Minangkabau name comes from two words, Minang and Kabau. The name was published with a typical Minang legend known as the legend. From the legend it is said, at one time there was a foreign kingdom (usually interpreted as Majapahit) who came from the sea will make the conquest. To prevent the fighting, local people suggested to try buffalo. Approve foreign troops and supplies a large buffalo and aggressive, while local communities provide a large buffalo child is its mother and wants to breastfeed, the child's direct small buffalo gore and shreds mencabi vesar the buffalo stomach. The victory inspired the local community Minagkabau name.
While the name "Minang" it self also has been mentioned in the inscription that bertarikh Kedukan Hill 682 AD and Sanskrit. In the inscription it is stated that the founder of the kingdom of Srivijaya who named Dapunta Hyang whirl of "Minanga".Therefore, the word itself is identical with the mention minanga Minang itself.
The Minangkabau have a variety of attractions and arts, such as dances commonly displayed in custom and wedding party. Among these dances such as dance is a dance that is played pasambahan intended as a welcome greeting or expressing respect for the special guests who just arrived, then dance the plate is a form of dance with quick movement of the dancers, holding the plate in each hand . accompanied by a song played by talempong and saluang.
Minangkabau as one of the tribes in Indonesia, and is the only tribes who adhere to matrilineal system. Every child born will be a direct family member of the tribe of the mother, because in Minangkabau descent lines drawn on the basis of mother's family.besides known matrilineal system, there are some other characteristic inherent to the tribe of Minangkabau. Among them is the habit of wandering that has been entrenched among the Minang and also those in the know are devout Muslims. And now the Minangkabau society is matrilineal society adherents of the largest in the world.
