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The meaning of colours in Minangkabau custom Yellow
: The symbol of greatness, majesty, and honor. Red
: The symbol of courage and resistan test. Black
: The symbol of leadership and resistance spot. Blue
: The symbol of truth and order. Green
: The symbol of peace and bright future. Violet
: The symbol of science and intellectual.
2.2 The Location of Minangkabau
The origin of Minangkabaunese country is called “Luhak Nan Tigo”, the highland around Mounth Merapi, Singgalang, and Sago. This area is a “center” of
Minagkabau, which also known as Ranah Minang. Traditionally, Ranah Minangkabau is extended from Kampar river in east, along Indagiri river and
Batanghari river in southeast. In the southside, Nagari stretches to Kerinci, Bengkulu. In the history of Minangkabau, its region is divided into two areas, they
are the area of “darek” and Rantau area. Darek area is considered as a oldest rural area or the area of Minangkabaunese origin, while the Rantau area is considered
as a new settlement. The Darek area has three Luhak region, they are : Luhak Tanah Datar, Luhak Agam, and Luhak Lima puluh Kota. Rantau area includes
Rantau Tanah Datar, Rantau Agam, and Luhak Lima puluh Kota, and Rantau Kubuang Tigo Baleh. Rantau area initially is in around of the original area Luhak
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Nan Tigo, then it’s also called “darek” west coast and east Rantau become an intergral part of Minangkabau nature.
Minangkabau divided into three luhak area, they are : 1
Luhak Tanah Datar Its nature is clear water, the fish benign, and the land is cold.
Luhak Tanah Datar divided into 3 parts, they are : • Lima Kaum 12 Koto
• Tarab 8 Batur river • Batipuh 10 Koto
Lima Kaum is the origin. Then developed into Koto and there are nine koto in it. That called in 12 Koto are : Ngungun, Panti, Cubadak, Sipanjang, Pabalutan,
Sawah Jauh, Rambatan, Padang Magek, Labuh, Parambahan, Tabek and Sawah Tangah. The nine koto that is in namely : Tabek Boto, Galogandang, Baringin,
Koto Baranjak, Stone Floor, Bukit Gombak, Sungai Ameh, Tanjung Barulak and Rajo Dani.
That included in the Tarab river are : Koto Tuo, Sand Laweh, Koto Panjang, Selo, Sumanik, Patih, Situmbuk, Desert, Ampalu, Sijangat, Koto Badamping.
Then the Tarab river named the Tarab Delapan Batur river that has tailed-headed. Tanjung Sungayang also make the surrounding hamlets, there are : Andalas,
Barulak, Talago, Sungai Patai, Sungayang, Sawah Liat, and Koto Ranah. Tanjung Sungayang with Nan Seven Koto named Permata Diatas Emas. This country was
also named Bertanjung yang Tiga and Berluhak yang Tiga. Bertanjung yang Tiga
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is headed by Tanjung Alam, in the center of Sungayang and in the tail of Tanjung Talawi.
That called in Batipuh 10 Koto are : Pariangan Padang Panjang, Jaho, Tambangan, Koto Lawas, Pandai Sikek, Sumpur, Malalo, Mount and Paninjauan.
Which to be the limit of Luhak Tanah Datar is that homecoming began Tarung- tarung Solok to downstream and Talang Danto Sijunjung.
2 Luhak Agam
Its nature is cloudy water, wild fish and the land is warm. Luhak Agam use the Koto Pilliang custom and Bodi Caniago custom. Who holds Koto Pilliang in the
last time is the leader of Datuk Bandaro Panjang domiciled in Biaro. Bodi Caniago custom in the last time is the leader of Datuk Bandaro Kuning placed in
Tabek Long, Baso. That included Datuk Ketemanggungan custom is 16 koto contained in it are : Sianok, Koto Tower, Guguk, Tabek Sarojo, Sarik, Puar River,
Batagak, Batu Palano, Lambah, Panampung, Biaro, Gurah Hall, Kamang Bukit, Salo, Magek. Its area is called Ampat Angkat or Empat-Empat they were both
leaving. There is no penghulu who holds the shoots. Beside of the 16 koto are all use customary Bodi Caniago or Datuk Perpatih
nan Sebatang custom. That included in this area are : Kurai, Banuhampu, Lasi, Bukit Batabuh, Kubang Putih, Koto Gadang, Ujung Guguk, Candung, Koto
Lawas, Tabek Panjang, Janiah River, Cingkaring, Padang Luar etc.. All the greatness of this country use the top. There is a boundary of Luhak Agam, they
are: from Lada Sula New Koto until downstream of Tinggal Hamlet Titi
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Padang Tarab where the water reservoir in Batang Agam hydroelectric PLTA project now.
3 Luhak Lima Puluh Kota
Its nature are the cool and sweet water, fish benign and the land is cool. Luhak Lima Puluh Kota is divided into three types of areas, they are : Luhak, Ranah and
Kelarasan. That named Luhak is a government of Laras Nan Buntar, so Simalanggang
downstream continue to Taram. Which called Ranah is a government of Laras Batang Sinamar, so Simalanggang homecoming and downstream to Ranah tebing
Tinggi. Which named Laras is Laras Nan Panjang to Taram Hilir. Which included in the parts of Luhak are : Suayan, Belantik River, Sarik Lawas, Tambun Ijuk,
Koto Tangah, Batu Hampar, Durian Gadang, Babai, Koto Tinggi, Air Tabit, Kemuyang Situjuh Bandar Dalam river, Limbukan Padang Kerambil, Sicincin and
Aur Kuning, Tiakar , Payobasung, Mungo, Andalas, Taram, Bukit Limbuku, Batu Balang and Koto nan Gadang. Which included in Ranah are : Ganting, Koto
Lawas, Suliki, Rimbang River, Tiakar, Balai Mansiro, Talago, Balai Talang, Balai Kubang, Taeh Simalanggang, Piobang, Baringin River, Gurun, Lubuk Batangkap,
Tarantang, Sarilamak, Harau, Solok Bio-bio Padang Lawas. And the last, which included in Laras are : Gadut Tebingtinggi, Sitanang Muaro Likin, Halaban and
Ampalu, Surau and Labuh Gunung. The province which is identical to the Minangkabaunese homeland, has the
extensive 42.297,30 km
2
, consist of 12 regency and 7 cities with a population of
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more than 4.800.000 people, and has 391 islands which 191 islands have not been named.
The term of Minangkabau is not the same as West Sumatera. Minangkabau is more closely related to the ethnic problems and customs which not only inhabit of
wandering and perserving the culture of its tribe. While the term of West Sumatera is a area of Minangkabaunese settlement and also become a provicial-
level administrative region. West Sumatera is a province of Indonesia, which has located on the west coast
in Sumatera island to the capital city of Padang. West Sumatera is directly adjacent to the Indian ocean in the west, Jambi province and Bengkulu province in
the south, Riau province is in the west and North Sumatera province is in the north. Based on the data from the Central Bereace of Statistic, West Suamtera is
the one of eleven provinces in Indonesia which is the most frequently visited by the tourists.
The wide area of West Sumatera is 42.297,30 km
2
. Administratively, West Sumatera consists of the 8 districts and 6 multicipal area in level II. Six districts
located in highland along of the mountain chai, namely Agam, Tanah Datar, 50 Kota, Solok, Pasaman, and Sawah Lunto Sijunjung. Two districts located in the
western coastal area : Padang Pariaman and Pesisir Selatan. West Sumatera consists of 100 districts, 543 Nagari and 3,518 villages. Nagari is a tradition of
government that based on the genealogical and teritorial autonomy and equality customs.
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2.3 The History of Minangkabau
