Socio-economic has drastically transformed Minangkabau farmer's style and changed traditional land tenure institution as welll as forest land use. In particular, lineage were the primary forest owners. Lineage determined the borders after consultation. However they had no limitation on clearence of the forest and could open the forest as far as they wanted. The land is owned communally by the female members.
Men can get nothing but land use rights.
In general men work on parts of their mother's lineage land before marriage. After marriage, however, the must move to their wive's land for their daily cultivation. Men's economic life depends largely on their wive's lineage assets. Despite that they cannot participate in land affairs of their wive's lineage. In Minangkabau the land is classified into inherited and private land.