Interracial Marriage Resistance by Minangkabau Traditional Figures, Mamak and BundoKanduang, in Film (Sociological Analysis of the Film Liam and Laila)
Authors: Chairani Dessita 
Published: June 2024

The marriage between an Indonesian man and an English woman caused a sensation among the Indonesian society back in 2015. The marriage of Bayu Kumbara, a man from West Sumatra, with an English woman named Jennifer Brocklehurst went viral among Indonesian people. Bayu, who worked as a tour guide, met Jennifer when she hired his services as a guide during her visit to West Sumatra. This was the moment of their meeting, which eventually led to their marriage on October 1, 2016 (Prasetyowati, 2018). In addition to Bayu and Jennifer, there was also a young man from Magelang named Karna Radheya, who married an English woman named Polly Alexandria. Their marriage in 2018 was widely reported by the Indonesian mass media. Both of these interracial marriages were reported with a narrative of racial inferiority by local news media. Racial inferiority, or the Inferiority Complex Syndrome, creates the stereotype of foreigners as physically attractive, affluent, and intellectually superior individuals. The stereotype for Indonesian people themselves is the opposite (Kennedy, 2018). This stereotype of foreigners is not only limited to foreigners of Caucasian race but also extends to other races. Just like the experience of Vera Nanda Putri, a woman from West Sumatra who married a man from South Korea. Nanda and Park Jun decided to get married after being in a romantic relationship for five months. Their marriage was not only interracial but also interreligious and intercultural. They chose to hold a wedding ceremony blending Minang and South Korean customs (Saputri, 2018). Unfortunately, Nanda and Jun’s marriage received many negative comments, especially from netizens. Nanda was often targeted by netizens. Many people believed that their story with Jun resembled a stage setup, similar to a Korean drama series. Negative comments from netizens are not something strange because, in fact, this phenomenon is not something new. Kevin Noble Maillard (Ruhana, 2018), a law professor from Syracuse University, stated that the number of interracial marriages has been increasing in the last 50 years, influenced by shifting social norms and public validation through the media. Lehmiller (2012) also mentioned that the rate of interracial marriages has significantly risen, but social support for these interracial couples still needs further examination. However, individuals who enter into interracial marriages sometimes have to deal with a lack of acceptance from society, discriminatory treatment, rejection from family and close ones, and a lack of social support (Lewis, 2013; Bratter & Eschbach, 2005). Nanda’s family themselves accepted Nanda’s decision to marry Jun but with one condition: Jun must be willing to convert to Islam (Saputri, 2018). This condition aligns with the customs of Nanda’s family, who was of Minangkabau descent, whose customs are based on Islamic teachings. Thus, the customary law that applies in Minangkabau society is Islamic law (Van de Berg, as cited in Yaswirman, 2013). Therefore, marriage must also be based on Islamic law. Minangkabau (Minang) is widely known for its matrilineal social system. This means that in the lineage of the extended family, the unity of the Minangkabau family’s social system is based on the relationship with the mother (Yunus, 1984). In fact, the Minangkabau community is currently the largest matrilineal community in the world (Navis, 1984; Saphiro, 2017). In Minangkabau culture, marriage is considered one of the most significant events in the cycle of life. According to customary law, marriage is a matter of relatives, family, community, and the personal affairs of the individuals involved, each with their own unique dynamics (B Ter Haar Bzn 1999, as cited in Asmaniar, 2018). Thus, from a cultural perspective, marriage is not just a matter between two individuals who are getting married, but also a matter of shared responsibilities and obligations involving the families and the customary community of both sides. Example of an interracial marriage in Minangkabau culture is depicted in the film “Liam & Laila” by Arief Malinmudo. The film tells the story of Liam, a man from France, who wants to marry a woman from Bukittinggi named Laila. Liam met Laila while studying Islam and getting acquainted with her through Facebook. After three years of continuous online communication, Liam finally goes to Bukittinggi with two goals. First, to embrace Islam, and second, to marry Laila, the Minang girl who captured his heart. The film portrays Liam’s struggle for thirty days to win over Laila’s family and obtain their permission to marry her. Resistance is depicted as initially coming from Laila’s parents and mamak (maternal uncle). A mamak is the maternal uncle who plays a significant role in the life of his niece, especially when she is getting married. This is because, in Minangkabau society, the mamak has an important role for the daughters in the matrilineal lineage. Marriage is one of those instances. Even after getting married and joining the wife’s family, the mamak still bears responsibility towards his niece, especially for nieces whose fathers have passed away or are economically incapable (Asmiar, 2018). In terms of resistance, the strongestcomes from BundoKanduang, the oldest female relative in Laila’s family. Simply put, BundoKanduang is a non-formal leader for all the daughters and granddaughters within a community. This leadership grows from the abilities and charisma of women as individuals, supported and recognized by all members within their community (Diradjo, 2009, as cited in Sola, 2020). Within the extended family, BundoKanduang is responsible for all relatives, not only her own children and the children of her sisters, but also adopted or included individuals within the lineage. Those beneath this lineage are expected to follow the advice and guidance of senior family members, a relationship justified through customs. As the head of the family within the elite lineage, the eldest woman is empowered to make decisions regarding the social and ceremonial practices concerning those within the lineage (Blackwood, 2000). Therefore, the approval of Mamak and BundoKanduang is important for Liam to marry Laila. Based on this depiction, the researcher aims to examine how the resistance to interracial marriage by the Minangkabau traditional figure BundoKanduang can be analysed using Robert K. Merton’s Structural Functionalist Theory. Merton views harmony and integration as functional, highly valued, and should be maintained, while conflict should be avoided. Therefore, this theory opposes any efforts that would disrupt the status quo, including those related to the relationship between men and women in society as it has been traditionally understood. This theory developed to analyze the social structure of a society, which consists of various interrelated elements despite having different functions (Umanailo, 2019). If applied to the family context, this theory assumes that in order to fulfill its functions optimally, the family must have a specific structure. Structure in this context refers to the arrangement of roles within a social system. Another term for this structural functionalist approach is ‘system analysis.’ This theory encompasses several concepts, but the main ones are the concept of function and the concept of structure (Adibah, 2017). Therefore, the researcher will examine the resistance from Mamak and BundoKanduang based on the concepts of structure and function within Robert K. Merton’s structural functionalist theory.