CONTENT

1.0 INTRODUCTION OF PERPATIH CUSTOM

2.0 OBJECTIVES

3.0. ETHYMOLOGY

4.0. PERPATIH CUSTOM

5.0. THE TRADITION OF PERPATIH CUSTOM

6.0. DIVISION OF PROPERTY UNDER PERPATIH CUSTOM

7.0 CONCLUSION

1.0 INTRODUCTION OF PERPATIH CUSTOM

“BIAR MATI ANAK JANGAN MATI ADAT”

(Let the child die but do not let the custom be vanquished”

-Anonymous

The Minangkabau from Sumatra settled in Negeri Sembilan in the 15th century under the

protection of the Melaka Sultanate and later under the protection of its successor, the

sultanate of Johor. As Johor weakened in the 18 th century, attacks by the Bugis forced

the Minangkabau to seek protection from a prince of their homeland. Historically,

indigenous Perpatih is from fence Ruyung Minangkabau, West Sumatra, Indonesia.

Tradisionally it is called Perpatih and are blessings for those who compiled the names

and make the customary rules. Indigenous Perpatih was brought to Negeri Sembilan by

the Minangkabau people who migrated to the land of the Malays.

According to the story, hundreds of years before the areas of Padang Minangkabau

Ruyung fence, there were two brothers and sister who has left but they have different

fathers. The old man named Temenggong or Datok Temenggong and his brother named

Perpatih or Datok Perpatih. When they were grow up they concoured Padang Luas state

government. Forth lead opinion distinction always between Datok Temenggong fighting

with his brother Datok Perpatih. To circumstance the argument the country was forced in

Padang Luas was divided into two government. Ruled on Datok Temenggong is Coastal

Portion when Datok Perpatih share power in the mainland.. With the administration area

using custom Datok Temenggong compiled by Datok Temenggong when the area Datok

Perpatih custom use in collated by Datok Perpatih. Between indigenous Perpatih custom

Temenggong with distinction is primarily in terms of inheritance division. For indigenous

Temenggong, men get more treasures than happy when indigenous women are given all

Perpatih inheritance to daughter.

The Perpatih Custom is practiced in Negeri Sembilan since the 14th century after the

migration of the Minangkabau people from West Sumatra, Indonesia. It is the Minang

kabau who hold the key to the history of Negri Sembilan.They continued the practice of

their rich cultural heritage, which continues on today in the form of the fascinating Adat

Pepatih , a matrilineal system of rule and heritance, unique only to Negri Sembilan.

2.0 OBJECTIVES:

2.1. To spread information about the Perpatih custom in Malaysia and all over the world.

2.2. To appreciate the varieties and uniqueness Perpatih custom which is no other Malay

Custom similar to it.

2.3. To be proud of Malaysian custom and heritage.

3.0. ETHYMOLOGY

The name Minangkabau is to be a conjunction of two words which is Minang

(victorious) and kabau (buffalo). There is a legend that the name is derived from a

territorial dispute between the Minangkabau and a neighbouring prince. To avoid a battle,

the local people proposed a fight between the two water buffalo to settle the dispute. The

prince agreed and produced the most agggresive, largest,and meanest buffalo.

Meanwhile, the Minangkabau produced a hungry baby buffalo with its small horns

ground to be as sharp as knives. Seeing the adult buffalo across the field, the baby buffalo

ran forward, hoping for milk. The big buffalo saw no threat in the baby buffalo and paid

no attention to it, looking around for a worthy opponent. But when the baby thrust his

head under the big bull’s belly, looking for an udder, the sharpened horns punctured and

killed the bull, and the Minangkabau won contest and the dispute.

The roofline of traditional houses called Minangkabau, curve upward from the middle

and end in points, in imitation of the water buffalo’s upward-curving horns.

The picture show the roofline of traditional houses called Minangkabau, curve upward

from the middle and end in points, in imitation of the water buffalo’s upward-curving

horns.

4.0. PERPATIH CUSTOM

According to YB Datuk Abdul Samad Idris the formal Menteri Kebudayaan dan Sukan

said, "Pagar Ruyung king had agreed to send is prince Raja Mahmud to Negeri Sembilan

whom later known as Raja Melewar. Raja Melewar was promoted to be the first king in

Negeri Sembilan in 1773 and he past away in 1795 after 23 years in reign".

Indigenous Perpatih are divide into two main sets specifically. 'Perut' is a socio-political

units of the smallest in which members of the 'Perut' that something is coming than the

ancestor (female offspring) the same. They lives in the village and very close to each

other. Buapak is a chief of the 'Perut' clans. Perpatih custom have 12 clans. The clans are

Suku Biduanda, Suku Batu Hampar, Suku Paya Kumbuh, Suku Mungkal, Suku Tiga

Nenek, Suku Seri Melenggang, Suku Seri Lemak, Suku Batu Belang, Suku Tanah Datar,

Suku Tiga Batu, Suku Anak Aceh and Suku Anak Melaka.

To appoint a leader, Perpatih systems equate with democratic practices. For example,

Great Lordship of Negri Sembilan was appointed through election by the Badger act

which is Undang Rembau, Undang Sg Ujong, Undang Johol and Undang Jelebu rather

than through descent from father to son like any other state in Malaysia.

A fascinating array of cultural community heirlooms and headgears of Perpatih Custom, including the distinctive buffalo horn shaped ladies' headdress.

In Our country, it is Perpatih Custom still being obliged by the community and Malays in

Negeri Sembilan and a part of Melaka. They are descendants majoriti Minagkabau

Malays.

The Minangkabau are strongly Islamic but still follow their ethnic tradition, or

adat. The present relationship between Islam and adat is described in the saying “tradition

founded upon Islamic Law, Islamic law founded upon Quran or Adat Basandi syarak,

syarak basandi Kitabullah.

The Minangs are the worlds largest matrilineal society, in which properties such as land

and houses are inherited through female lineage. Some scholars argue that this might

have caused the “merantau” of Minangkabau males throughout the Malay archipelago to

become scholars or to seek fortune as merchants.As early as 7 years old, boys

traditionally leaves their homes and live in Surau to learn religious and cultural teachings.

When they teenagers, they are encourage to leave their hometown to learn from their

experiences far from families so that when they are adults they can return home wise and

useful. So, they can contribute their thinking to run “nagari’ or hometown when they

become member of “ council of uncles.’

Due to their culture that stresses the importance of learning, Minang people are over

represented in the educated professions in Indonesia, with many ministers from Minang.

Futhermore,the presence of this intellectuals combined with the people’s basically proud

character, made the Minangkabau homeland is one of the powerhouses in the Indonesian

struggle for independence.

The Perpatih customs passed on from generation to generation through perbilangan

words. Its include various aspects of community life, including about inheritance,

appointment leaders, marriage law and social practice. The system punishes those who

violate custom or made a mistake and the various aspects again. Any rule or custom

exists, and any regulations of “perbilangan”nya was rational or causes of the law or

custom.

The “perbilangan adat” or sayings have the objectives of restitution rather than

punishment. In the days of old, societies of Negri Sembilan were ruled by customs or

adat in their everyday lives. These customs were laws that governed the society, much

like the existing laws that we have today governing our society. For example, if a crime

was commited, the conviction or punishments are detailed in form of sayings or what is

known as perbilangan adat.

From the social aspect, there is a saying “ Yang buta penghembus lesung; yang pekak

pelepas bedil; yang lumpuh penghuni rumah; yang kuat pembawa beban: yang bingung di

suruh-suruh; yang cerdik lawan berunding means: The blind shall blow the mortar, the

deaf shall fire the cannon; the invalid shall stay at home and watch over the properties;

the strong shall carry over the load; the less educated shall be guided and instructed: the

wise shall be consulted upon.”

Other than that, Perpatih Custom is consistent with the universal values which emphasize

that in administering justice,or favour, even if it means that your child or family

members, must be dealt with accordingly. This shall be done without fear. The Custom

Perpatih and customs basically rules govern the society. Therefore, if your child is

guiltyof a crime, he shall not be excused from punishment (biar mati anak) because the

customs or adat are the laws that must be respected and obeyed (jangan mati adat.).

The Minangkabau woman in Minang Costume

5.0. THE TRADITION OF PERPATIH CUSTOM

The indigenous Perpatih has five main principles which is :

5.1. Descendants of thought through mother “Nasab”: Perpatih Custom give privileges to

women who are considered “bonda”biological specifically mothers who birth to the

members of the community. Individual person is a member of the tribe his mother an

father are not a member of the tribe.

5.2. Place of residence is in the area of mother and wife: if ongoing thing marriage, the

man will leave his hometown and settled in the area as the wife’s mother marriage. In

ancient times the man will seek his wife’s family land.

5.3. Women inherit the inheritance, he holds saka: only men are entitled to assume “saka”

or department-bureau of customs when the woman is inherited his mother’s family

treasures.

5.4. Marriage of seperut and tribes are probihited : In the stomach and tribal thing, the

retationship is tight and the man thinks the woman in the stomach or tribe is his sister.

And vice versa. By that, marriage is a fellow tribe is probihited. Women who berkahwin

fellow tribes will lose the right to inherit her mother’s legacy when he also will be lose

the right to bear any bureau in.

5.5. Outsiders may be an expert anything tribe : For the purposes of inheritance

marriage or inheritage, allowed outsiders to become an expert something the tribe

through the ceremony by ‘berkedim’. In this ceremony, someone was going to swear

allegiance and obedience brothers with experts who will decide which tribe will he be in.

6.0. DIVISION OF PROPERTY UNDER PERPATIH CUSTOM

Perpatih custom gives advantages to female inherit treasures.This topic always

misconstrued. The truth is, giving the intended Pesaka tradition is the provision of

Custom land. This land is hereditary than anything in the family ancestors.That is why

the custom land was given to women solely to maintain honor and indigenous pride of

Perpatih woman. So, an indigenous Perpatih woman despite how poor and destitude was,

either she would not live “merempat “ or poor or sell her pride to live.

According to the book “Adat Merentas Zaman” (Custom Transcend Time),

Perpatih is a custom based on matrilineal system where the descent of a person comes

from the mother’s side.

7.0.CONCLUSION

The Perpatih custom are unique. There are no other custom similar to it. The Custom

underpins the importance of women.

According to 21st Undang Luak rembau, Datuk Muhammad Sharif (1998) saying

that the system was fair because in the days of yore, the women were marginalised by

their dominating husbands.It does not mean that the rights of men are trampled upon. The

men still have their right to spend their income without shirk their duties as a husbands

and fathers because both of the gender had a role to play in a society that preached

equitable rights and responsibilities.

REFERENCE