Page 164 - BAB I-V ADATMINANG

Egalitarianism or democracy that comes from Datuk

Perpatih Nan Sabatang's understanding will not lead the
Minang people into a pure liberal understanding. As it is

known that Minang custom consists of two barrels, namely the

barrel of the body caniago which adheres to the notion of
democracy 108 Laras Koto Piliang adheres to aristocracy 109 .

These two forces attract each other and balance each other and
at the same time are a function of check and balance between

the two.
So the Minang custom, which is feared to fall into pure

liberalism, will not happen. The existence of an aristocratic

understanding is stated in the petitih adat proverb:
Bajanjang goes up, Batanggo goes down,

rise from the ladder below,
down from the tango nan in ateh. 110

This means that Minang custom also adheres to an
aristocratic system which outlines that in the community there

108 Democracy means an idea or view of life that prioritizes equal
rights and obligations and equal treatment for all citizens (Depdikbud: Big
Indonesian Dictionary), h. 195, democracy in the Minang language means
consensus.
109 Aristocracy is an understanding that adheres to the ideals of the
state, that the state must be ruled by the nobility (rich people and people of
high dignity), (Depdikbud: Big Indonesian Dictionary), p.48
110 Idrus Hakimy, Mustika Series, p. 62, which means: Tiered up stairs
down, up from the level below, down from the stairs above.