ADAT IN MELAYU CIVILIZATION
Muhammad Takari
UNIVERSITAS SUMATERA UTARA FAKULTAS ILMU BUDAYA PROGRAM STUDI ETNOMUSIKOLOGI MEDAN 2014
ADAT IN MELAYU CIVILIZATION Muhammad Takari Fakultas Ilmu Budaya, Universitas Sumatera Utara
Adat (Custom)
Adat is the core or nucleus Malay civilization. Adat can be interpreted that as the indigenous Malay culture, it has been there since the Malay man there. Adat always associated with how people manage themselves, groups, and man's relationship to nature (both natural or supernatural), and the human relationship with the Creator (God). Thus terminology meaning is "synonymous" with the culture as whole. According Embi et al. (2004:85 ) customs legislation which implemented (practiced) in the all generations in a society, to be laws and regulations that must be complied with. While tradition is the rule or way of doing something that is accepted it. Adat and traditions have a tight relationship, and is seen as a tool that seeks to regulate the lives of the people, whose goal is to achieve prosperity and harmony. Shaping cultural mores, then raise the dignity of the people who practice it. Zainal Kling (2004:41) argued that adat and statutes of human group life style is not only determined by the nature of the response to each of their fellow alone, but also by the unity with nature , or habit attitude toward human nature where it stayed and tried to look for life. Every day, are still humans seek sustenance from natural sources (and also services), both day and night, also
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according to the sun and moon trip, spotty and the tide, and also determination of the rainy season changes, heat, and wind. In areas outside the equatorial even known four seasons: summer, leaf fall, winter , and spring. Very fixed nature of this set also human behavior, which is in connection with a natural state to be able to determine work schedules and look for the source of their life. The natural state of the human environment is what gave birth to civilizations of their own, different from the one group of humans with other human groups. In a society that lived in the sea area, they must devote his life to the marine ecosystem. They will look at the various species of fish, seaweed plant, build of kerambah (a place to fish developing) for fish farming, processing mangrove forest with all its natural resources, coconut planting and vegetation typical of the coast, to also conduct maritime tourism facilities. So the culture that produced them is maritime culture. Similarly, for those who live in the mainland, the activities in the framework of his life was always closely linked to the land, such as the cultivation of rice, corn, sago, cassava, sweet potato, as well as vegetables such as cabbage, carrots, mustard greens, and others . There is also a farm in rice fields . In the times there is also hard to plant crops such as oil palm, rubber, cocoa, cinnamon, and others . They even this form of cultural land or that is in the mountains also called highland cultures. Similarly, for human society to live in the polar regions (north or south) they have a cultural identity as a relatively thick clothing to maintain body temperature. They also eat foods that contain lots of protein and fat
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such as meat, also drink that can heat up the body always like sake, beer, wine, vodka, and others. In that context, groups of people were forced to also must develop social and cultural systems that govern their relationship in the context of responding to nature as a source of earning their living. Without efforts to act together and arranged in a systemic manner, then the man will face the problems of life. Hence came the behavior becomes a habit, and sociological relationships in the form of grouping. All of this gave birth to norms, customs, and laws to oversee and harmonize the powers of all individuals involved in the activities of the human society. Human response, both individually and then developed into a group, against all the laws of nature, make people establish the organization . Group of social organizations and human culture is the expression of all human response to natural or ecological. Norms or laws applied together is what in the Malay archipelago called adat. Thus the actual traditional manifestations of human culture in general. Included also in Malay culture . The Concept of Malay Adat According to Zainal Kling (2004), in terms of etymology, adat derived from Arabic which means a habit. Malay society who has received the influence of Islamic and Arab civilization, knowing the meaning and concept of adat. Although this is the case, it turns out that almost all of society or the Malay Archipelago, both
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communities have received the influence of Islamic civilization or do not have, to combine it with the concept of similar meaning in their culture. They include traditional societies that still practice traditional beliefs (animism and dynamism), or have embraced Christianity, such as the: Iban, Bidayuh, Kenyah, Kayan, and Kalabit in Sarawak; so far Murut and Kadazan in Sabah; Dayak Kalimantan Indonesia; Batak in North Sumatra; Toraja in Sulawesi (Celebes), and also some ethnic ini Philippines, to give birth to a basic unity of the region's culture is very interesting. In the tradition of Malay World society, indigenous concept exudes a deep and meaningful relationship between man, and also humans with the natural surroundings, including the earth and everything in it, sociocultural nature, and the supernatural. Every relationship is called adat, which given the firm and distinctive shape, which is expressed through attitudes, activities, and ceremonies. Indigenous intended meaning to the whole complex relationship, both in terms of the essence of the existence of things, bad and good basic size, regulation of the whole society, as well as procedures for action as well as any travel agency groups. Adat emerged as the basic structure of all life and affirm personality traits of a society. Therefore, adat usually have a story or sacred myths, characters, origins dashing and superior, as well as provide basic meaning to every event in the human life cycle, as well as the existence of institutions in society. Thus, in the community traditions, sacred positions to achieve
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dignity; emitted by the correct behavior and smooth; a feature of life that absorbs belief system, penalties, and fines. Every individual who violate, misappropriate, exceeded, reduce, or deny them, will be rewarded and punished, either through traditional power-holders themselves and God in their beliefs. Conversely, any custom that successfully implement, will empowering, authority, also holds, and stick to it. Thus adat configuration gives a deep meaning, and structuring a society and its culture. Indigenous identities serves to integrate the entire community and the small communities. Each group will be recognized by customary differences. In this framework, adat also a subculture, such as the indigenous Malay society distinguish: Kelantanese, Malacca, Perak, Johor, Deli, Riau, Bengkulu, Bangka and Belitung, Palembang, Borneo, and others. Similarly, the same concept is used to distinguish or recognize a stranger outside the context of the Malay community. Cultural failure to follow the way of non-Malays for sitting, eating, or shaking hands at marriage ceremonies for example, is due to different customs. If this applies custom error fellow Malay community, then by itself it will bring punishment or sanctions. At least someone was banned from doing or mention something, if it was not scolded by the punishment did not know customary or habitual. Thus custom functions (introduction) and normative (punishment). Both of these functions in the framework of human relationships with fellow human beings, and human beings by nature (natural either visible or invisible realm).
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According Effendy one that avoided by people he does not know Malay adat or habitual. This statement is not just an insult, which is interpreted as the culture is rough, wild, do not be polite, not virtuous--but also he is not religious man, because the Malay culture is based on religion. So do not habitual synonymous with no religious meaning (2004:57). Malay traditional proverbs explain, let the child die, do not die customs reflect the importance of the existence of customary in the life of the Malay community. In the concept of Malay etnosains said that the child died of grief compatriot, custom die of grief countryman , who asserted the primacy of indigenous became a fad whole society in the life of society, nation and state. From the other side, the meaning of traditional proverbs let die indigenous children do not die implies that the customs (adat) must be enforced, even if it means sacrificing his own family. Its meaning that adat is a fundamental aspect in maintaining harmony and internal consistency of culture, which sustain the social structures and cultural sustainability in general. If custom die, then civilization is die too. According to Embi et al. (2004:85) Malay community is rich with lore, inherited by generations from one generation to the next. The commitment shown by the indigenous Malay society against this, clearly illustrated in the following expression. Kecil dikandung ibu, Besar dikandung adat,
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Mati dikandung tanah. Biar mati anak, Jangan mati adat. Laksmana berbaju besi, Masuk ke hutan melanda-landa, Hidup berdiri dengan saksi, Adat berdiri dengan tanda. [Small conceived mother, Large custom conceived, Dead conceived land. Let the dead child, Do not die customs. Lakshmana armor, Go to the hit stricken forest, Living with the witness stand, Indigenous stand with a sign]. More away by Effendi (2004:58) states that the Malay community, what is the sign of true Malay? His adat clothes themselves. What Malay sign spelled? Indigenous heritage girded used. What marks the auspicious Malay? Holding the mandate he trust. So the ideal type of a Malay is he understands, run, and custom live. So that it will always use the traditional and cultural heritage in his life, and he became a trustworthy person (one type of leadership in Islam) .
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The importance of the indigenous Malay community life is functioning to regulate virtually all facets of life, provide direction and grounding in all activities, ranging from the large to the small thing. Indigenous teaching people to become civilized man, be polite, tolerant, respectful, know yourself, please and help climate in order to create harmony and peace in society, nation, and state. In addition , the indigenous Malay sourced and refers to the teachings of Islam. Therefore the identity of each individual custom made Malays. In accordance with the teaching of Malay customs, if want to know the glory of the people, look at the customs, the language showed the nation, custom show people. For Category of Adat Melayu Order to determine the policy and direction of the Malay civilization, the Malay community basing the generic institution called adat (custom). In order to face and fill globalization, the Malay community has made a cultural strategy. This strategy is directed in Malay culture. Malay adat based on the teachings of Islam, which is conceptualized as adat bersendikan syarak-and syarak bersendikan Kitabullah [the Malay custom based on Islamic law, and Islamic law based on AlQur’an]. What is meant syarak is Islamic law or Islamic civilization. On the other hand, the Kitabullah means God's Holy Book (Qur'an ), or refer further and in is the revelation of God as the man in charge culture guide.
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In the direction of the culture of the Malays do decide to apply the four areas (wide) customs. According to Husni (1986 ) on the indigenous Malays covered in four varieties, namely: (1) Adat sebenar adat (“the real custom linked to God laws�); (2) adat yang diadatkan (the leadership and social laws); (3) adat yang teradat (custom in the context continuities and changes of world), and (4) adat-istiadat (means Malay ceremonies). This traditional four areas of mutual synergy and intertwine as in guarding polarization Malay culture in general. Whatever is done for the Malays should be based on the teachings of this custom. However, please note that some experts and actors Malay culture, mentions only three traditional categories only, not until four, namely customs. But there is also mentioned in the four categories. Clear all four have relationships and mutually reinforcing synergy. But if judging from the point of view, the first category is the most basic, holistic, comprehensive, while the second category, third, and fourth is a derivative of the first. Likewise, the third is the derivative of the first and second. The fourth well is a derivative of the first, second, and third. The first category is the absolute and absolute created according to God's law. The second category, third, and fourth, is to be the development of space and time in culture, whether it be a social activity, and also objects or artifacts of culture.
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Bibliography Effendy, Tenas. 1994. Tunjuk Ajar Melayu. Yogyakarta: Balai Kajian dan Pengembangan Budaya Melayu. Embi, Husin (et al.), 2004. “Adat Perkawinan di Melaka.” di dalam, Abdul Latiff Abu Bakar dan Hanipah Hussin (ed.), 2004. Kepimpinan Adat Perkawinan Melayu Melaka. Melaka: Institut Seni Malaysia Melaka. Kling, Zainal, 2004. “Adat Melayu.” di dalam Abdul Latiff Abu Bakar dan Hanipah Hussin (ed.), 2004. Kepimpinan Adat Perkawinan Melayu Melaka. Melaka: Institut Seni Malaysia Melaka.
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