Abstract

The Minangkabau of West Sumatra have long been prominent in the political, economic, & intellectual life of Indonesia, & they have been studied for their strong Islamic faith & their matrilineality. No one, until now,has examined the fact that they are also avid explainers & interpreters of their own customs & etiquette. This engrossing book explores a culture where explanation is an art; in so doing, it addresses the question of how meaning is created & expressed within a particular social context. Meaning is, for them, conveyed through signs rather than through symbols.