The Mother’s Curse and the Call to Go Home: Intersections of Islam, Migration, and Matrilineal Tradition in Indonesia

Abstract

This research examines the convergence between the matrilineal system of the Minangkabau community and patrilineal interpretations of Islam in Indonesia. Documentary sources, including popular novels and national curriculum textbooks, are analyzed using descriptive analysis, while the concept of monotheism serves as the theoretical framework. This study addresses two questions: (1) how matrilineal traditions and patrilineal religious interpretations are reconciled; and (2) given that matrilineal traditions are specific to the Minangkabau while many other regions of Indonesia follow patrilineal systems, why does the story of Malin Kundang continue to function and circulate beyond its original cultural context? The findings indicate that 1) these traditions are not inherently contradictory, as symbolic understandings of motherhood and Supreme God, interpreted through the concept of monotheism, can coexist through processes of Islamization and cultural accommodation. 2) The Malin Kundang narrative reinforces moral expectations linking migration, filial responsibility, and economic support for families in hometowns. This paper argues that folktales mediate social values in a migration-oriented society, offering ethical guidance for families, communities, and migrant workers domestically and abroad.

Highlights
This article demonstrates that Minangkabau matrilineal tradition and Islamic patrilineal interpretation are not inherently contradictory but are continuously negotiated through monotheistic reinterpretation. By analyzing the Malin Kundang story across films, novels, and school textbooks, it reveals how folktales shape national moral discourse by linking migration, filial responsibility, and economic obligation, while also mediating questions of gender, religion, and cultural identity in contemporary Indonesia.