Overseas Minangkabau
Encyclopedia
The Overseas Minangkabau are people of Minang birth or descent who live outside the province of West Sumatra
. Nowadays, over half of the Minangkabau people can be considered Overseas Minangkabaus. They make up the majority of the population of Negeri Sembilan
(in Malaysia) and Pekanbaru
(in Indonesia). They also form a significant minority in the populations of Jakarta
, Bandung
, Medan
, Surabaya
and Palembang
in Indonesia as well as in Kuala Lumpur
, in Singapore
, the Philippines
and Thailand
. The matrilineal culture and economic conditions in West Sumatra have made the Minangkabau people one of the most mobile ethnic group in Maritime Southeast Asia
.
The young people usually have to go outside the region since their teens, both as a trader or a student. For most of the Minangkabau people, wander is an ideal way to reach maturity and success. By wander not only wealth and scientific knowledge gained, but also the prestige and honor individuals in the midst of indigenous environment.
The immigrants usually send part of the wealth to hometown for be invested in family businesses, such as by expanding the ownership of paddy fields, control of land management, or pick up the rice fields of the spout. Money from the Diaspora are also used to improve village facilities, such as mosque
s, roads, or the rice field.
. In 13th century, the Minangkabau people started colonies along the west coast of Sumatra
island; from Meulaboh to Bengkulu
when they were spice traders under the Aceh Sultanate
. In Aceh, they were known as Aneuk Jamee. In the 15th century, the overseas Minangkabaus settled in Negeri Sembilan
under the protection of the Malacca Sultanate
and, later, under the Sultanate of Johor. After Portuguese
captured of Malacca
in 1511, many Minangkabau family moved to South Sulawesi
. Datuk Makotta and his wife Tuan Sitti were pioneer of Minangkabau family in South Sulawesi. They supported kingdom of Gowa, as trader, ulema, and administrator. By the 19th century, most of the Minangkabau people moved to the Kingdom of Siak
and the Deli
in East Sumatra as traders when the Dutch East Indies
colonies opened their tobacco plantations.
, most of the Moslem reformists went to Mecca
and Cairo
. Among them were Ahmad Khatib
, Tahir Jalaluddin
, Abdul Karim Amrullah
, and Muhammad Jamil Jambek. In Mecca
, Ahmad Khatib served as the Imam
of the Shafi'i
school of law at the mosque known as Masjidil Haram.
In the early 20th century, many young Minangkabaus migrated to Java
and Europe
as students. In Europe, most of them studied in the Netherlands
and Germany
. Abdoel Rivai
, Mohammad Hatta
, Roestam Effendi, Nazir Pamuntjak, and Sutan Sjahrir
were overseas Minangkabaus who studied in Europe and later became activists in the movement for Indonesian independence. Another activist was Tan Malaka
who lived in eight different countries including the Netherlands and the Philippines. He was a member of the Indonesian Communist Party and was also a candidate for the Netherlands' member of parliament.
The nomads who returned to their hometown, usually will tell the experience to children in the village. The appeal of nomads lives is very influential among the Minangkabau society childhood. Anyone who has never tried to go abroad, then he will always be humiliated by his friends. This is what causes Minang men choose to go abroad. Now the woman was already prevalent Minangkabau wander. Not only for reasons follows husband, but also because they want to trade, career and continuing education.
According to Rudolf Mrazek, the Dutch sociologist, two typologies of Minang culture, the dynamism and anti-parochialism give birth spirit of independence, cosmopolitan, egalitarian, and liberal-minded, this causes the embedded culture of Minangkabau people migrated. The spirit to change the fate of the pursuit of science and wealth, and Minang proverb which says Ka ratau madang di hulu, babuah babungo balun, marantau bujang dahulu, di rumah paguno balun (better go wander, because in kampong not useful) result in Minang youth to go wander since young.
Meanwhile, the economic history of the Minangkabau people since long ago has been bolstered by the ability to trade and distribute their crops. Minangkabau inland area has geological reserves of raw materials especially gold
, copper
, lead
, zinc
, mercury
, and iron
. The nickname Suvarnadvipa
that appears on legend in India
was referred to the possibility of Sumatra as island of gold. In the 9th century, the Arab
traders reported that Sumatran people have been using a number of gold in trading system. Continued in the 13th century, king of Sumatra used the crown of gold. Tomé Pires
around the 16th century, says that gold was trade in Malacca
, Barus, Tiku and Pariaman
, originated from Minangkabau inland area. He also mentioned that in the Indragiri
area on the east coast of Sumatra is the central port of the Minangkabau kingdom. The manuscripts written by Adityawarman
also mentioned that he is the ruler of the earth's gold. It is then encouraged the Dutch to build a port in Padang
. And arrived at 17th-century, Dutch still call a gold ruler to the king of Pagaruyung and then asks Tomas Diaz to investigate the matter, which he tried to enter the interior of the Minangkabau from east coast of Sumatra, and Diaz' noted he had found one of the Minangkabau king at that time (Rajo Buo) and also mentioned main of the people jobs was gold miners. The geological record of the Netherlands
noted that on Batanghari found 42 places of mined gold with the depth reaches 60 metres, and in Kerinci
they met the miners of gold. Until the 19th century, the legend of gold in Minangkabau hitterland, still pushing Raffles to prove it, and he is listed as the first Europe
an to successfully achieved Pagaruyung through the west coast of Sumatra.
, Borneo
, and Nusa Tenggara island. Dato Ri Bandang and Dato Ri Tiro, both of whom were prominent ulamas spread the word of Islam to the Gowa
and Luwu
kingdom in south Sulawesi.
The Overseas Minangkabau were also involved in political rivalry with the Bugis after the death of Sultan Mahmud Shah II
in Sultanate of Johor. In 1723, Sultan Abdul Jalil Rahmad Syah I or known as Raja Kecik, founded Sultanate of Siak in Riau. In 1773, Raja Melewar
was appointed the Yang di-Pertuan Besar
in the state of Negeri Sembilan
. The mid-twentieth century, many overseas Minangkabau like Ahmad Boestaman
, Abdullah CD
, Rashid Maidin
, Shamsiah Fakeh
, and Khatijah Sidek were involved in the Malaysian independence movement.
Islamic organisation. In the big cities, they are greatly involved with the mosque activities as well as the modern Moslem organisation. They are also present in the field of academics and many Overseas Minangkabaus hold posts as headmasters in high schools.
and Europe. Their objectives are the promotion of the social, physical, intellectual, cultural and general welfare of its members. An example is Gebu Minang, which is one of the largest overseas Minangkabau organization.
, in his novel Merantau to Deli, telling stories about life experiences Minang nomads who went to the Deli
and married with Javanese woman. Another novel Tenggelamnya Kapal Van der Wijck also told the story of children who return to home. In the village, he faced obstacles by indigenous peoples who is his father's family. Besides Hamka novel, a novel by Marah Rusli, Sitti Nurbaya and Salah Asuhan
Abdul Muis
also tells the story of the Minang nomads. In these novels, narrated on the intersection of Minang tradition and western culture. Novels Negeri 5 Menara of Ahmad Fuadi, tells immigrants who study in boarding schools in Java and eventually become successful. In a different form, through his work entitled Kemarau, A.A Navis invite the overseas community to build their Minang hometown.
Merantau
is a martial arts film from 2009 which tells the story of a young Minangkabau man who leaves his hometown to teach silat
and the trials and tribulations his journey.
West Sumatra
West Sumatra is a province of Indonesia. It lies on the west coast of the island Sumatra. It borders the provinces of North Sumatra to the north, Riau and Jambi to the east, and Bengkulu to the southeast. It includes the Mentawai Islands off the coast...
. Nowadays, over half of the Minangkabau people can be considered Overseas Minangkabaus. They make up the majority of the population of Negeri Sembilan
Negeri Sembilan
Negeri Sembilan, one of the 13 states that constitutes Malaysia, lies on the western coast of Peninsular Malaysia, just south of Kuala Lumpur and borders Selangor on the north, Pahang in the east, and Malacca and Johor to the south....
(in Malaysia) and Pekanbaru
Pekanbaru
Pekanbaru is the capital of Riau, a province in Indonesia on the island of Sumatra. It has an area of 632.26 km² and a population of 903,902. Located on the Siak River, which drains to the Strait of Malacca...
(in Indonesia). They also form a significant minority in the populations of Jakarta
Jakarta
Jakarta is the capital and largest city of Indonesia. Officially known as the Special Capital Territory of Jakarta, it is located on the northwest coast of Java, has an area of , and a population of 9,580,000. Jakarta is the country's economic, cultural and political centre...
, Bandung
Bandung
Bandung is the capital of West Java province in Indonesia, and the country's third largest city, and 2nd largest metropolitan area in Indonesia, with a population of 7.4 million in 2007. Located 768 metres above sea level, approximately 140 km southeast of Jakarta, Bandung has cooler...
, Medan
Medan
- Demography :The city is Indonesia's fourth most populous after Jakarta, Surabaya, and Bandung, and Indonesia's largest city outside of Java island. Much of the population lies outside its city limits, especially in Deli Serdang....
, Surabaya
Surabaya
Surabaya is Indonesia's second-largest city with a population of over 2.7 million , and the capital of the province of East Java...
and Palembang
Palembang
Palembang is the capital city of the South Sumatra province in Indonesia. Palembang is one of the oldest cities in Indonesia, and has a history of being a capital of a maritime empire. Located on the Musi River banks on the east coast of southern Sumatra island, it has an area of 400.61 square...
in Indonesia as well as in Kuala Lumpur
Kuala Lumpur
Kuala Lumpur is the capital and the second largest city in Malaysia by population. The city proper, making up an area of , has a population of 1.4 million as of 2010. Greater Kuala Lumpur, also known as the Klang Valley, is an urban agglomeration of 7.2 million...
, in Singapore
Singapore
Singapore , officially the Republic of Singapore, is a Southeast Asian city-state off the southern tip of the Malay Peninsula, north of the equator. An island country made up of 63 islands, it is separated from Malaysia by the Straits of Johor to its north and from Indonesia's Riau Islands by the...
, the Philippines
Philippines
The Philippines , officially known as the Republic of the Philippines , is a country in Southeast Asia in the western Pacific Ocean. To its north across the Luzon Strait lies Taiwan. West across the South China Sea sits Vietnam...
and Thailand
Thailand
Thailand , officially the Kingdom of Thailand , formerly known as Siam , is a country located at the centre of the Indochina peninsula and Southeast Asia. It is bordered to the north by Burma and Laos, to the east by Laos and Cambodia, to the south by the Gulf of Thailand and Malaysia, and to the...
. The matrilineal culture and economic conditions in West Sumatra have made the Minangkabau people one of the most mobile ethnic group in Maritime Southeast Asia
Maritime Southeast Asia
Maritime Southeast Asia refers to the maritime region of Southeast Asia as opposed to mainland Southeast Asia and includes the modern countries of Indonesia, Malaysia, the Philippines, Brunei, East Timor and Singapore....
.
The young people usually have to go outside the region since their teens, both as a trader or a student. For most of the Minangkabau people, wander is an ideal way to reach maturity and success. By wander not only wealth and scientific knowledge gained, but also the prestige and honor individuals in the midst of indigenous environment.
The immigrants usually send part of the wealth to hometown for be invested in family businesses, such as by expanding the ownership of paddy fields, control of land management, or pick up the rice fields of the spout. Money from the Diaspora are also used to improve village facilities, such as mosque
Mosque
A mosque is a place of worship for followers of Islam. The word is likely to have entered the English language through French , from Portuguese , from Spanish , and from Berber , ultimately originating in — . The Arabic word masjid literally means a place of prostration...
s, roads, or the rice field.
Waves of Migration
The Minangkabau people have a long history of migrating overseas. They would leave their homes and travel in search of knowledge and to seek their fortunes. The first migration in 7th century when the Minangkabau Merchants sold the gold in Jambi and involved to formation Malayu KingdomMelayu Kingdom
Melayu Kingdom was a classical Southeast Asian kingdom that existed between the 7th and the 13th century of the common era. It was established around present-day Dharmasraya on Sumatera, Indonesia, approximately 300 km north of Palembang...
. In 13th century, the Minangkabau people started colonies along the west coast of Sumatra
Sumatra
Sumatra is an island in western Indonesia, westernmost of the Sunda Islands. It is the largest island entirely in Indonesia , and the sixth largest island in the world at 473,481 km2 with a population of 50,365,538...
island; from Meulaboh to Bengkulu
Bengkulu
Bengkulu is a province of Indonesia. It is on the southwest coast of the island of Sumatra, and borders the provinces of West Sumatra, Jambi, South Sumatra and Lampung. The capital and largest city is Bengkulu city. It was formerly the site of a British garrison, which they called Bencoolen...
when they were spice traders under the Aceh Sultanate
Aceh Sultanate
The Sultanate of Aceh, officially the Kingdom of Aceh Darussalam was a sultanate centered in the modern area of Aceh Province, Sumatra, Indonesia, which was a major regional power in the 16th and 17th centuries, before experiencing a long period of decline...
. In Aceh, they were known as Aneuk Jamee. In the 15th century, the overseas Minangkabaus settled in Negeri Sembilan
Negeri Sembilan
Negeri Sembilan, one of the 13 states that constitutes Malaysia, lies on the western coast of Peninsular Malaysia, just south of Kuala Lumpur and borders Selangor on the north, Pahang in the east, and Malacca and Johor to the south....
under the protection of the Malacca Sultanate
Malacca Sultanate
Established by the Malay ruler Parameswara, the Sultanate of Malacca was first a Hindu kingdom in 1402 and later became Muslim following the marriage of the princess of Pasai in 1409. Centered in the modern town of Malacca, the sultanate bordered the Ayutthaya Kingdom of Siam in the north to...
and, later, under the Sultanate of Johor. After Portuguese
Portugal
Portugal , officially the Portuguese Republic is a country situated in southwestern Europe on the Iberian Peninsula. Portugal is the westernmost country of Europe, and is bordered by the Atlantic Ocean to the West and South and by Spain to the North and East. The Atlantic archipelagos of the...
captured of Malacca
Malacca
Malacca , dubbed The Historic State or Negeri Bersejarah among locals) is the third smallest Malaysian state, after Perlis and Penang. It is located in the southern region of the Malay Peninsula, on the Straits of Malacca. It borders Negeri Sembilan to the north and the state of Johor to the south...
in 1511, many Minangkabau family moved to South Sulawesi
South Sulawesi
South Sulawesi is a province of Indonesia, located on the western southern peninsula of Sulawesi Island. The province is bordered by Central Sulawesi province to the north, South East Sulawesi province to the east and West Sulawesi province to the west...
. Datuk Makotta and his wife Tuan Sitti were pioneer of Minangkabau family in South Sulawesi. They supported kingdom of Gowa, as trader, ulema, and administrator. By the 19th century, most of the Minangkabau people moved to the Kingdom of Siak
Siak
Siak may refer to:*Asiagh , a gotra/clan of Jats found in India.*Eric Low Siak Meng, a Singaporean Chinese politician.*Siak Regency, a regency of Riau, Indonesia.*Siak River, a river in Sumatra, Indonesia....
and the Deli
Sultanate of Deli
Deli is a 1,820 km² state in east Sumatra founded in 1630. A tributary kingdom from 1630 until 1814, the state became a sultanate in 1814 when acquiring independence from Sultanate of Siak....
in East Sumatra as traders when the Dutch East Indies
Dutch East Indies
The Dutch East Indies was a Dutch colony that became modern Indonesia following World War II. It was formed from the nationalised colonies of the Dutch East India Company, which came under the administration of the Netherlands government in 1800....
colonies opened their tobacco plantations.
Intellectual migration
After the Padri WarPadri War
The Padri War was fought from 1803 until 1837 in West Sumatra between two rival muslim factions. The Dutch intervened from 1821 and helped the Adats defeat the Padri faction.-Background:...
, most of the Moslem reformists went to Mecca
Mecca
Mecca is a city in the Hijaz and the capital of Makkah province in Saudi Arabia. The city is located inland from Jeddah in a narrow valley at a height of above sea level...
and Cairo
Cairo
Cairo , is the capital of Egypt and the largest city in the Arab world and Africa, and the 16th largest metropolitan area in the world. Nicknamed "The City of a Thousand Minarets" for its preponderance of Islamic architecture, Cairo has long been a centre of the region's political and cultural life...
. Among them were Ahmad Khatib
Ahmad Khatib
Shaikh Ahmad Khatib was a Minangkabau Indonesian Islamic teacher. He was born in Koto Gadang, Agam Regency, West Sumatra on 6 Dzulhijjah 1276 H and died in Mecca on 8 Jumadil Awal 1334 H . He served as the head of the Shafi'i school of law at the mosque of Mecca...
, Tahir Jalaluddin
Sheikh Tahir Jalaluddin
Sheikh Tahir Jalaluddin was a famous Muslim ulama in Southeast Asia.He became the editor for Al-Imam publication which was published in Singapore between 1906 and 1908....
, Abdul Karim Amrullah
Abdul Karim Amrullah
Abdul Karim Amrullah known as Haji Rasul was prominet Muslim reformer who led reformation of Islam in Sumatra.- Personal life :Haji Rasul was born in Sungai Batang, Maninjau, West Sumatra on February 10, 1879. His father was Muslim ulema, Syekh Muhammad Amarullah Tuanku Kisai and his mother Andung...
, and Muhammad Jamil Jambek. In Mecca
Mecca
Mecca is a city in the Hijaz and the capital of Makkah province in Saudi Arabia. The city is located inland from Jeddah in a narrow valley at a height of above sea level...
, Ahmad Khatib served as the Imam
Imam
An imam is an Islamic leadership position, often the worship leader of a mosque and the Muslim community. Similar to spiritual leaders, the imam is the one who leads Islamic worship services. More often, the community turns to the mosque imam if they have a religious question...
of the Shafi'i
Shafi'i
The Shafi'i madhhab is one of the schools of fiqh, or religious law, within the Sunni branch of Islam. The Shafi'i school of fiqh is named after Imām ash-Shafi'i.-Principles:...
school of law at the mosque known as Masjidil Haram.
In the early 20th century, many young Minangkabaus migrated to Java
Java
Java is an island of Indonesia. With a population of 135 million , it is the world's most populous island, and one of the most densely populated regions in the world. It is home to 60% of Indonesia's population. The Indonesian capital city, Jakarta, is in west Java...
and Europe
Europe
Europe is, by convention, one of the world's seven continents. Comprising the westernmost peninsula of Eurasia, Europe is generally 'divided' from Asia to its east by the watershed divides of the Ural and Caucasus Mountains, the Ural River, the Caspian and Black Seas, and the waterways connecting...
as students. In Europe, most of them studied in the Netherlands
Netherlands
The Netherlands is a constituent country of the Kingdom of the Netherlands, located mainly in North-West Europe and with several islands in the Caribbean. Mainland Netherlands borders the North Sea to the north and west, Belgium to the south, and Germany to the east, and shares maritime borders...
and Germany
Germany
Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
. Abdoel Rivai
Abdoel Rivai
Abdoel Rivai was an Indonesian journalist and supporter of Indonesian independence.- Personal life :...
, Mohammad Hatta
Mohammad Hatta
was born in Bukittinggi, West Sumatra, Dutch East Indies . He was Indonesia's first vice president, later also serving as the country's Prime Minister. Known as "The Proclamator", he and a number of Indonesians, including the first president of Indonesia, Sukarno, fought for the independence of...
, Roestam Effendi, Nazir Pamuntjak, and Sutan Sjahrir
Sutan Sjahrir
Sutan Sjahrir , an avant garde and idealistic Indonesian intellectual, was a revolutionary independence leader...
were overseas Minangkabaus who studied in Europe and later became activists in the movement for Indonesian independence. Another activist was Tan Malaka
Tan Malaka
Tan Malaka was an Indonesian nationalist activist and communist leader. A staunch critic of both the colonial Dutch East Indies government and the republican Sukarno administration that governed the country after the Indonesian National Revolution, he was also frequently in conflict with the...
who lived in eight different countries including the Netherlands and the Philippines. He was a member of the Indonesian Communist Party and was also a candidate for the Netherlands' member of parliament.
Cultural Factors
There are many explanations of this phenomenon, one of the causes is the matrilineal kinship system. With this system, control of treasures held by women while men's rights in this case quite small. In addition, after a period of puberty the youth are no longer able to sleep at his parents' house, because the house is reserved for women and their husbands, and children.The nomads who returned to their hometown, usually will tell the experience to children in the village. The appeal of nomads lives is very influential among the Minangkabau society childhood. Anyone who has never tried to go abroad, then he will always be humiliated by his friends. This is what causes Minang men choose to go abroad. Now the woman was already prevalent Minangkabau wander. Not only for reasons follows husband, but also because they want to trade, career and continuing education.
According to Rudolf Mrazek, the Dutch sociologist, two typologies of Minang culture, the dynamism and anti-parochialism give birth spirit of independence, cosmopolitan, egalitarian, and liberal-minded, this causes the embedded culture of Minangkabau people migrated. The spirit to change the fate of the pursuit of science and wealth, and Minang proverb which says Ka ratau madang di hulu, babuah babungo balun, marantau bujang dahulu, di rumah paguno balun (better go wander, because in kampong not useful) result in Minang youth to go wander since young.
Economic Factors
Another explanation is that population growth not accompanied with the increase of natural resources that can be processed. In the past, result of agriculture and plantations are the main source of living to support family member. Nowadays the resources no longer enough to sustains all member, because it must be shared by several families. These factors are encouraged Minang people to go wander and speculate in foreign countries. In the foreign, usually the first immigrants settled in the house family regarded as landlady. The new nomads job are usually as small traders.Meanwhile, the economic history of the Minangkabau people since long ago has been bolstered by the ability to trade and distribute their crops. Minangkabau inland area has geological reserves of raw materials especially gold
Gold
Gold is a chemical element with the symbol Au and an atomic number of 79. Gold is a dense, soft, shiny, malleable and ductile metal. Pure gold has a bright yellow color and luster traditionally considered attractive, which it maintains without oxidizing in air or water. Chemically, gold is a...
, copper
Copper
Copper is a chemical element with the symbol Cu and atomic number 29. It is a ductile metal with very high thermal and electrical conductivity. Pure copper is soft and malleable; an exposed surface has a reddish-orange tarnish...
, lead
Lead
Lead is a main-group element in the carbon group with the symbol Pb and atomic number 82. Lead is a soft, malleable poor metal. It is also counted as one of the heavy metals. Metallic lead has a bluish-white color after being freshly cut, but it soon tarnishes to a dull grayish color when exposed...
, zinc
Zinc
Zinc , or spelter , is a metallic chemical element; it has the symbol Zn and atomic number 30. It is the first element in group 12 of the periodic table. Zinc is, in some respects, chemically similar to magnesium, because its ion is of similar size and its only common oxidation state is +2...
, mercury
Mercury (element)
Mercury is a chemical element with the symbol Hg and atomic number 80. It is also known as quicksilver or hydrargyrum...
, and iron
Iron
Iron is a chemical element with the symbol Fe and atomic number 26. It is a metal in the first transition series. It is the most common element forming the planet Earth as a whole, forming much of Earth's outer and inner core. It is the fourth most common element in the Earth's crust...
. The nickname Suvarnadvipa
Suvarnabhumi
Suvarnabhumi or Suvannabhumi meaning the "Golden Land" or "Land of Gold", is a term coined by the ancient Indians which refers broadly to Lower Burma, Lower Thailand, Lower Malay Peninsula, the Sumatra, but more generally accepted to refer more specifically to Lower Burma...
that appears on legend in India
India
India , officially the Republic of India , is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by geographical area, the second-most populous country with over 1.2 billion people, and the most populous democracy in the world...
was referred to the possibility of Sumatra as island of gold. In the 9th century, the Arab
Arab
Arab people, also known as Arabs , are a panethnicity primarily living in the Arab world, which is located in Western Asia and North Africa. They are identified as such on one or more of genealogical, linguistic, or cultural grounds, with tribal affiliations, and intra-tribal relationships playing...
traders reported that Sumatran people have been using a number of gold in trading system. Continued in the 13th century, king of Sumatra used the crown of gold. Tomé Pires
Tomé Pires
Tomé Pires was an apothecary from Lisbon who spent 1512 to 1515 in Malacca immediately after the Portuguese conquest, at a time when Europeans were only first arriving in South East Asia...
around the 16th century, says that gold was trade in Malacca
Malacca
Malacca , dubbed The Historic State or Negeri Bersejarah among locals) is the third smallest Malaysian state, after Perlis and Penang. It is located in the southern region of the Malay Peninsula, on the Straits of Malacca. It borders Negeri Sembilan to the north and the state of Johor to the south...
, Barus, Tiku and Pariaman
Pariaman
Pariaman is a coastal city in West Sumatra, Indonesia. Pariaman has 72,089 inhabitants , an area of and a coastline. "Pariaman" means "safe area".-History:...
, originated from Minangkabau inland area. He also mentioned that in the Indragiri
Indragiri River
The Indragiri River is a river in Sumatra, in the Indonesian province of Riau. It is formed from the union of the Ombilin River and the Sinamar River, and empties into the Strait of Malacca....
area on the east coast of Sumatra is the central port of the Minangkabau kingdom. The manuscripts written by Adityawarman
Adityawarman
Adityawarman , a nobleman born in east Java, from Pararaton poem, his mother's name was Dara Jingga from Dharmasraya princess; his father’s name was Adwayawarman from Kuburajo Inscription around Limo Kaum in West Sumatra...
also mentioned that he is the ruler of the earth's gold. It is then encouraged the Dutch to build a port in Padang
Teluk Bayur
Teluk Bayur formerly known as Emma Haven or Emmahaven is a port located in Bayur Bay of Padang city, West Sumatra, Indonesia. The port, the largest and busiest on the western coast of Sumatra, is operated by the government owned company PT. Pelabuhan Indonesia II .-External links:**...
. And arrived at 17th-century, Dutch still call a gold ruler to the king of Pagaruyung and then asks Tomas Diaz to investigate the matter, which he tried to enter the interior of the Minangkabau from east coast of Sumatra, and Diaz' noted he had found one of the Minangkabau king at that time (Rajo Buo) and also mentioned main of the people jobs was gold miners. The geological record of the Netherlands
Netherlands
The Netherlands is a constituent country of the Kingdom of the Netherlands, located mainly in North-West Europe and with several islands in the Caribbean. Mainland Netherlands borders the North Sea to the north and west, Belgium to the south, and Germany to the east, and shares maritime borders...
noted that on Batanghari found 42 places of mined gold with the depth reaches 60 metres, and in Kerinci
Kerinci Regency
Kerinci is a regency in Jambi province, Indonesia. The regency has an area of 4,200 km². As of 2009, Kerinci had a population of 233,719. The capital is Siulak. Kerinci is located 450 km from Jambi City, the capital of Jambi Province....
they met the miners of gold. Until the 19th century, the legend of gold in Minangkabau hitterland, still pushing Raffles to prove it, and he is listed as the first Europe
Europe
Europe is, by convention, one of the world's seven continents. Comprising the westernmost peninsula of Eurasia, Europe is generally 'divided' from Asia to its east by the watershed divides of the Ural and Caucasus Mountains, the Ural River, the Caspian and Black Seas, and the waterways connecting...
an to successfully achieved Pagaruyung through the west coast of Sumatra.
Influences
They exercised great influence in the politics of many kingdom and states in Maritime Southeast Asia. Raja Baginda migrated to south Philippines and founded the Sultanate of Sulu in 1390. In 1603, the Overseas Minangkabaus ulamas or religious figure taught Islam in SulawesiSulawesi
Sulawesi is one of the four larger Sunda Islands of Indonesia and is situated between Borneo and the Maluku Islands. In Indonesia, only Sumatra, Borneo, and Papua are larger in territory, and only Java and Sumatra have larger Indonesian populations.- Etymology :The Portuguese were the first to...
, Borneo
Borneo
Borneo is the third largest island in the world and is located north of Java Island, Indonesia, at the geographic centre of Maritime Southeast Asia....
, and Nusa Tenggara island. Dato Ri Bandang and Dato Ri Tiro, both of whom were prominent ulamas spread the word of Islam to the Gowa
Gowa
Gowa is a region in the province of South Sulawesi, Indonesia. It is a "level 2 district," with an area of 1,883 km² and a population of approximately 500,000 people...
and Luwu
Luwu
The Kingdom of Luwu is the oldest kingdom in South Sulawesi. In 1889, the Dutch Governor of Makassar placed Luwu’s heyday between the tenth and fourteenth centuries AD, but offered no evidence. The La Galigo, an epic poem in an archaic form of the Bugis language, is the likely source of Braam...
kingdom in south Sulawesi.
The Overseas Minangkabau were also involved in political rivalry with the Bugis after the death of Sultan Mahmud Shah II
Sultan Mahmud Shah II of Johor
H.H. Paduka Sri Sultan Mahmud Shah II ibni al-Marhum Sultan Ibrahim Shah was the 10th Sultan of Johor, Pahang and Lingga ....
in Sultanate of Johor. In 1723, Sultan Abdul Jalil Rahmad Syah I or known as Raja Kecik, founded Sultanate of Siak in Riau. In 1773, Raja Melewar
Raja Melewar
Raja Melewar was the first Yamtuan Besar of Negeri Sembilan, Malaysia. He was a prince from the state of Minangkabau in Sumatra, Indonesia.-History:...
was appointed the Yang di-Pertuan Besar
Yang di-Pertuan Besar
In Malay, Yang di-Pertuan Besar, literally "He Who Is Made Great" or "Great Ruler", is a royal title.-In Malaysia:# Also known as Yamtuan Besar, it is the title of the elected monarch of the state of Negeri Sembilan in Malaysia...
in the state of Negeri Sembilan
Negeri Sembilan
Negeri Sembilan, one of the 13 states that constitutes Malaysia, lies on the western coast of Peninsular Malaysia, just south of Kuala Lumpur and borders Selangor on the north, Pahang in the east, and Malacca and Johor to the south....
. The mid-twentieth century, many overseas Minangkabau like Ahmad Boestaman
Ahmad Boestaman
Dato Ahmad Boestaman was a Malaysian freedom fighter, politician and was the founding president of Parti Rakyat Malaysia....
, Abdullah CD
Abdullah CD
Abdullah CD was the Chairman of the Communist Party of Malaya .He was born in October 1923, in Parit, Perak. His involvement in politics was sparked by interests in the Maharajalela Wars against the British...
, Rashid Maidin
Rashid Maidin
-Early years:Rashid Maidin was a senior leader of the Communist Party of Malaya . He was born in Kampung Gunung Mesah, Gopeng, Perak. He is the eldest brother of 7 brothers and 1 sister. He received his early education at the Gunung Panjang Malay School and the Kampung Gunung Mesah Madrasah, which...
, Shamsiah Fakeh
Shamsiah Fakeh
Shamsiah Fakeh was a Malaysian nationalist and feminist. She was the leader of Angkatan Wanita Sedar , Malaysia's first nationalist women organization and a prominent Malay leader of the Communist Party of Malaya ....
, and Khatijah Sidek were involved in the Malaysian independence movement.
Occupations
Many Minangkabau have established themselves as merchants, government employees and white collar workers in the places that they have settled. A number of them work as merchant, teachers, ulamas, and also in the field of medicine. Many Overseas Minangkabaus are affiliated to the MuhammadiyahMuhammadiyah
Muhammadiyah is an Islamic organization in Indonesia. Muhammadiyah, literally means "followers of Muhammad"...
Islamic organisation. In the big cities, they are greatly involved with the mosque activities as well as the modern Moslem organisation. They are also present in the field of academics and many Overseas Minangkabaus hold posts as headmasters in high schools.
Organizations
Today, most of kanagarian (literally 'little state") in Minangkabau have an overseas link. They have branches and are found in all the big cities in the Malay Archipelago as well in Thailand, the United StatesUnited States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
and Europe. Their objectives are the promotion of the social, physical, intellectual, cultural and general welfare of its members. An example is Gebu Minang, which is one of the largest overseas Minangkabau organization.
Merantau and Art Workers
The phenomenon of wandering in Minangkabau society, it often becomes a source of inspiration for art workers, primarily literary. HamkaHamka
Haji Abdul Malik Karim Amrullah, known as Hamka was a prominent Indonesian author, ulema and politician. His father, syekh Abdul Karim Amrullah, known as Haji Rasul, led and inspired the reform movement in Sumatra upon his arrival from the holy land Mecca in 1906...
, in his novel Merantau to Deli, telling stories about life experiences Minang nomads who went to the Deli
Deli
Deli may refer to:* Delicatessen, type of food - Delicacies; Fast food * Delhi, the capital of India* Deli, Eurovision Song Contest 2008 entry of Turkey* Deli , a previous sultanate at North Sumatra...
and married with Javanese woman. Another novel Tenggelamnya Kapal Van der Wijck also told the story of children who return to home. In the village, he faced obstacles by indigenous peoples who is his father's family. Besides Hamka novel, a novel by Marah Rusli, Sitti Nurbaya and Salah Asuhan
Salah Asuhan
Salah Asuhan is an Indonesian novel by Abdul Muis originally published in 1928 by Balai Pustaka. It is widely considered one of the best examples of early modern Indonesian literature.-Background:...
Abdul Muis
Abdul Muis
Abdul Muis , was an Indonesian writer, journalist and nationalist. He argued tirelessly for Indonesia's independence from the Netherlands....
also tells the story of the Minang nomads. In these novels, narrated on the intersection of Minang tradition and western culture. Novels Negeri 5 Menara of Ahmad Fuadi, tells immigrants who study in boarding schools in Java and eventually become successful. In a different form, through his work entitled Kemarau, A.A Navis invite the overseas community to build their Minang hometown.
Merantau
Merantau (film)
Merantau is an Indonesian martial arts film released on August 6, 2009, produced by Merantau Films, directed and written by Gareth H. Evans, and starring Iko Uwais...
is a martial arts film from 2009 which tells the story of a young Minangkabau man who leaves his hometown to teach silat
Silat
Silat Melayu is a blanket term for the types of silat created in peninsular Southeast Asia, particularly Malaysia, Thailand, Brunei and Singapore. The silat tradition has deep roots in Malay culture and can trace its origin to the dawn of Malay civilization, 2000 years ago...
and the trials and tribulations his journey.
See also
- Minangkabau
- Negeri SembilanNegeri SembilanNegeri Sembilan, one of the 13 states that constitutes Malaysia, lies on the western coast of Peninsular Malaysia, just south of Kuala Lumpur and borders Selangor on the north, Pahang in the east, and Malacca and Johor to the south....
- Overseas IndonesianOverseas IndonesianAn Overseas Indonesian is a person of Indonesian origin who lives outside of Indonesia. This term applies to people of Indonesian birth and descent who are citizens or residents of temporary status.-History:...
- Minangkabaus in Singapore
- Minangkabau Merchants