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Minangkabau Peoples West Sumatra

Speech on Minangkabau Culture


Have you ever imagined living differently than how we live here in America? How about living in a culture in which family property, titles, clan names and traditions are handed down along the mother's line instead of the fathers? Well, today I am going to talk to you about one such culture--the Minangkabau people who reside in West Sumatra, Indonesia.

Overhead #1 {map}I will discuss four areas in particular--history and government, beliefs and religion, choosing a spouse and family life within this culture.

Overhead #2The first thing I will discuss is the history and government of the Minangkabau people. In the 1800s, the Dutch took advantage of a conflict between the Minangkabau cultural guardians and Muslim leaders and intervened. The result was the abolition of the Minangkabau royal family and ultimately colonization by the Dutch. However, in the late 1940s, Indonesia reclaimed it's independence from Dutch control. As for the government in I...

Posted by: Margaret Rowden

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