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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 Indonesia, it is a unitary republic. The power is separated into the executive, legislative and judicial branches. The People's Consultative Assembly (MPR) meets every five years to elect a president and vice-president. The Supreme Court is the highest court in the land and Jakarta is the nation's capital. As for the politics that come along with government, there are three main political groups: the Golkar (which is backed by the government), the United Development Party and the Indonesian Democratic Party. The citizens do vote, but instead of voting for the candidate or issue, they vote for a particular party that holds their ideas. That political party then chooses the candidate or decides the issue. Now that I have discussed the history and government, I will now talk about their religion and beliefs. The Minangkabau are strong believers of the Muslim faith. They are respectful of different faiths held by "outsiders." However, if a person would attempt to "convert" their faith to another belief, they are met with overwhelming hostility. A recent case proves this point. Allegedly, a young woman was talking with outsiders about converting to Christianity. The outsiders, knowing such a decision could spark much controversy, helped the girl move away from her family so she could pursue the religion of her choice. When word finally got out about this incident, the outsiders were brought forth and incarcerated where they remain today. Many citizens are calling for their execution.
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