2. The world's largest matrilineal society, with a complex social structure based on matrilineal clans, and property, such as land and houses, inherited through female 
3. The Minangkabau are strongly Islamic, but still follow adat, which was derived from animistic beliefs before the arrival of Islam

2.  The Minangkabau call their homeland the Alum Minangkabau or “the world of the Minangkabau

·2.  Rumah gadang (Minangkabau: 'big house') are the traditional matriarchal homes (Indonesian: rumah adat) of the Minangkabau

3. The architecture, construction, internal and external decoration, and the functions of the house reflect the culture and values of the Minangkabau

4.  Serves as a residence, as well as a hall for family meetings and ceremonial activities

5.  Is owned by the women of the family who live there; ownership is passed from mother to daughter.

6. · The houses have dramatic curved roof structures with multi-tiered, upswept gables

7.  Shuttered windows are built into walls incised with profuse painted floral carvings

8. The term rumah gadang usually refers to the larger communal homes; however, smaller single residences share many of the same architectural elements.

- Singkok triangular wall under the ends of gonjong

- Pereng, shelf under the singkok

- Anjuang raised floor at the end of one style of rumah gadang
- Dindiang ari, the walls on the side elevations

- Dindiang tapi, the walls on the front and back elevations

- Papan banyak, front façade

- Papan sakapiang, a shelf or middle band on the periphery of the house

- Salangko, wall enclosing space under a house that has been built on stilts

Ninety-four motifs have been observed on rumah gadang

 

-          Thirty-seven of them refer to flora ( KALUAK PAKU, PUCUAK RABUANG)

-          Twenty-eight motifs refer to fauna ( TUPAI TATAGUN, ITIAK PULANG PATANG)