Minangkabau

Minangkabau, largest ethnic group on the island of Sumatra, Indonesia, whose traditional homeland is the west-central highlands. The Minangkabau have extensive terraced fields and garden plots in which they raise irrigated rice, tobacco, and cinnamon, as well as fruits and vegetables. Their crafts include wood carving, metalworking, and weaving. Their language, closely resembling Malay, belongs to the Austronesian language family. In the early 21st century they numbered approximately eight million. Although Muslim, the Minangkabau are...