Causing Factors And Goals Of Merantau As A Minangkabau Tradition In Indonesia: Hamka’s Novels And Reality

Abstract

This study is to identify and to describe the phenomenon of the merantau Minangkabau tribe in Hamka’s novels as a reflection of the reality. The method used is qualitative research. Data were collected from the novels and by interviewing selected Minangkabaunese men in Medan using an in-depth interview technique as the informants.  The Minangkabaunese men are those who were born in Minangkabau dan wandering in Medan. the data obtained were triangulated using triangulation method proposed by Miles et al (2014). The result shows that merantau tradition of Minangkabaunese society portrayed in the novels is a reflection of the reality. The tradition has its own reasons and goals. The main reasons for merantau are economic, social, education, and city attraction factors. How difficult is to live in the village because of lack of money is an economic factor. A kinship system with matrilineal rules embraced by society is a social factor. The urge to be educated in the education factor. And, nomads’ success in the city becomes a city attraction for them to follow. The findings show that merantau aims to seek money, to seek knowledge, to seek experience, and also cultural mission. The tradition in the past and the present have experienced differences, especially in the cultural mission goal.