The majority of the people are Kerinci who speak a dialect of
Malay, but it also has a large population of Minangkabau, a
relatively large Chinese community in Sungai
Penuh, and a substantial population of Javanese especially in the
beautiful tea plantation PTP IV Kayu Aroh on the foot of Mount
Kerinci. The Kerinci valley is fertile producing an abundant crop of
wet rice. Other products grown are cinnamon, coffee, cloves,
vegetables, and tea, making Kerinci one of the wealthiest districts
of Sumatra. Kerinci is not only a beautiful place to visit, but it is
also very safe due to its wealth and the honesty of its people.
The British anthropologist C. W. Watson has published a monography on Kinship, Property and Inheritance in Kerinci, Central Sumatran.