XIV. ELECTION OF A TRIBAL CHIEF IN NEGRI 
SEMBILAN. 
By R. O. WINSTEDT. 
Native treatises on Minangkabau adat, which are often 
to be found in the hands of Negri Sembilan Malays, distinguish 
six occasions for the election of a tribal chief, though changed 
times and British protection have left only the first three 
extant in the peninsula, if indeed the others ever existed. 
I.—Voluntary Resignation of a Chief. 
his is known in Minangkabau as hidup bérkéredlaan or 
as hidup bérkhalifah—in Negri Sembilan only the first of these 
phrases is in use. They are technical phrases for the resig- 
nation of a tribal chief from age or illness ;—unless he resigns, 
a chief can be removed only by a rapat ‘of the electors for 
misconduct or old age. He calls the elders of his tribe and its 
enfranchised members and tells them his case. 
Lurah-lah dalam, 
Bukit-lah tinggt ; 
Lurah tidak térturunt, 
Bukit tidak térdakt. 
Nan jauh tidak térjalan, 
Nan bérat tidak térpikul, 
Nan ringan tidak térjinjing. 
‘‘ The valleys have grown too deep for my going, the hills 
too steep for my climbing and journeys too far for my feet; 
burdens have become too heavy for my back and light tasks 
for my fingers.” The exact meaning of bérktredlaan puzzles 
those unused to adat phrase. Officers, who have not grasped 
that high Quixotic principle of Minangkabau known as 
kébulatan, “‘ unanimity,’’ are tempted sometimes by interested 
parties to construe it, ‘‘ if a tribal chief resigns, he can appoint 
whomsoever he likes as his successor.” This is fundamentally 
wrong in custom. Ifa tribal chief is going away merely for 
a limited period, say to make the pilgrimage to Mecca, and 
pears to appoint a wakil, an attorney, to act during his 
nee, ganti hidup bérk¥gtlaran as it is called, even then 
that nominee, who is commonly the elder of the tribal chief’s 
in tribal council sa-rapat déngan bésar strta warts ** in consulta- 
tion with the minor headmen and enfranchised members of 
