Assalamualaikum Warahmatullah Wabarakatuh

The Padri Movement in Minangkabau has an important role in establishing Islamic reformist ideas in Minangkabau. It paved the way for another reformist group in Minangkabau appeared. So, let's find out and study this Movement in more detail.

Before we go to this topic deeply, we should know the basic about the Minangkabau itself. In term of its people, geography, culture and also how Islam comes to Minangkabau. When we have basic knowledge about this information, it will help us to have a better understanding of this movement.

First and foremost, we need to know about the Geography of Minangkabau itself.

Geography of Minangkabau


In regards to the history of Minangkabau's people as recorded in Minangkabau historical tradition, the first Minangkabau ancestor had landed on the top of Mount Merapi. They later multiplied and took up residence in which they subsequently formed three well-known regions known as Luhak Nan 3. This Luhak contains three-part of the region which is Tanah Datar, Agam and Lima Puluh Kota.

So from the above statement, we know that Minangkabau is the name of ethnic of people who speak in Minang language, and most of them are living in the West Sumatra. The place that Minangkabau people live is called "Alam Minangkabau". 

West Sumatera was a part of the Indonesian country and it is considered as the sixth-largest island in the world. Sumatran climate is governed by the monsoon. Therefore this region received heavy rainfall in October and April, and lightest in June and July. The west coast and hills, on the other hand, can receive as much as 236 inches of rain annually, where east receives half that. The Minangkabau highland valleys in the west, where it can be characterized with volcanic soils and dependable rainfall allow for extensive west rice agriculture. As a result, it can support the large population of the region.

Moreover, the string from the west Sumatran coast have a good climate making the soil suitable for farming purposes. This is further enhanced by the condition of the place as an island which later effect the culture of Minangkabau people itself. They had a hybrid culture of inland hill culture, such as sending gambier, camphor, rattan and then pepper down from the forests. Yet, they also practise maritime traditions, with ports along the western coast and sensibility as a wanderer, merchants, sailors, and men far from home.

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Rais, Z. (2001). Against Islamic Modernism, The Minangkabau Traditionalist Response to The Modernist Movement. Jakarta Selatan: Logos Wancan Ilmu.
Britannica, T. E. (2012, january 19). Minangkabau. Retrieved from Encyclopædia Britannica: https://www.britannica.com/topic/Minangkabau