Page 132 - BAB I-V ADATMINANG

Nan kuriak iolah kundi,

red nan made of sago,
good manners,

63
it's low, mix it with meatballs.
Balance serves to control each other, namely to maintain
harmony so that a person is not consumed, because if he is

always helped by others, it is not good in the view of adat. A
Minang person must think about what help he can give to

others and vice versa not to ask for help if it is enough.
Therefore, customs contain the teachings of self-education and

equal degrees of fellow human beings.

Gentle manners that are based on a sincere attitude and
do not exchange mind for material and maintain a balance so

as not to be indebted, and besides that, it is accompanied by
small talk, subtlety in language so that every speech does not

contain inappropriate words. In expressing thoughts and
feelings, Minang people use figurative language to maintain

harmony of feelings. He must control his emotions, feelings

and desires by using baso jo basi, which is subtle manners and
high manners. This is stated in the traditional rhyme:

63 Idrus Hakimy Dt. Rajo Penghulu, Basandi Syarak Traditional
Mustika Series in Minangkabau, (Bandung: Rosda Karya Youth, 1988), p. 37,
which means: The kurik is the pot, the red is the saga, the good is the wisdom,
the beautiful is the base.