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: , Jawi script: ; ) is an Austronesian language spoken by the Minangkabau of West Sumatra, the western part of Riau, South Aceh Regency, the northern part of Bengkulu and Jambi, also in several cities throughout Ind ...
, spoken by the
Minangkabau people
Minangkabau people (; ; ) are an Austronesian people, Austronesian ethnic group native to the Minangkabau Highlands of West Sumatra, Western Sumatra region on the Indonesian island of Sumatra. The Minangkabau's West Sumatera homelands was th ...
of
Indonesia
Indonesia, officially the Republic of Indonesia, is a country in Southeast Asia and Oceania, between the Indian Ocean, Indian and Pacific Ocean, Pacific oceans. Comprising over List of islands of Indonesia, 17,000 islands, including Sumatra, ...
and
Malaysia
Malaysia is a country in Southeast Asia. Featuring the Tanjung Piai, southernmost point of continental Eurasia, it is a federation, federal constitutional monarchy consisting of States and federal territories of Malaysia, 13 states and thre ...
.
[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 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 (; stem form ; nominal singular , ,) is a classical language belonging to the Indo-Aryan languages, Indo-Aryan branch of the Indo-European languages. It arose in northwest South Asia after its predecessor languages had Trans-cultural ...
(for example, ''Datuk Ketemanggungan''). Other ''datuk'' titles are composed of two (or more) words (for example, ''Datuk Parpatiah nan Sabatang''). After the
Islamic
Islam is an Abrahamic religions, Abrahamic monotheistic religion based on the Quran, and the teachings of Muhammad. Adherents of Islam are called Muslims, who are estimated to number Islam by country, 2 billion worldwide and are the world ...
influence, the title of ''datuk'' is derived from
Arabic
Arabic (, , or , ) is a Central Semitic languages, Central Semitic language of the Afroasiatic languages, Afroasiatic language family spoken primarily in the Arab world. The International Organization for Standardization (ISO) assigns lang ...
. 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
*
Barangay
The barangay (; abbreviated as Brgy. or Bgy.), historically referred to as ''barrio'', is the smallest Administrative divisions of the Philippines, administrative division in the Philippines. Named after the Precolonial barangay, precolonial po ...
*
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, though no ...
*
Greater India
Greater India, also known as the Indian cultural sphere, or the Indic world, is an area composed of several countries and regions in South Asia, East Asia and Southeast Asia that were historically influenced by Indian culture, which itself ...
*
Hinduism in the Philippines
*
History of the Philippines (Before 1521)
*
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 ...
– Indonesian and Malay titles originated from these
*
Indosphere
Indosphere is a term used for areas of Indian subcontinent, Indian linguistic influence in the neighboring Southern Asian, Southeast Asian, and East Asian regions. It is commonly used in areal linguistics in contrast with the Sinophone languages ...
*
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 immediat ...
*
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, Brunei Darussalam, Malaysia and Singapore.
Brunei, Malaysia, Singapore, few provinces in the Philippines a ...
*
Principalía
The ''principalía'' or Nobility, noble class was the ruling and usually educated upper class in the ''Municipality, pueblos'' of History of the Philippines (1521–1898), Spanish Philippines, comprising the ''gobernadorcillo'' (later called t ...
*
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 r ...
References
{{India-related topics in Philippines
Malay culture
Minangkabau
Titles