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COVER
STORY
W o r d s :
H a n n e f E s q u a n d e r
T
hough
Negeri Sembilan
has not achieved the
Heritage City status that
Melaka and Penang hold,
this does not mean that
the state is lacking in its
own cultural practices
and historical attractions. Located 56
kilometres away from Kuala Lumpur
city centre, Seremban is just a train ride
away making it easily accessible for even
a quick day trip. The Kuala Lumpur
International Airport (KLIA) is just next
to Nilai, a town in Negeri Sembilan,
where many prestigious colleges and
universities are located. Seremban 2, a
Negeri Sembilan:
So Much More Than
Meets the Eye
new township where many current state
developments are taking place, is also just
a few kilometres away from Seremban
town. Distance is obviously not an issue
for travellers fromKuala Lumpur, but how
well do we knowNegeri Sembilan? What
is there to explore in this Minangkabau
state? Hold on tight and let’s see what
Negeri Sembilan has to offer.
The Heritage
Negeri Sembilan gets its name from nine
(sembilan) villages or
nagari
, which were
colonised by the people of Minangkabau
from West Sumatra. Today, these nine
nagari
are known as
luak
. Minangkabau
influences still have a strong presence
in Negeri Sembilan with the dialect,
architecture, food and cultural heritage
known as
adat perpatih
.
Adat perpatih
is a matrilineal system
of inheritance and administration that
differs from the system adopted by the
other states in Malaysia. With this sys-
tem, inheritance passes from mother to
daughter, while the husband remains
as the head of the household. There are
twelve
suku
or tribes in an
adat perpatih
community. Marriage between members
of the same tribe or clan is forbidden as
they are considered family.
The Historical Spots
The Seri Menanti Palace is a must visit. It
is a very popular landmark that symbol-
ises Negeri Sembilan with its signature
Minangkabau pointed roof. Located in
Seri Menanti, the royal capital of Negeri
Sembilan, the former royal palace was
constructed out of wood without a single
nail being used. It was built about 110
years ago and has been a museum of
royal regalia since 1992. The museum
contains displays of old costumes, furni-
ture, weapons and other paraphernalia.
Teratak Za’ba has a similar Minangka-
bau structure to the palace. Located in
Batu Kikir, Jempol, it houses the personal
Seri Menanti palace