Tuesday, July 20, 2010

Mak Katik, the Straightener of Minang Tradition

On 1963, Musra Dahrizal Katik Rajo Mangkuto could not finish his elementary education due to financial problem. However, the man, commonly called as Mak Katik, becomes a lecturer who is often invited to teach the tradition of Minangkabau even in the University of Hawaii, Manoa, United States of America and the Akademi Seni Warisan Budaya Kebangsaan in Malaysia.

In our country, Mak Katik teaches in the State University of Andalas, Padang. Soon after he finished teaching in Malaysia, he went back to teach in the State University of Padang for Minangkabau Ethnology and the Philoshopy of Minangkabau Tradition.

It is not only because of his teaching activity that he is honored, his tiredless effort to preserve and teach Minangkabau tradition since 1970 is the base of it. In his view, the understanding of Minangkabau tradition which is based on shari'a (religious law) is fading away. As a result, many of the community's behaviors are deviating. They are no longer appropriate according to the real Minangkabau's tradition. "For example is how to dress up. How could someone comes in a funeral wearing jeans?", said Mak Katik.

He mentioned that the concept of Minangkabau's tradition on how to dress up which involves covering the body, the shame, the aurat and covering from miang (a sap of bamboo) has shifted only to cover the body. He has also seen in some occasions how far the understanding of Minangkabau's tradition in most of the commmunity has been deviating.

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