Adat perpatih

A Minangkabau bride and groom.

Adat Perpatih (also known as Lareh Bodi Caniago in Indonesia) are customary laws which originated in the Minangkabau Highlands in Sumatra, Indonesia. It was founded by a Minangkabau leader named Sutan Balun, more famously known as Dato Perpatih Nan Sebatang. In Malaysia, Adat Perpatih is a combination of practices and rules of life for the Minangkabau people and other aborigines such as Semang, the Temuan people, the Bersisi people and the Jakun people, who were mainly farmers at that time. Over time, this custom has been practiced by many other ethnic groups, especially in Negeri Sembilan, including part of Malacca, in particular of Masjid Tanah, and part of Johor.

Negeri Sembilan customs

The procession of Minangkabau traditional leaders.

The system practices democracy in electing chiefs and a king. Only men are eligible to be elected as leaders for their clan or tribe. Only women is leader in the household known as Ibu Soko. Their culture is matrilineal, with property and land passing down only from mother to daughter, while religious and political affairs are the responsibility of men. The ancestral land is guarded by men clan leaders, chiefdom's and chieftain. An Adat Perpatih woman cannot sell the land or pass the land to her sons or any mens. If she does not have any daughters, she may pass the land to her son's daughters by adopting them and thus passing her clan and tribe name to them through a ceremony called berkedim. Property or land that a man earns is not included under this custom. He can however add to this ancestral inheritance out of his own free will. This custom is protected by their king. The monarchy is an elective monarchy unlike most other monarchies worldwide, their royal families are patrilineal.

There is no exact date recorded when this custom created. But the custom was brought to the Malay Peninsula (Peninsular Malaysia) by Minangkabau nomads in 14th century. This custom might have existed since 3000–4000 years ago based on its similarity with the Oceanian people especially the Polynesian people who like the Minangkabau also speak Malayo-Polynesian languages. This custom is also practised by the Comorian when the Malayo-Polynesian migrated to Africa 2000 years ago. Adat perpatih is similar to Oceanian matrilineal inheritance in the sense that both systems practise inalienable possessions. However the monarchy system is different. The Palauan king and queen are brother and sister and each has their own spouses.

See also

• Minangkabau culture
• Culture of Indonesia
• Adat