Minangkabau

With approximately nine million members, the Minangkabaus are the world’s largest matrilineal ethnic group. They have been outstandingly successful in trade and politics throughout Southeast Asia. For instance, the first Indonesian vice-president and the first president of Singapore were both Minangkabau. Like the Bribri, daughters and sisters have traditionally inherited property, and the origin of this practice is contested. Some argue that Minangkabau men’s frequent voyages compelled families to pass their properties down to the women who stayed. Conversely, others argue that may started traveling to seek a fortune they were not entitled to. I will research the history of Minangkabau matrilineality from Bukittinggi, the Minangkabaus’s cultural capital, where the Rumah Gadang Baanjuang museum of Minang culture is located. In Padang, West Sumatra’s largest city, I will explore the contemporary reality of Minangkabau women. I am currently initiating contact with a young Minang woman living in Padang thanks to a common friend I met in…

Descent and Kinship in Hmong and Minangkabau Culture Kinship and Descent patterns within a society provide a strong base from which other aspects of a culture can branch. How a family is run, whether it be matrilineal, patrilineal, or neither can provide insight to a societies basic political processes and social norms. These factors decide the familial roles within a community, and determine who holds power within the family, tribe, and nation. As far as matriliny goes, the Minangkabau are a…

open to cross-community interaction and are rarely shown to engage in overtly racist stereotyping. This is shown in how Hanafi, a Dutch-educated Indonesian, is viewed by the communities. At the beginning of the story, Hanafi is treated as an equal by the Dutch community (at least on the surface), holding a government job and being part of the Dutch tennis club. This indicates that the Dutch community was willing to associate themselves with educated Indonesians. Meanwhile, the Minangkabau…

a child that identifies as a part of the LGBTQ community. In Juchitan, however, while one woman and her transgender daughter were doing some house chores, the mother was asked how many daughters she has and she replied, without hesitation, “she’s the only girl.” Along with the people of Juchitan, the Minangkabau in Indonesia are the “world’s largest matrilineal society,” (article). Although the society has strong Islamic ties, they thrive off of a distinct interpretation of the Qur’an. In…

Baralek Gadang - Traditional Wedding Procession of Minangkabau Indonesia is acknowledged for its cultural and ethnic diversity. This diversity became one of Indonesia's attractiveness in the eyes of the world. One part of Indonesian culture is the traditional wedding party. All elements of the wedding procession started from the customary fashion, wedding decorations, to the procedures for meaningful tradition, offers its own uniqueness. As one of the tribes with the largest population in…

Controlling trade, resolving disputes, and negotiating with other officials…,” (Ward & Edelstein, 114). This is an example of economic power. Because the women do not live with their spouse they are responsible for their own expenses and have more financial independence. A lot of countries, like those in the Middle East believe that women need to depend on a man to live. The Asante women are great examples of the intelligence of women and the success and wealth women can bring when not…

their homes. Then with moving out of the village and pursuing their education they did not have marriage on their mind. They were getting married later as well as choosing their own husbands. Although with the younger generations new changes and choice the state program still outlined the importance of the nuclear family and the “idea that women are primarily responsible for their children and their family’s health, care, and education,” according to Blackwood (Blackwood, pg. 88). Blackwood…

In the political aspects of matriarchy women play an important role of managing their power in office. Anthropologist believe that there’s no societies commonly played out as matriarchal since female play out important roles for the households for an example taking care of kids, wash clothes, cooking dinner, and structuring the family. Women take on the feministic roles that the males have no time for. Matriarchies still exist. The cultures that still carry this tradition are the Minangkabau,…

married or how many sons they could have conditioned them to feel as though they should become mothers and stay home to care for their children and husband for as long as possible. In Serbia, women were taught that they have no other purpose in life but to marry, care for their husband, and have children. The stereotype that “a women’s place is in the home” literally became a way of life for them. Many of them have not been introduced to other occupations like, school, work, or traveling which…

of the National Archives of Malaysia (2012), the early development has begun on the outskirts of Johor which is Johor River, where at that time the Johor River is a developing area with a variety of economic activities which are greatly influenced by the Arabs, and Java directly involved in the business and commercial agriculture in Johor. However, due to the war that often occurs between Johor Aceh, Portuguese and Jambi, Johor administrative centre moved around a lot. At that time (during the…