he Minangkabau ethnic group (also known as Minang) is indigenous to the highlands of West Sumatra, in Indonesia.

Their culture is matrilineal, with property and land passing down from mother to daughter, while religious and political affairs are the responsibility of men (although some women also play important roles in these areas).

Today 4 million Minangs live in West Sumatra, while about 3 million more are scattered throughout many Indonesian and Malay peninsular cities and towns.The Minangkabau are strongly Islamic, but also follow their ethnic traditions, or adat.

The Minangkabau adat is derived from animist beliefs before the arrival of Islam, and remnants of animist beliefs still exist even among some practicing Muslims.

The present relationship between Islam and adat is described in the saying "tradition [adat] founded upon Islamic law, Islamic law founded upon the Qur'an" (adat basandi syara', syara' basandi Kitabullah).Their West Sumatran homelands are the location of the Padri War from 1821 to 1837.