Datuk (or Datuak) is a traditional, honorary title bestowed on a person by the agreement of a people or tribe in the
Minangkabau language
Minangkabau (Minangkabau: , Pegon script: ; id, Bahasa Minangkabau; ms, Bahasa Minangkabau or , Jawi: ) is an Austronesian language spoken by the Minangkabau of West Sumatra, the western part of Riau, South Aceh Regency, the northern part of ...
, spoken by the
Minangkabau people
Minangkabau people ( min, Urang Minang; Indonesian or Malay: ''Orang Minangkabau'' or ''Minangkabo''; Jawi: منڠكبو), also known as Minang, are an Austronesian ethnic group native to the Minangkabau Highlands of West Sumatra, Indonesi ...
of
Indonesia
Indonesia, officially the Republic of Indonesia, is a country in Southeast Asia and Oceania between the Indian and Pacific oceans. It consists of over 17,000 islands, including Sumatra, Java, Sulawesi, and parts of Borneo and New Guine ...
and
Malaysia
Malaysia ( ; ) is a country in Southeast Asia. The federation, federal constitutional monarchy consists of States and federal territories of Malaysia, thirteen states and three federal territories, separated by the South China Sea into two r ...
.
[Navis A.A., (1984), ''Layar Terkembang Jadi Guru: Adat dan Kebudayaan Minangkabau'', Jakarta: PT. Grafiti Pers. (Indonesian)] The title of ''Datuk'' was agreed upon by local, traditional leaders (''Kerapatan Adat Nagari'', abbreviated "KAN"). The title engenders great respect, and is only used for Minangkabau men who have become stakeholders of traditional leaders or ''penghulu'' (noblemen) for a particular tribe. When the title is bestowed, it is celebrated with a traditional ceremony (''Malewa Gala'') and a banquet.
Inheritance
Unlike other
Malay
Malay may refer to:
Languages
* Malay language or Bahasa Melayu, a major Austronesian language spoken in Indonesia, Malaysia, Brunei and Singapore
** History of the Malay language, the Malay language from the 4th to the 14th century
** Indonesi ...
traditions, the title of ''datuk'' is inherited according to the
matrilineal system. When a ''datuk'' dies his title may pass to his brother or nephew, whoever is closest in the maternal line. If there is no maternal relative, it may be given to another tribal member with the agreement of the tribe.
If the tribe has expanded and split up into groups in other areas, it may appoint a new ''datuk'' by appending one or two words to the previous ''datuk'' title; for example, if a ''datuk'' name is ''Datuak Bandaro'' it may be expanded to ''Bandaro Putiah'' or ''Datuak Bandaro nan Putiah'' with the agreement of each tribal subgroup.
Tradition
The social status of a people in Minangkabau society may be seen from its ''datuk'' title. The beginning of the oldest titles usually consists of one syllable and is derived from
Sanskrit
Sanskrit (; attributively , ; nominally , , ) is a classical language belonging to the Indo-Aryan branch of the Indo-European languages. It arose in South Asia after its predecessor languages had diffused there from the northwest in the late ...
(for example, ''Datuk Ketemanggungan''). Other ''datuk'' titles are composed of two (or more) words (for example, ''Datuk Parpatiah nan Sabatang''). After the
Islamic
Islam (; ar, ۘالِإسلَام, , ) is an Abrahamic monotheistic religion centred primarily around the Quran, a religious text considered by Muslims to be the direct word of God (or '' Allah'') as it was revealed to Muhammad, the mai ...
influence, the title of ''datuk'' is derived from
Arabic
Arabic (, ' ; , ' or ) is a Semitic languages, Semitic language spoken primarily across the Arab world.Semitic languages: an international handbook / edited by Stefan Weninger; in collaboration with Geoffrey Khan, Michael P. Streck, Janet C ...
. Below is a list of major ''datuk'' titles in Minangkabau legend and tradition:
* ''Datuk Ketumanggungan''
* ''Datuk Parpatiah nan Sabatang''
* ''Datuk Bandaro''
* ''Datuk Makhudum''
* ''Datuk Indomo''
* ''Datuk Sinaro''
See also
*
Indian honorifics
Indian honorifics are honorific titles or appendices to names used in the Indian subcontinent, covering formal and informal social, commercial, and religious relationships. These may take the form of prefixes, suffixes or replacements.
Native hon ...
, Indonesian and Malay titles originated from these
*
Greater India
Greater India, or the Indian cultural sphere, is an area composed of many countries and regions in South and Southeast Asia that were historically influenced by Indian culture, which itself formed from the various distinct indigenous cultures ...
*
Indosphere
Indosphere is a term coined by the linguist James Matisoff for areas of Indian linguistic and cultural influence in South Asia and Southeast Asia. It is commonly used in areal linguistics in contrast with Sinosphere.
Influence
The Tibeto-Burma ...
*
Barangay
A barangay (; abbreviated as Brgy. or Bgy.), historically referred to as barrio (abbreviated as Bo.), is the smallest administrative division in the Philippines and is the native Filipino term for a village, district, or ward. In metropolitan ...
*
Datu
''Datu'' is a title which denotes the rulers (variously described in historical accounts as chiefs, sovereign princes, and monarchs) of numerous indigenous peoples throughout the Philippine archipelago. The title is still used today, especial ...
*
Maginoo
The Tagalog ''maginoo'', the Kapampangan ''ginu'', and the Visayan ''tumao'' were the nobility social class among various cultures of the pre-colonial Philippines. Among the Visayans, the ''tumao'' were further distinguished from the immediate r ...
*
Ratu
''Ratu'' () is an Austronesian title used by male Fijians of chiefly rank. An equivalent title, ''adi'' (pronounced ), is used by females of chiefly rank. In the Malay language, the title ''ratu'' is also the traditional honorific title to re ...
*
Principalía
The ''principalía'' or noble class was the ruling and usually educated upper class in the ''pueblos'' of Spanish Philippines, comprising the ''gobernadorcillo'' (later called the c''apitán municipal'' and had functions similar to a town mayo ...
*
Malay styles and titles
The Malay language has a complex system of Style (manner of address), styles, titles and honorifics which are used extensively in Brunei, Indonesia, Malaysia, Singapore, and the southern Philippines.
Brunei, Malaysia, Singapore and several Pro ...
*
Hinduism in the Philippines
Recent archaeological and other evidence suggests Hinduism has had some cultural, economic, political and religious influence in the Philippines. Among these is the 9th century Laguna Copperplate Inscription found in 1989, deciphered in 1992 to b ...
*
History of the Philippines (Before 1521)
Earliest hominin activity in the Philippine archipelago is dated back to at least 709,000 years ago. ''Homo luzonensis'', a species of archaic humans, was present on the island of Luzon at least 67,000 years ago. The earliest known anatomically ...
References
{{India-related topics in Philippines
Malay culture
Minangkabau
Titles