Mentawai Islands, West Sumatra, Indonesia
The Mentawais are considered one of the most remote areas on planet earth and have long been removed from the rest of the Indonesian Archipelago. The Mentawai language is unique and separate from the rest of Indonesia and while Christianity and Islam are prevalent, the Mentawai people primarily follow their own animist belief system of Arat Sabulungan. Arat Sabulungan is a direct relationship to nature that links the supernatural powers of the rainforest that is heavily characterized by their heavy spirituality. The Mentawai Islands have been on the edge of the earth since the beginning of time but this all changed with the discovery of world class surf.
The Best Surfing Location on Earth
The Mentawais are widely considered the "Best Surfing Location on Earth" with the first surfers arriving in the early 1990s. With a chain of countless islands, perfect reef passes, light winds, remote location and a conveyor belt of relentless swell from 6,000 miles away, there's literally no surf location that compares to the Mentawais. Over the last 30 plus years, the Mentawais have become the destination every surfer dreams about visiting at least once in their lives. With the arrival of surfing, the Mentawais shortly became a meeting point between the Western World and Mentawai World.
While most surfers know the perfect waves, few know what goes on behind the waves. The Mentawai Islands are widely considered one of the most remote areas within a third world Indonesia and the basic amenities the first world takes for granted are very tough to come by. The Kandui Foundation was created by a local Mentawaiian, Un Suheri to address what is at most need within the Mentawaiian Community. The Kandui Foundation currently places its efforts within 3 Programs: Medical Financial Assistance, Educational Scholarships and Food Sustainability Programs.
