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IDBahasa Indonesia DEDeutsch ENEnglish KRCakap Karo
ᯔᯧᯐᯮᯀᯱ-ᯐᯮᯀᯱ

Mejuah-juah!
The digital home
of the Karo.

Discover the culture and history of the Karo homeland, learn the Karo language and write in Karo script — all in one place.

Start learning Explore the culture
Mount Sinabung above the green fields of the Karo highlandsFoto: Pavel Kirillov · Wikimedia Commons · CC BY-SA 2.0
Highlights

Don't miss

Flyer: Mburo Ate Tedeh - Pesta Karo Jerman 03.10.2026 · 92318 Pölling Neumarkt in der Oberpfalz Bayern, Germany Mburo Ate Tedeh - Pesta Karo Jerman View event →
Ertutur app Kai merga ndu? Try the Ertutur app! More about Ertutur →
01 · Culture Adat & traditions Merga Silima, Rakut Sitelu, traditional houses and the arts. 02 · History Traces of the Karo homeland From the era of the sibayak to the struggle for independence. 03 · Language Speaking Karo Vocabulary cards and everyday phrases. 04 · Script Karo script Base letters, diacritics and a name writer.
Karo culture

Customs that bind, arts that bring it to life

Rakut SiteluFoto: Picsplease · Wikimedia Commons · CC BY 3.0
Kinship

Rakut Sitelu

The three pillars of social relations: kalimbubu, senina and anak beru. The basis of every adat ceremony.

Source: Rakut Sitelu — Wikipedia

News

News from the Karo homeland

Collected automatically from trusted newspapers. Click a headline to read the full article on the original site.

News items are shown in their original language, Indonesian.

Short quotes from the RSS feeds of detikSumut, ANTARA Sumut, Tribun Medan, Tempo. Copyright remains with the publishers.

Weather

Weather forecast for the Karo highlands

The next three days for every district, updated several times a day.

Kabanjahe

🌧️
20° / 17°C
Today · Rain
Tue 20 ☁️ 23°/16° Wed 21 🌧️ 24°/16°

Berastagi

🌧️
21° / 18°C
Today · Rain
Tue 20 ☁️ 23°/17° Wed 21 🌧️ 22°/17°

Tigabinanga

🌧️
22° / 21°C
Today · Rain
Tue 20 🌧️ 26°/19° Wed 21 🌤️ 26°/19°

Simpang Empat

🌧️
20° / 18°C
Today · Rain
Tue 20 ☁️ 23°/17° Wed 21 🌧️ 23°/16°

Tigapanah

🌧️
20° / 17°C
Today · Rain
Tue 20 🌧️ 23°/16° Wed 21 🌧️ 24°/16°

Barusjahe

🌧️
21° / 18°C
Today · Rain
Tue 20 🌧️ 24°/17° Wed 21 🌧️ 23°/17°

Merek

🌧️
20° / 18°C
Today · Rain
Tue 20 🌧️ 23°/16° Wed 21 🌧️ 23°/17°

Munte

🌧️
21° / 19°C
Today · Rain
Tue 20 ☁️ 24°/18° Wed 21 🌤️ 24°/18°

Juhar

🌧️
22° / 20°C
Today · Rain
Tue 20 🌧️ 26°/19° Wed 21 🌤️ 26°/19°

Laubaleng

🌧️
23° / 21°C
Today · Rain
Tue 20 🌧️ 26°/20° Wed 21 🌧️ 27°/20°

Mardingding

🌧️
23° / 22°C
Today · Rain
Tue 20 🌧️ 25°/21° Wed 21 🌤️ 28°/21°

Payung

🌧️
20° / 18°C
Today · Rain
Tue 20 ☁️ 23°/17° Wed 21 ☁️ 23°/17°

Kutabuluh

🌧️
22° / 20°C
Today · Rain
Tue 20 🌧️ 25°/19° Wed 21 🌤️ 27°/19°

Dolat Rayat

🌧️
21° / 18°C
Today · Rain
Tue 20 ☁️ 24°/17° Wed 21 🌧️ 23°/17°

Merdeka

🌧️
21° / 18°C
Today · Rain
Tue 20 ☁️ 23°/17° Wed 21 🌧️ 22°/17°

Naman Teran

🌧️
20° / 18°C
Today · Rain
Tue 20 ☁️ 23°/17° Wed 21 ☁️ 23°/17°

Tiganderket

🌧️
21° / 19°C
Today · Rain
Tue 20 ☁️ 23°/18° Wed 21 🌤️ 24°/18°

Data source: BMKG (Indonesian Agency for Meteorology, Climatology and Geophysics).

History

The long history of the Karo homeland

The Karo people (Kalak Karo) have a very independent and strong cultural identity. Unlike colonial anthropology, which often grouped them with the Batak, the Karo have their own history of migration, their own adat system and their own linguistic roots, which existed long before that narrative was formed.

The long history of the Karo homelandFoto: C.J. Kleingrothe, sekitar 1900 · KITLV / Wikimedia Commons · domain publik
  1. Early period

    Kingdom of Haru

    The oldest political traces of the Karo are often linked to the Kingdom of Haru (Aru), thought to have existed since the early centuries AD. At its height its territory was vast, stretching from Aceh Besar to the Siak River in Riau. South Indian influence: Early spiritual traces show an ancient Hindu-Buddhist influence brought by traders or immigrants from South India. This can be seen in the Karo script (Surat Aru), which derives from the Pallava script, and in old traditions of the Sembiring clan (Sembiring Singombak) in Seberaya village, historically connected with ancient Hindu worship rituals.

    Source: https://erlajar.karokab.go.id/

  2. Adat era

    Rule of the sibayak

    The Karo land was divided into urung and sibayak territories, such as Lingga, Sarinembah, Suka, Barusjahe and Kutabuluh.

  3. 1904

    The Dutch enter the Karo land

    Colonial troops took the Karo highlands after resistance from the people.

  4. Early 1900s

    Kiras Bangun's resistance

    Kiras Bangun (Garamata) led the resistance against the Dutch; he was later named a National Hero.

  5. 1947

    Scorched-earth policy

    During the Dutch military aggression, the Karo burned their own villages so the enemy could not use them.

  6. 2010

    Mount Sinabung awakens

    Sinabung erupted again after lying dormant for hundreds of years, changing life in many villages around it.

Geography

The Karo in North Sumatra

The Karo do not live only in Karo Regency. The Karo Gugung inhabit the highlands; the Karo Jahe live in the uplands of Deli Serdang and Langkat. They number about 1.1 million people (2010 census).

Map of the Batak languages in North SumatraFoto: Masjawad99 · Wikimedia Commons · CC BY-SA 4.0
  • Karo
  • Alas-Kluet
  • Pakpak
  • Simalungun
  • Toba
  • Angkola
  • Mandailing

Karo Regency

Karo Gugung

The highlands around Sinabung and Sibayak, homeland of the Karo — Taneh Karo Simalem. About 422,000 inhabitants.

Districts: Kabanjahe, Berastagi, Simpang Empat, Merek, Barusjahe, Tigapanah, Munte, Payung, Tigabinanga, dan lainnya (17 kecamatan)

Source: Kabupaten Karo — Wikipedia

Deli Serdang Regency

Karo Jahe

The uplands from the slopes of the Bukit Barisan towards Medan, long in contact with the coastal Malays.

Districts: Sibolangit, Pancur Batu, Kutalimbaru, Sibiru-biru, Namorambe, Sunggal, Deli Tua, Gunung Meriah, STM Hulu, STM Hilir

Source: Suku Karo — Wikipedia · Sejarah Migrasi Etnis Karo — Jurnal Unimed

Langkat Regency

Karo Jahe

The uplands of Langkat, settled gradually since colonial times through trade and land clearing.

Districts: Bahorok, Kutambaru, Salapian, Sei Bingai, Kuala, Selesai, Batang Serangan, Serapit

Source: Sejarah Migrasi Etnis Karo ke Kecamatan Bahorok — Jurnal Unimed

Dairi Regency

The part of Dairi bordering Karo Regency, known for its fertile coffee gardens.

Districts: Tanah Pinem, Tigalingga, Gunung Sitember, Siempat Nempu Hilir

Source: Suku Karo — Wikipedia

Simalungun Regency

The districts in northern Simalungun bordering Karo have a sizeable Karo community.

Districts: Dolok Silau, Pamatang Silimahuta, Silimakuta

Source: Suku Karo — Wikipedia

Medan City

Diaspora

The main destination of Karo migrants. According to tradition, the village of Medan was founded by Guru Patimpus Sembiring Pelawi in the late 16th century.

Source: Suku Karo — Wikipedia

Binjai City

Diaspora

A city between Medan and Langkat with a large Karo community.

Source: Suku Karo — Wikipedia

Southeast Aceh (Aceh)

Outside North Sumatra, Karo also live in Southeast Aceh; the Karo language is closely related to Alas-Kluet.

Districts: Lawe Sigala-gala, Babul Makmur, Semadam

Source: Suku Karo · Batak Karo language — Wikipedia

Explore

Places worth visiting

Mountains, lakes, waterfalls, traditional villages and fruit markets — places worth visiting in the Karo highlands, with a map.

Gunung SibayakFoto: Palma Bernardo Alexius Hutabarat · Wikimedia Commons · CC BY 2.0 — kawah Sibayak dengan Sinabung
Mountain

Gunung Sibayak

📍 Merdeka
Danau Lau KawarFoto: Bangbeni · Wikimedia Commons · CC BY 2.0
Lake

Danau Lau Kawar

📍 Naman Teran
Air Terjun Sipiso-pisoFoto: Hendypernando · Wikimedia Commons · CC BY-SA 4.0
Waterfall

Air Terjun Sipiso-piso

📍 Merek
Bukit GundalingFoto: Christian Advs Sltg · Wikimedia Commons · CC BY-SA 4.0
Viewpoint

Bukit Gundaling

📍 Berastagi
Desa Budaya LinggaFoto: Agus Damanik · Wikimedia Commons · CC BY-SA 4.0
Cultural village

Desa Budaya Lingga

📍 Simpang Empat

See all places on the map →

Ertutur app

Kai merga ndu? Find your kinship relation in seconds.

Open ertutur.karo-online.com, enter your merga and bere-bere, and Ertutur shows how you are related — kalimbubu, senina or anak beru.

Open the Ertutur app → Download flyer More about Ertutur →
Cultural calendar

Public Karo cultural events

Public Karo cultural eventsFoto: Bisajunisa · Wikimedia Commons · CC BY-SA 4.0 — Pesta Buah Berastagi 2019
Regular03.10.2026
Culture and arts · ★ Highlights Mburo Ate Tedeh - Pesta Karo Jerman 📍 92318 Pölling Neumarkt in der Oberpfalz Bayern, Germany
Flyer: Mburo Ate Tedeh - Pesta Karo Jerman

This event expresses longing for the homeland and the spirit of mutual help among Karo people abroad, to keep caring for and preserving the culture of their ancestors.

Source: Jambur Eropa Sada Nioga, WA Group

View event →
YearlyPer village
Adat festival Kerja Tahun 📍 Karo villages

Each village's harvest thanksgiving; families living away return home, cimpa is served and everyone eats together.

View event →
YearlyDuring Kerja Tahun
Performing arts Guro-guro Aron 📍 Village hall (jambur)

A festival of young people with landek and drums, the high point of Kerja Tahun.

View event →
YearlyTo be announced
Festival Flower and Fruit Festival 📍 Berastagi

A festival of the Karo highlands' harvest: flower parade, fruit exhibition and cultural performances.

View event →
YearlyTo be announced
Festival Karo Cultural Festival 📍 Kabanjahe

Contests in landek, ende-enden and traditional dress; performances from various districts.

View event →
RegularPlanting season
Adat festival Merdang Merdem 📍 Karo villages

An adat ceremony marking the rice-planting season, with prayers and a shared meal.

View event →
RegularAny time
Performing arts Gendang Guro-guro 📍 Jambur / Medan

Performances of the Gendang Lima Sendalanen at adat events and weddings.

View event →

Exact dates for each year will follow — send details of events in your village to the karo-online.com editors.

Learn the Karo language

Cakap Karo, a little at a time

Karo is a Northern Batak language, closely related to Pakpak and Alas-Kluet, and is spoken in Karo, Langkat, Deli Serdang, Dairi, Medan and Southeast Aceh. Tap 🔊 to hear the pronunciation.

Vocabulary cards1 / 11
KaroEnglish
Mejuah-juah Greeting (well-being)
Bujur Thank you
Bujur melala Thank you very much
Kai merga ndu? What is your merga?
Ertutur Working out how you are related
Kalimbubu The wife-giving side
Anak beru The wife-taking side

Source: Bahasa Karo · Batak Karo language — Wikipedia

Karo script

Surat Karo: 21 base letters

Each base letter stands for a consonant + 'a'. Diacritics (anak surat) change the vowel or silence it. Choose a letter to see its variants.

Karo script on a buffalo ribFoto: Wellcome Collection (L0031388) · Wikimedia Commons · CC BY 4.0
Base letter
ᯎᯫᯉ᯳ᯖᯫᯰ

The automatic transliteration is approximate. 'e' is read as a schwa (ə), 'é' as an open e.

Source: Surat Batak — Wikipedia · Anak ni Surat — Uli Kozok