My journey through West Sumatra started after I landed in Padang and travelled further into the mountains until arriving in the village of Paninggahan. During the two weeks I was living there, I was surrounded by volcanoes providing the fertile soil for the vast rice plantations that covered the landscapes. Towering mountains made up the lush rainforests encircling the village with the river flowing down into Lake Singkarak.

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As the largest matrilineal society in the world, the Minangkabau bring a unique structure in their community that encompasses societal ties to the land and women. Customary law states that the land rights and property are inherited generationally through the female line, meaning men do not have rights to any property owned by Minangkabau. To create a balance from this powerful inheritance, men hold the responsibility of managing the land. Minangkabau view these norms as complimentary roles, where the woman is the leader of the household, while men are leaders of the village and in public life.  Because Indonesia has such a large agricultural sector, and the Minangkabau depend on land for their inheritance, the land and the food grown is essential to their culture and way of life.

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