DISCOURSE OF “WOMAN POWER” IN TRADITIONAL SETTLEMENT CONCEPT OF SOCIETY PRACTICING MATRILINEAL KINSHIP IN MINANGKABAU, WEST SUMATERA INDONESIA AND KERALA, SOUTH INDIA
Dr. Indah Widiastuti
Dr. Indah Widiastuti
ABSTRACT
This paper tried to critically look on the reflection of matrilineal descent rule on the concept of traditional settlement of the society practicing the same. The study was based on the comparative study of settlement concepts of Nagari in Minangkabau, West Sumatera Indonesia and Tara-Nayar in Kerala, South-India. Minangkabau and Kerala represent matrilineal society in Asia. The exposition would start with questioning the matrilineal descent rule concept against the fact that female position is not always strong and how the patriarch power of elder male's member (Penghulu in Minangkabau and Karanavar in Kerala) could be more decisive than the female. This paper would further argue that the role of female power is more related to a phenomenal relation female as principal anchor of clan in a location, rather than their superiority. The interconnections of female and their houses symbolize the existence of a clan in a geographical scope. The relation among three houses would be articulated in a network that could territorially constitute a settlement.
This working paper is not intentionally designed to present a theory but a discussions to reach comprehensive understanding about the nature of matrilineal kinship and how it affect environment and landscape. It is discovered that their matrilineal descent-rule concepts in both regions cannot be detached from the other traits such as the role of senior male-members and assembly of elders, the corporate enterprise and its networking systems articulated spatially and territorially as habitation (nagari and tara). Keywords: Matrilineal kinship, nagari, tara, kampung, kaum, taravad, marumakattayam, ninik-mamak.
