[Shorts] Indonesia’s Biggest Kin Group based on Matrilineal: Minangkabau

Throughout Indonesia, kinship is a primordial loyalty. Kinship consist of blood ties and marriage relationship ties family member. The broad differences of culture to social aspects in Indonesia determine how there are various kinship systems in Indonesia. The importance of kinship systems could be shown when we are about to describe the social structure of a society. The general systems could lead us to the understanding of various aspects they hold as a society, for example, inheritance.

Minangkabau is one of the societies in Indonesia which cherished matrilineal inheritance. Matrilineal inheritance as a practice could start from the gender-based welfare beliefs as they wish a newborn is a girl rather than a boy, to the power and authority sharing. One of the results of this balanced system is the reduced competition between women and men. Although the kinds of leadership are somehow equal, men could not take action or decisions without consensus from their women peers. It is known that Minangkabau holds a strong Islamic religious belief, and often the systems hold from this religion is a stratification which top by men. But Minangkabau long-held customs are the one that guides the matrilineal inheritance.

There might be a conflict between the long-hold matrilineal system that goes somewhat deviated from the Islamic belief, but Minangnese is accommodating both with a distinction. There is a high and low inheritance that follows Islamic law but still holding tight on the matrilineal system. But a worry arises between women in this modern time. There seems to happen a change that weakening the original customs system. Urbanization, economic and social changes, and other aspects are known to be the one that makes the low inheritance becoming more significant than the high one. But until now, women remain central and people still devote everything to women. Society is hoping for its continuity to be maintained properly.