In the name of God, the Most Loving, the Most Merciful
Some Malay ethnics in Malaysia wonder why women are given more properties than men in Adat Pepatih custom (matrilineal custom) practised in Negeri 9 state of Malaysia. The custom combines three customs of the aborigin Sakai, Semang , Jakun with the Minangkabau from West Sumatra, Indonesia. The rest of Malaysia practise Adat Temenggong which is patrilineal (descendent line and properties are given to the son). This song cleverly explains the reason why.
here is a translation of the song. Taken from http://www.bingregory.com/archives/2014/04/18-gurindam-not-dead-gadis-jolobu/
Produced by DJ Fuzz
Lyrics by Waris & Dato Hattan
Chorus:
To reap three-stalked rice [1]
If the Jelebu magic hits you
You won’t die but you’re bound to suffer
Never question old wisdoms [2]
If you don't know it ask those who knows , don’t try to be smart
Verse 1:
The story of all the gorgeous women of Jelebu village
An outsider came looking for work
Unexpected occurence happened : got hooked, took a wife
But he erred and her magic affected him that he abandoned his folks
Stuck under his woman’s armpit, responsibilities forgotten
His mom and dad longed for him but he played dumb
Now they’re gone: he cries at their grave in regret
Chorus.
Verse 2:
Divorce one and your assets are all hers [3]
Don’t misunderstand why our women get the upper hand
It's because you can throw a man in the jungle and he can still get by
Times have changed, culture swallowed by the times
No one left to inherit the teaching-tales
What more when someone claims to be from Negeri 9
Ask him which clan he belongs to : he can’t even answer.
Go ask your momma, go ask your grampa too
If that doesn’t work well then your friends will have to do
Spinning Gurindams is an art form long forgot
As a part of our heritage
Chorus.
Verse 3:
If you get what you’re after, don’t oversleep the dawn prayer. [5]
The headman’s roosters crow, that’s the sign the day dawns
Night or day you cannot wait once you get a Jelebu woman.
Verse 2 repeats.
Chorus.
Fin.
____________________________
1. Rice is harvested when it has 5-10 stalks, or tillers. Harvesting 3-tillered rice is suggestive of misfortune.
2. Here at Bin Gregory Productions, we are all about studying the old Gurindams. See the Gurindam 12 of Raja Ali Haji Pasal One, Two, Three and Four.
3. The flow is in the thick regional dialect of Negeri 9, a state settled by Minangkabau people who practiced some elements of matriarchal inheritance. The state has nine districts, from whence the name in the following line above.
4. For more on lemang, see here and here. The verse may be referring to the siamang, a type of gibbon, in which case “gibbon’s in the bamboo”.
5. Surely I don’t have to spell it out for you.
Unfortunately in some Malaysian states (unlike in Arab countries and Iran), the
Shariah system quite often tend to neglect a divorcee right. In some Malaysian states, a divorcee
often lose right to child custody only because she is a housewife and has no
stable income. Some Malaysian shariah courts also order the ex-husband to compensate the ex-wife very little in comparison to what she has given for the marriage . Adat Pepatih (Pepatih custom) complements and does not contradict Islam. It protects a divorcee right of which if a woman
is divorced the ex-husband's property should be compensated to her as according to the Quran.
In Islam, a woman is not forced to work if she does not want to. If she works and earns money, she may keep it all to herself if she wants. In Arab and western countries if a man divorces his wife he has to compensate her with a lot of money according to Sharia or civil court. I dream to see Malaysian shariah court do justice for women whether she has children from her husband or not especially if she has to give up her job due to too high level of intermingling between the sexes in offices. Adat Perpatih has been practised in Negeri 9 , Malaysia for more than 500 years and the rest of Malaysian states could really learn from them.
here is a translation of the song. Taken from http://www.bingregory.com/archives/2014/04/18-gurindam-not-dead-gadis-jolobu/
Produced by DJ Fuzz
Lyrics by Waris & Dato Hattan
Chorus:
On the way to JelebuKo jolobak ko jolbu
Tuai padi tigo tangkai
Kalau kono komat jolobu
Tak mati badan menghasai
Gurindam dulu dulu jangan ponah dipotikai
Tak tahu tanyo dulu jangan goma memanadai mandai
To reap three-stalked rice [1]
If the Jelebu magic hits you
You won’t die but you’re bound to suffer
Never question old wisdoms [2]
If you don't know it ask those who knows , don’t try to be smart
Verse 1:
The story starts from the mouths of villagersKisah eh bermulo,mulut ughang kampong
Kisah ramai gadis cantik kek jolobu berkampung
Ughang luar datang luar nak cari’an joki
Lain pulak jadi eh terpikek nak buek bini
Tapi silap,kono komat sampai tinggalkan keluargo
Kopit bawah kotiak bini tanggungjawab lupo
Omak ayah rindu tapi dio buek bodoh
Dah takdo monyosa monangih dopan kubur aiii
The story of all the gorgeous women of Jelebu village
An outsider came looking for work
Unexpected occurence happened : got hooked, took a wife
But he erred and her magic affected him that he abandoned his folks
Stuck under his woman’s armpit, responsibilities forgotten
His mom and dad longed for him but he played dumb
Now they’re gone: he cries at their grave in regret
Chorus.
Verse 2:
Outsiders get confused, saying our women are dangerousUghang luar salah tafsir koba gadih kito bahayo
Lopeh coghai semuo ghoto jadi milik dio
Jangan salah anggap,napo lobihkan pompuan
Sobab laki boleh hidup kalau campak dlm hutan
Zaman dah boghubah, adat di tolan zaman
Dah takdo mewaghisi coghito bertauladan
Apotah laie, mengaku ughang nogori
Bilo tanyo suku mano nak jawab pun tak ghotiPoie tanyo omak,poie tanyo uwan
Kok takdo kosompatan buleh tanyo kawan kawan
Aktiviti bergurindam tolah lonyap dilupokan
“sebagai suatu warisan”
Divorce one and your assets are all hers [3]
Don’t misunderstand why our women get the upper hand
It's because you can throw a man in the jungle and he can still get by
Times have changed, culture swallowed by the times
No one left to inherit the teaching-tales
What more when someone claims to be from Negeri 9
Ask him which clan he belongs to : he can’t even answer.
Go ask your momma, go ask your grampa too
If that doesn’t work well then your friends will have to do
Spinning Gurindams is an art form long forgot
As a part of our heritage
Chorus.
Verse 3:
Waterhens eat field-rice, bamboo’s filled with lemang [4]Wak wak makan padi si lomang dalam buluh
Kok dah dapek yg dicari jgn terlansung semayang subuh
Ayam berkokok umah ponghulu itu tando haghi nak siang
Kok dah dapek oghang jolobu tak sabar nunggu malam ko siang
If you get what you’re after, don’t oversleep the dawn prayer. [5]
The headman’s roosters crow, that’s the sign the day dawns
Night or day you cannot wait once you get a Jelebu woman.
Verse 2 repeats.
Chorus.
Fin.
____________________________
1. Rice is harvested when it has 5-10 stalks, or tillers. Harvesting 3-tillered rice is suggestive of misfortune.
2. Here at Bin Gregory Productions, we are all about studying the old Gurindams. See the Gurindam 12 of Raja Ali Haji Pasal One, Two, Three and Four.
3. The flow is in the thick regional dialect of Negeri 9, a state settled by Minangkabau people who practiced some elements of matriarchal inheritance. The state has nine districts, from whence the name in the following line above.
4. For more on lemang, see here and here. The verse may be referring to the siamang, a type of gibbon, in which case “gibbon’s in the bamboo”.
5. Surely I don’t have to spell it out for you.
Waris and Dato Hattan singers of Gadis Jolobu and practise Adat Pepatih
[Quran 65:7] The rich husband shall provide support in accordance with
his means, and the poor shall provide according to the means that God
bestowed upon him. God does not impose on any soul more than He has
given it. God will provide ease after difficulty.
Alimony For Widows and Divorcees
[Quran 2:240] Those who die and leave wives, a will shall provide their wives with support for a year, provided they stay within the same household. If they leave, you commit no sin by letting them do whatever they wish, so long as righteousness is maintained. God is Almighty, Most Wise.
[Quran 2:241] The divorcees also shall be provided for, equitably. This is a duty upon the righteous.
Alimony For Widows and Divorcees
[Quran 2:240] Those who die and leave wives, a will shall provide their wives with support for a year, provided they stay within the same household. If they leave, you commit no sin by letting them do whatever they wish, so long as righteousness is maintained. God is Almighty, Most Wise.
[Quran 2:241] The divorcees also shall be provided for, equitably. This is a duty upon the righteous.
In Islam, a woman is not forced to work if she does not want to. If she works and earns money, she may keep it all to herself if she wants. In Arab and western countries if a man divorces his wife he has to compensate her with a lot of money according to Sharia or civil court. I dream to see Malaysian shariah court do justice for women whether she has children from her husband or not especially if she has to give up her job due to too high level of intermingling between the sexes in offices. Adat Perpatih has been practised in Negeri 9 , Malaysia for more than 500 years and the rest of Malaysian states could really learn from them.
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