Continuing from Padang Panjang to Tanah Datar and Sungai Tarab.
After stopping by at nearby mosque to change to more formal clothing we were brought to this house.
The design and size indicates it belong to a person of high status.
So there we were in full Malay traditional clothing.
This is one of the houses of the house of Sultan Taufik, the person said to hold the title of Daulat Pagaruyung.
In Malaysia, the title Sultan is used only by ruler of states.
In olden times, the Sultan is the ruler or king of a kingdom. But in Indonesia which is a republic such titles has been officially abolished. It some places though it is used as remnants of a bygone era. A Sultan in Indonesia might not have power like in Malaysia but is still respected as the figurehead of a community, in this case the head of the Minangkabau people.
Till this day the Minangkabau people including those who have migrated overseas (many to Malaysia over many generations) look up to the palace of Pagaruyung in West Sumatera as the highest seat of power of the Minangkabau people.
Officially the Sultanate of Pagaruyung has ceased to exist after the Dutch colonialists asserted their power over the region almost 200 years ago. But descendants of the Sultans still exists till this day and our host is said to be among them.
Here we were given what could be said to be equivalent to a state lunch by remnants of the Pagaruyung kingdom.
Our host, the one in orange cloth is the Sultan Taufik. He is said to be the person currently holding the title of Daulat (sovereign of) Pagaruyung. In other words he is the Sultan of Pagaruyung.
But I understand there are also other claimants to the title. And Sultan Taufik has not be formally installed according to full custom in agreement by all the elders of the people. So others might not agree to him being called the Daulat Pagaruyung nor him being called a Sultan.
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