Page 200 - BAB I-V ADATMINANG

strong karano budi,

broken mind, destroy the
nation. 138

The above proverb shows how close the

relationship is between the family as the smallest
unit and the nation as the largest unit in society.

therefore the family institution is the core
institution of Minang traditional education.

3) Surau
One of the most potential non-formal

education institutions in Minangkabau is the

surau. According to Azyumardi Azra: “In
language the word surau means a place or place

of worship. According to its original meaning, a
surau is a small building built for the worship of

ancestral spirits. 139
According to the information above, the

surau is a place of worship of ancestral spirits,

therefore the surau is not derived from Islamic
tradition, but because of the strong Minangkabau

138 Idrus Hakimy, Mustika Series, p. 53, which means: A house is
strong because of its joints, a house is broken because a house is destroyed, a
nation is strong because of reason, and a nation is damaged by a broken mind.
139 Azyumardi Azra, Islamic Education, p. 117