XV. FAMILY RELATIONSHIPS IN NEGRI 
SEMBILAN 
By R. O. WINSTEDT. 
Relationship by Mifiangkabau custom is reckoned only 
on the distaff side, and in the Minangkabau colonies of the 
Negri Sembilan the same system obtains. A mother is emeh, 
bu or indok', her cae, anak; a grand-child, chucht * a 
is minek, a Paced daha eo 5 onyang or moyang. 
All women of those respective generations have the pangkat 
of that generation to their descendants. Hence often 
confusion. At the hearing of a claim to land three or four 
women will declare they have the same mother or grand- 
mother or Cae Bo aaa when witbipke of them mean 
really to say “aunt” ** srand-au or ‘‘ great-grand- 
eunt.”’ Only after enact will they rebecieeea to definite 
terms of relationship. There are such terms. A maternal 
aunt ® is&mak sanak ibu or indok sanak ibu; a maternal grand- 
aunt, wan sanak ibw; great-grand-aunt, ninek sanak tbu. 
Conversely, a nephew or niece on the mother’s side is sanak 
2bu ; grand-nephew or grand-niece, sanak dato’; great-grand- 
nephew or niece, sanak ninek® ; great-great-grand-nephew or 
niece, sanak moyang? As the relationship becomes remote, 
except oral tradition ; and descendants describe themselves 
— as sa-ninek, sa-moyang, sanak jauh or sa-waris, that 
1 Indok cba the N.S. is used only of the ‘‘ dam” of animals; in 
it is used even of ‘‘the centre of a house,” indok ru mah. The Min. word 
is mandeh oi onilek, in Agam mandai or andai, amat, ‘biat, in Panian ayat, 
in og pga uat. 
2 Min. distinguishes chuchu kandong lit. Bre tee of the womb” 
from chuchu, ‘* grand-child”’ or ‘ grand-nephe (or niece}. N.S. uses the 
latter for ‘* grand-child ”’ and sanak dato for ‘* pC Pp hew’”’ (or niece). 
3 Min. tuo one): gaik, uchi—the word gaik survives in N.S, in 
shinee tua gaik=very old. Min. uses tuo kandong, gaik kandong to distinguish 
a “ grandmother ” from ‘* grand-aunts,”’ but*N.S. has lost this useful disti: 
tion, — calls all wa 
in. ninek, ninek moyang, andung. 
5 Ninek moyang, poyang, Min. . Mandeh, M 
7 —— tuo, b. gark, Min. * Badancanak 
10 Padalconns ja auh: all descended from the same ancestress are i 
aoe. 
