West Sumatra's unique form of administration

West Sumatra's unique form of administration

Nagari, an administrative system equal to the kelurahan
(village) in other provinces, is unique to West Sumatra. The
territory of a nagari consists of several jorong or desa
(sub-villages) and is headed by a Kepala Nagari or Wali Nagari,
who must run for election every five years and is limited to just
two terms.

Originally, the nagari was an autonomous and independent
administrative system with little intervention from higher levels
of power.

The uniqueness of different nagari can be traced to a
diversity in dialects, customary laws, dress and marriage
arrangements, but the differences are not so huge that residents
of one nagari, for example, cannot understand the dialect of
residents of another nagari, thus alleviating communication
problems.

The apparatus of a nagari consists of a Wali Nagari (the
executive), the Kerapatan Adat Nagari (the legislative branch)
and its staff members, and the judiciary. Members of the
legislative branch comprise three pillars, known as the tigo
tungku sajarangan (the three stoves at the hearth). They are
ninik mamak (head of the clans), alim ulama (religious scholars)
and cadiak pandai (experienced and enlightened elders).

The legislative branches of nagari were expanded in 1983 by
the West Sumatra authorities, who added representatives of youths
and Bundo Kanduang (respected, most senior women in a kinship
group). Bundo Kanduang is a key element in the Minangkabau
matrilineal culture, the largest matrilineal group in the world.

In West Sumatra the role of women is crucial, as all communal
property is inherited and owned by women in line with matrilineal
tradition, but men play a pivotal role in public affairs.

The dispersion of the Minang, known for their tradition of
merantau (moving to other areas of the country and abroad
temporarily or to stay and seek knowledge, experience and
commercial success in life), according to experts, has roots in
the ownership of communal property and a limited amount of land
that can be tilled for agricultural purposes.

According to estimates, about four million people from West
Sumatra reside outside the province, working as merchants,
businesspeople, professionals and owners of the famous Padang-
style restaurants, which have spread all across Indonesia.

The nagari administrative system had undergone several changes
in the past, emerging from each change with less authority. The
most significant change was in 1983, when the provincial
administration changed 543 nagari into 406 kelurahan
(subdistricts) and 3,133 desa (villages) in line with Jakarta's
policy to nationalize and bring into uniformity every level of
administration.

The abolition of the nagari was a great loss to West Sumatra
because it destroyed the cohesion of a people who had lived
together in one area for generations in a holistic structure.
However, it was beneficial in terms of the amount of money
received by each village from the central government, Rp 20
million (US$2,270) annually in presidential funds.

-- Ardimas Sasdi