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The Minangkabau For centuries, West Sumatrans have built their houses with roofs shaped like buffalo horns and called themselves and their land Minangkabau. They have a long literary tradition which includes many popular and imaginative legends about their origins. There are several theories on the derivation of the name Minangkabau, but the West Sumatrans prefer a colorful 'David & Goliath' version that also demonstrates their shrewd diplomacy and wit: About 600 years ago one of the kings of Java, who had ambitions of taking over West Sumatra, made the mistake of sending a messenger to advise the people of his intentions and ordering them to surrender. The wily West Sumatrans were not prepared to give up without a fight. As a way of avoiding bloodshed, they proposed a bullfight between a Javanese bull and a Sumatran bull. When the time came, the West Sumatrans dispatched a tiny calf to fight the enormous Javanese bull - a ruse which came as a surprise to both the bull and the onlookers. The calf, which appeared helpless, charged straight for the bull and began to press its nose along the bull's belly searching for milk. Soon after, the bull let out a bellow of pain and took to its heels with blood pouring from its stomach and the calf in hot pursuit. When the bull finally dropped dead, the people of West Sumatra were heard to shout, 'minangkabau, minangkabau!', which literally means' the buffalo wins, the buffalo wins!'. It seems that the owners of the calf separated it from its mother several days before the fight. Half-starved and with sharp metal spears attached to its horns, they sent the calf into the arena. Believing the Javanese bull to be its mother, the calf rushed to assuage its hunger and ripped the belly of the bull to shreds. A far more prosaic explanation is that it is a combination of two words -minanga, a river in that region, and kerbau, meaning buffalo. Another is that it comes from the archaic expression pinang kabhu, meaning 'original home'- Minangkabau being the cradle of Malay civilisation. Culture The Minangkabau are known by their compatriots as the 'gypsies of Indonesia'; they have a reputation as an adaptable, intelligent people and are one of the most economically successful ethnic groups in the country. Though Muslim, Minangkabau society is still matriarchal and matrilineal. According to Minangkabau adat, a man does not gain possession of a woman by marriage, nor does a woman a man. Men have no rights over their wives other than to expect them to remain faithful. The eldest living female is the matriarch and has the most power in the household, which can number as many as 70 people descended from one ancestral mother, under the same roof. She is deferred to in all matters of family politics. Every Minangkabau belongs to his or her mother's clan. At the lowest level of the clan is the sapariouk, which consists of those matri-related kin who eat together. These include the mother, grandchildren and son-in-law. The name comes from the word periouk which means rice pot. A number of genealogically related sapariouk make up a lineage or sapayung. The word payung means umbrella. Children born of a female member of the lineage will, by right of birth, be members of that lineage. Ancestral property, although worked collectively, is passed down this female line rather than down the male line. All progeny from a marriage are regarded as part of the mother's family group and the father has no say in family affairs. The most important male member of the household is the mother's eldest brother, who replaces the father in being responsible for the children's education and offers them economic advice as they grow older. He also discusses and advises them on their prospective marriages. Arts & Crafts West Sumatra has a reputation for exquisite, handloomed songket cloth and fine embroidery. Songket weaving uses gold and silver threads (imitation these days) to create patterns on a base of silk or cotton, depending on the budget. The designs are usually elaborate floral motifs and geometric patterns. One of the most popular designs, used in both weaving and embroidery, incorporates stylised flowers and mountains in an ornate pattern known as gunung batuah, or'magic mountain'. The material is traditionally used as a sarong, shawl or wrap. Expect to pay more than 200,000 rp for a sarong of good quality. It's also widely available in the form of such items as cushion covers, bedspreads, handbags, wallets etc. Songket weaving is widespread in West Sumatra. Kubang,13 km from Payakumbuh nearthe border with Riau Province, is the centre for commercial weaving.
vividly coloured silk songket sarongs and scarves. Other weaving villages in this area include Balai Cacang, Koto Nan Ampek and Muara. Pandai Sikat, near Padangpanjang on the main road between Padang and Bukittinggi, is known for the finery of its cloth. The village is also known for its decorative woodcarving. The Minangkabau are also known for their fine embroidery. Villages which specialise in this are Koto Gadang, Ampek Angkek, Naras, Lubuk Begalung, Kota Nan Ampek and Sunguyang. Traditional weavers also used an unusually painstaking technique called 'needle weaving'. The process involves removing certain threads from a piece of cloth and stitching the remaining ones together to form patterns. These patterns include identifiable motifs such as people, crabs, insects, dogs or horses. Traditionally, such cloth is used to cover the carano - a brass sirih stand with receptacles for betel nut, tobacco and lime - which is used for ceremonial occasions. You're unlikely to find any examples for sale. Another highly developed art found in West Sumatra is silverwork. Filigree jewellery, as fine as spider webs, is a speciality. Koto Gadang, near Bukittinggi, is the place to go if you're interested. Dance & Music Dance is an important part of Minangkabau culture. Dances include the colourful Tari Payung (Umbrella Dance), a welcome dance about a young man's love for his girlfriend; the dazzling Tan Lilin (Candle Dance), a miracle of physical coordination where the female dancers are required to rhythmically juggle and balance china saucers with burning candles attached to them while simultaneously clicking castanets; and the dramatic Tari Piring (Plate Dance), which involves the dancers leaping barefoot on piles of broken china. The most popular of the Minangkabau dances is the Randai, a unique dance-drama performed at weddings, harvest festivals and other celebrations. The steps and movements for the Randal developed from the Pencak Silat, a self-defence routine that comes in various styles. The dance is learnt by every Minang boy when he reaches the age at which he is considered too old to remain in his mother's house, but too young to move into another woman's. It is the custom for Minang youths to spend some time in a surau (prayer house), where they are taught, among other things, how to look after themselves. This includes learning the Pencak Silat. The style of Pencak Silat most often performed is the Mudo, a mock battle which leads the two protagonists to the brink of violence before it is concluded. It is a dramatic dance involving skilled technique, fancy footwork and deliberate pauses which follow each movement and serve to heighten the tension. Harimau Silat, the most aggressive and dangerous style of Pencak Silat, originated in the Painan district of West Sumatra. The steps for the Harimau Silat imitate a tiger stalking and killing its prey. With their bodies as close to the ground as possible, the two fighters circle around menacingly, springing at each other from time to time. The Randai combines the movements of Pencak Silat with literature, sport, song and drama. Every village in West Sumatra has at least one Randai group of 20 performers. Both the female and male roles are played by men wearing traditional gelambuktrousers and black dress. The traditional version tells the story of a woman so wilful and wicked that she is driven out of her village before she brings complete disaster on the community. The drama is backed by gamelan music. The percussion instruments used to accompany most of the dances are similar to those of the Javanese gamelan and are collectively called the telempong in West Sumatra. Two other instruments frequently played are the puput and salung, both primitive kinds of flute which are usually made out of bamboo, reed or rice stalks.
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