating is that every art, every craft has an immaculate feature in the design that boasts the lasting heritage of the region or family they belong to.