SUKU-SUKU DAN ETNIK MINANGKABAU

Suku-suku dalam Etnik Minangkabau
Dalam etnis Minangkabau terdapat banyak lagi klan, yang oleh orang Minang sendiri
hanya disebut dengan istilah suku. Beberapa suku besar mereka adalah suku Piliang,
Bodi Caniago, Tanjuang, Koto, Sikumbang, Malayu, Jambak; selain terdapat pula suku
pecahan dari suku-suku utama tersebut. Kadang beberapa keluarga dari suku yang
sama, tinggal dalam suatu rumah yang disebut Rumah Gadang.
Di masa awal Minangkabau mengemuka, hanya ada empat suku dari dua lareh atau
kelarasan (laras). Suku-suku tersebut adalah:

Suku Koto
Suku Piliang
Suku Bodi
Suku Caniago
Dan dua kelarasan itu adalah :

Lareh Koto Piliang yang digagas oleh Datuk Ketumanggungan
Lareh Bodi Caniago, digagas oleh Datuk Perpatih Nan Sebatang
Perbedaan antara dua kelarasan itu adalah:

Lareh Koto Piliang menganut sistem budaya Aristokrasi Militeristik
Lareh Bodi Caniago menganut sistem budaya Demokrasi Sosialis
Dalam masa selanjutnya, muncullah satu kelarasan baru bernama Lareh Nan Panjang,
diprakarsai oleh Datuk Sakalok Dunia Nan Bamego-mego.

Sekarang, suku-suku dalam Minangkabau berkembang terus dan sudah mencapai ratusan suku, yang terkadang sudah sulit untuk mencari persamaannya dengan suku induk. Di antara suku-suku tersebut adalah:

Suku Tanjung
Suku Sikumbang
Suku Malayu
Suku Guci
Suku Panai
Suku Jambak
Suku Panyalai
Suku Kampai
Suku Bendang
Suku Kutianyie
Suku Mandailiang
Suku Sipisang
Suku Payobada
Suku Pitopang
Suku Mandaliko
Suku Sumagek
Suku Dalimo
Suku Simabua
Suku Salo
Suku Singkuang

Sedangkan orang Minang di Negeri Sembilan, Malaysia, membentuk 13 suku baru yang berbeda dengan suku asalnya di Minangkabau, yaitu:

Suku Biduanda (Dondo)
Suku Batu Hampar (Tompar)
Suku Paya Kumbuh (Payo Kumboh)
Suku Mungkal
Suku Tiga Nenek
Suku Seri Melenggang (Somolenggang)
Suku Seri Lemak (Solomak)
Suku Batu Belang
Suku Tanah Datar
Suku Anak Acheh
Suku Anak Melaka
Suku Tiga Batu

NGARAI SIANOK

Sianok canyon is a steep valley (cliff) is located in the border town of Bukittinggi, the IV Koto district, Agam regency, West Sumatra. The valley is long and winding as the southern border town of Koto Gadang canyon to the villages Sianok Anam Tribe, and ended in the district Palupuh. Sianok canyon has beautiful views and also one of the flagship attractions province.

Jurangnya Sianok canyon is about 100 m in this, stretches along 15 km with a width of about 200 m, and is part of the fault that separates the island of Sumatra in half lengthwise (Semangko fault). These faults form a wall of steep, even perpendicular and form a green valley-the result of the movement down the earth's crust (sinklinal)-fed Sianok stem (stem means the river, the Minangkabau language) that the water is clear. In the Dutch colonial era, the gulf is also called buffalo sanget karbouwengat or, because of the many free-living wild buffalo in the bottom of this canyon.

Sianok rod can now be forded by the use of canoes and kayaks are disaranai by a water sports organization "Qurays". The route taken is from the villages to oblong Sitingkai Lambah Palupuh villages for about 3.5 hours. At the edges still found many rare plants such as rafflesia and medicinal plants. Fauna encountered such long-tailed monkey, gibbon, mitered, deer, wild boar, leopard, and tapir.

JAM GADANG

Jam Gadang (literally "Massive Clock") is a clocktower and major landmark of the city of Bukit Tinggi, West Sumatra, Indonesia. It is located in the centre of the city, near the main market, Pasar Atas, and is a tourist attraction. This clocktower has large clocks on each side and was given the name "Jam Gadang" (English: big clock).

The structure was built in 1926 during the Dutch colonial era, as a gift from the Queen to city's controleur. It was designed by architects Yazin and Sutan Gigi Ameh. Originally a rooster figure was placed on the apex, but it was changed into a Jinja-like ornament during the Japanese occupation. Following Indonesian independence, it was reshaped to its present form resembling traditional Minangkabaun roofs (see Rumah gadang). It is said to have cost 3,000 guilder.

Each clock face has a diameter of 80 centimetres (31 in). Its base is 13 by 4 metres (43 × 13 ft) and stands 26 metres (85 ft) tall.

One unique clock feature uses "IIII" for the number 4 instead of the traditional Roman number "IV". Based on a local story, the four vertical lines represents the four workers who died while constructing the building.

The laying of the Jam Gadang cornerstone was done by the 6-year-old son of Rook Maker, the city secretary of Bukittinggi at the time.

Given its iconic appearance, the structure is a frequent object of local souvenirs. It is printed on apparel, painted, used as a sculpting model, and so forth. As of January 2008, it cost 50,000 rupiahs (around US $5) to enter the tower.

Its plaza serves as the centre of New Year celebration in Bukittinggi.