Traditional Life

There is a saying in the Minangkabau adat (customs and traditions) that "the beauty of the nagari is due to its pangulu (adat head), and the beauty of the place for swimming because of his youth." In traditional Minangkabau bathing is a meeting place for young people where they can exchange information and sincerity. The meaning of this is to say that life is not only tolerable, but enjoyable, if everyone plays their social role properly.

Minangkabau People have always been fascinated by adat ideals expressed in traditional sayings, illustrated by tambo and other forms of literature and which are repeated at every opportunity, adat. Their lives are dominated by social networks adat develop and complexity of regulations adat.

Therefore, it is understandable that since the beginning of the hood Minangkabau children were exposed to the sometimes conflicting demands for social change. They are taught, for example, there are four types of words (nan ampek kato), namely, ascending words at the elderly, descendant words as opposed to those who are younger, leveling of words when we speak for the same age group, and Indirect, when conversing with the laws in force.

In this system closely knit community, young people are also traditional Minangkabau also taught figurative art in the use of the word, as a form of direct speech could be seen as an affront to the honor someone else. Above all, they must learn the rithym infinity of nature which is a revelation for those who want to see not only its secrets, but also the supreme greatness of Allah. The question is how this traditional wisdom could be reconciled with the modern world?

For Minangkabau marriage is not only the most important traditional rite of passage, but also a fulfillment of a religious duty. While marriage is important, it is still adat stipulated in the law as the inalienable right of the land could be incurred if the daughter of the house is still unmarried.

Marriage is Minangkabau exogamous matri-and the husband is the guest of honor at his wife's house. According adat, it is the bride's family who takes the initiative for marriage. In reality, however, most often it is the groom's family who has informally taken the first step. Although an intermediary between the two families may discuss informally-again - issues such as the date of marriage expenses, to be invited guests, etc.

The wedding ceremony begins when the bride's family invites the groom to come to the wedding house. Here, the bridegroom would be treated as the guest of honor at the home. However, it is during this welcoming ceremony when a "battle of honor" between the two families could take place. The battle is waged by a healthy exchange of words between the two sides. The rhetoric of Minangkabau culture is clearly demonstrated by this battle of words.

The husband stays in the house of his wife. He is the guest of the house, which will sumando Minangkabau. Sumando Since it is expected, not only for the love of his wife, but also to meet the other members of the rumah gadang (Minangkabau matrilineal in the house). Sumando The worst thing we can expect is the one who forgets the code of conduct. The Kaba Rancak di Labuah (one of the most famous literary works that has been done at the turn of the century, when the population of Minangkabau began to enjoy modern life) mentions six types of sumando anecdotal.

The first type is a sumando a child who is only producer, the one who does not show the responsibility of his wife and children. The second is a green fly, a dandy with a bad temper, a lady killer. The third type is a nut who is itching to say someone who likes to create discord between the family of the bride. Fourthly, ugly carpet, it means a lazy, good for nothing and unemployed husband. Fifthly, a kitchen chat, "says someone who likes to do domestic work. And sixthly, sumondo niniak mamak, sumando who is also the host of the house. The latter is the ideal sumando Minangkabau in tradition. He is a guest who has already made himself a devoted member of his wife rumah gadang.