Parabek, Adat Manjapuik Marapulai,. Cross-Cultural Understanding

“Manjapuik Marapulai” or Picking The Bridegroom Up

In Minangkabau Tradition

 (A culture event of marriage ceremony in Karatau, Parabek, Agam regency, West Sumatera)

A.    Introduction

This is customary that the most important event in a whole of marriage event structure based on tradition in Minangkabau culture. Picking the bridegroom up from his parents’ home, bringing and helding akad ceremony  in residence of his bride.

In the past time, the people who live in villages usually just a few men from the family of the bride picking the bridegroom up  to declare “Ijab” and “Kabul” in the mosques. After having it, the big family back while inviting their son-in-law comes home for sitting by his bride’s side and introduced to the other people.

B.     Description

In general, based on certainty tradition customary, in picking the bridegroom up the bride’s family should carry these three mandatory default, as follows:

1.      A cerana that full of betel, it indicates how they come by customary way,

2.      A completely wedding dress, begins from headgear to footwear that to be worn by the bridegroom,

3.      A bowl of yellow rice along with its chicken curry that has been cooked and another dishes absolutely as a souvenir.         

If there are things outside above points, it depends on the customs of each region that are different, as well as the agreements that have been agreed in advance. Many or not congenitals are brought, or at least the number of the families of the bride who come to pick him up, often becomes the size how big the party will be held.

In the event picking up the bridegroom or well-known “Manjapuik Marapulai”, these are the points that should be referred to it, as follows:

1.      There is pasambahan, a behaviour, that indicates to show respect to the elders that are present on the house,

2.      Pasambahan presenting betel as Minangkabau behaviour tradition,

3.      Extending for the aim of invaded,

4.      Begging all the host families participate escort,

5.      Asking the prospective for their son-in-law’s degree,

6.      Grateful for the welcome and the dishes that are served.

For sambah-manyambah event in this wedding ceremony according Minangkabau tradition, it not a must or should not be done by a chief or ninik mamak. , but entrusted to the young people, especially to the new rang sumando in their family environment. As a person who is respected and elder, then ninik mamak and the chief of the wedding feast serves as a reference in discussion.

After the sambah-manyambah event had been finished well, the bridegroom should ask the blessing firstly to his parents and their close families who deserve to be respected in his people. Typically, in this tradition, the bride’s family usually also bring two young women who have married to be pasumandan escorting and flanking the bridegroom started down of his house until to be sat in state on dais in marriage ceremony.

C.    Discussion

In this discussion session, I am going to give comment for this event. After having the interview with the interviewee, I got the information that in Karatau, one of small village in Agam regency, near Parabek, has the different way in helding this event. If the last information tell us that this event is about picking up the bridegroom, but in this village “manjapuik marapulai” tradition is about picking the bride up of her house to invite her and her new family to eat some dishes. It also purposes that to make the people know their niece and her choice husband had been got married.

Generally, in Karatau and its aroundly village, the people who join to pick the woman up are usually some women who wear completely red dress from the top to the bottom. But, it has no special meaning in wearing this dress. The informant explain me that it just becomes a behaviour in the Agam regency, especially for that place, to wear the uniform by the completely red colour. This event has purpose to wreathe good relation between the bride’s family and her bridegroom’s family.

D.    Conclusion

At last, I conclude that “manjapuik marapulai” event is one of Minangkabau tradition which is about picking up the bridegroom from his parents’ home, bringing and helding akad ceremony  in residence of his bride. In spite of the almost behaviour fact in Minangkabau environment means this event is about to pick up the man who will be got married by the woman’s family, but there are also the regions who giving the meaning of “manjapuik marapulai” is about inviting the bride up as their niece and their new son-in-law to eat some dishes in the woman’s family house. It can be happened because the different cultures that have been there for each regions since the past period. As long as this “manjapuik marapulai” event held, there is no some weaknesses people got. Yet, it gives the positive values for each couple of new bridegroom. Beside to have a good relationship between the bride’s and bridegroom’s families, it also purposes to make the ordinary people know that their niece and her choice husband had been got married.