The Origin of the Ombilin River and Singkarak Lake

Once upon a time, in a region called Nagari Minangkabau, there lived a simple family consisting of Pak Buyung, his wife, and their only son, Indra. As the only son, Indra was known for being diligent and dutiful. Every day, Indra would help his father in the forest and often bring back the produce they needed for their daily meals. In addition to his hard work, Indra had a beloved rooster named Taduang. Every time Indra returned from the forest, Taduang would greet him with a melodious crow.

However, Indra had one flaw that often troubled his family, his enormous appetite. In one sitting, Indra could consume half a basket of rice and several plates of side dishes. This habit wasn’t an issue as long as they could easily obtain resources from the forest and the sea. But problems arose when the dry season arrived, making it difficult to gather food from both the forest and the sea. Pak Buyung’s family had to start conserving food and endure hunger.

When their food supplies and rice began to dwindle, the family had to rely solely on what little they could gather from the land, such as sweet potatoes and taro. After several days of eating nothing but sweet potatoes, Indra became increasingly hungry and constantly complained to his parents, begging them to find him something to eat. However, Pak Buyung and his wife were exhausted and reluctant to go to the forest or the sea, as it had become increasingly difficult to find food.

One day, a frustrated Pak Buyung finally snapped at Indra for his constant complaints.

“You lazy child! If you’re hungry, go find your own food in the forest or the sea!” shouted his father angrily.

Feeling sorry for him, Indra’s mother tried to defend her son, saying that he was still too young to search for food on his own. But Pak Buyung insisted that Indra needed to learn how to fend for himself, especially since he was the one who consumed the most food in the house.

In the end, Indra’s mother advised him to obey his father and go search for food near Bukit Junjung Sirih. With a heavy heart, Indra obeyed, bidding farewell to Taduang and feeding him before he left. Unfortunately, luck was not on Indra’s side; he returned empty-handed, unable to find any food.

The next day, Pak Buyung ordered Indra to search for food again, this time at the sea. But once more, Indra returned empty-handed. Day after day, Indra continued to follow his father’s orders, searching for food in the forest and the sea, but always returning without success. After nearly a month of this, Indra’s body began to tire from the constant effort.

One day, when Indra asked for permission to rest, his father grew furious and called him a lazy child. Feeling pressured, Indra went back to the sea to try his luck again. Meanwhile, unbeknownst to Pak Buyung, his wife followed Indra from a distance while Pak Buyung searched for food in the forest. Indra’s mother managed to gather some pensi clams and brought them home to cook into a delicious pangek dish.

However, before they ate, Pak Buyung worried that the food wouldn’t be enough for the three of them. He suggested that they eat the food secretly, without Indra knowing. They agreed that if Taduang crowed, signaling that Indra was near, they would quickly hide the food.

Sure enough, when Taduang crowed, they quickly cleaned up the food and washed their hands. When Indra, exhausted from his fruitless fishing trip, returned and asked for food, his father lied, saying there was no food left, and ordered Indra to wash some palm fibers in the sea until they were clean. Too tired to argue, Indra returned with the fibers still dirty, which angered Pak Buyung even more.

With great fatigue, Indra went back to the sea to wash the fibers until they were truly clean. Upon returning from the sea, Indra was shocked to find his parents asleep in the kitchen, their stomachs full, with traces of food scattered around them. In the pot, there was only a little broth and a few pieces of pensi left from the meal his parents had eaten.

Indra felt deep sadness because his parents had lied to him. However, as a dutiful child, he held back his anger and said nothing. He went to meet Taduang at a large rock, the place where he usually poured out his heart. When Indra shared his sorrows, Taduang suddenly crowed loudly, flapped his wings, and flew up, carrying Indra into the sky. Something strange happened: the large rock where Indra had been sitting also rose into the air, growing larger and larger.

As Taduang struggled to carry the heavy load, he eventually lost control. Indra kicked the rock forcefully, causing it to fall and crash onto a hill near the sea. The impact created a large, long hole, and the sea water quickly receded to fill the depression, forming a long and wide river. However, Indra and Taduang disappeared without a trace, and their whereabouts were never known.

Legend has it that the river formed from that hole became known as the Batang Ombilin River. Meanwhile, the sea water that receded filled the basin around the hill, which is now known as Lake Singkarak.

This story not only illustrates the relationship between parents and children in traditional Minangkabau society but also carries messages about perseverance, sacrifice, and the consequences of dishonesty. This legend also mythologically explains the origins of the Batang Ombilin River and Lake Singkarak, both of which play an important role in the lives of the Minangkabau people.

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The story captures the essence of traditional Minangkabau values and offers a cultural explanation for the creation of important natural landmarks in the region.