Islam’s Secret Feminists

Origin Danielle Shapiro September 4, 2011 freelance journalist based in New York City. reporting women, children and human rights in the developing world. September 4, 2011 Published on the website- The Daily Beast An award winning website based out of New York with 20 million readers

Purpose Purpose- To inform about the largest matrilineal society in the world. Underlying Purpose- Feminism? Fascinating to western anthropologists -The Minangkabau are an obscure group to the western world -Evelyn Blackwood of Purdue University- “I went there to study a system where men don’t have the kind of power we are used to in the West.”

Purpose About Minangkabau People 3% of Indonesia’s 245 million pop (~7 million) devoutly Muslim and Conservative family property- homes and rice paddies- pass from mother to daughter

Purpose Impact of Matrilineal Inheritance: Husbands move into wives home All decisions require consensus Decisions re: home, budgeting and education- women often lead Girls are treasured Nursyirwan Effendi is blessed… Why? “I have four daughters ... People say I am a rich man”

Purpose Women have “traditional” roles: Women’s work remains in the home Men work outside the home Blackwood- ““Yes, men have public power. But think of them as front men, representing the community to the state or to the mosque.”

Value (To a student of AP Human Geo) Where? Sumatra highlands in Indonesia Along the west coast

Value (To a student of AP Human Geo) Why There? Indonesia has the largest Muslim population in the world West coast of Sumatra, very close to India Adat from ancient animist and Hindu system High Inheritance- Property/Land Low Inheritance- Father’s wage income Why Care? Surprising and refreshing to see an alternative to traditional status of women and men This way of life may be at risk High inheritance- Land, farm, home Low inheritance- father’s income At risk- as men seek work in cities and low inheritance increases in value senior male clan leaders lose authority to fathers/husbands Nuclear families becoming more important than extended clans

Indonesia is the largest Muslim country in the world Indonesia is the largest Muslim country in the world. Yet this Cartogram also drives home the fact that Indonesia is also very close to the largest Hindu country. This helps explain why the Minangkabau people could be practitioners of Islam and still retain a Hindu tradition.

Value (To a student of AP Human Geo) Vocabulary Connection: Acculturation- The Minangkabau people embraced the dominant faith of Islam in Indonesia. Yet, they retain their matrilineal system or adat Assimilation- As some men move to find work in cities, they may assimilate to dominant culture in Indonesia and lose tradition of adat Culture Trait- Matrilineal Inheritance Culture Complex- This culture trait is connected to a whole culture complex that includes women having equal say in decision making, and female babies being highly valued.

Limitations How do people from other parts of Indonesia react to the Minangkabau? Is this cultural difference a centrifugal force in Indonesia? How is domestic violence handled in Minangkabau society? Author Bias? Too idealistic?