Datuk or Datuak is a traditional title given to someone through an agreement of a people or tribe in the Minangkabau, Indonesia and Malaysia. The title of Datuk agreed to the level of customary meeting by leaders of local traditional leaders (Kerapatan Adat Nagari abbreviated as KAN). This title is highly respected and only used by the Minang men who have become stakeholders of traditional leaders or Penghulu (another name of noblemen) for a particular tribe in Minangkabau. And before somebody carried this title, must be celebration with traditional ceremony or Malewa Gala, at least cut a buffalo and then held a banquet.

Someone who has title of Datuk, not allowed to call the name by the local people, but should to call by the name of his greatness that. If local people who know someone insulting and degrading the Datuk title, that person will be customary sanctioned.

Inheritance Datuk degree

Unlike the other Malay tradition, the Datuk title must be inherited according to matrilineal system

Matrilineality

Matrilineality is a system in which descent is traced through the mother and maternal ancestors. Matrilineality is also a societal system in which one belongs to one's matriline or mother's lineage, which can involve the inheritance of property and/or titles.A matriline is a line of descent from a...

. When the Datuk dies, Datuk title can be given to his brother, or nephew (niece), the closest relationship from the maternal line. It may also be given to other than to close relatives still in a tribal origin, and usually all members of the tribe were also agreed. Newly crowned Datuk still wearing the same degree, without any other extra is held. The example A Datuak Bandaro if later replaced by the B, then the next title B Datuak Bandaro.

If a tribe has grown a lot, and then were split up in groups to other areas, and if the tribe felt the need to appoint new Datuk, it usually fixed prior Datuk title is applied by adding one or two words again after the previous Datuk name. For example, previous Datuk name is Datuak Bandaro the title Datuk splittings are Bandaro Putiah or Datuak Bandaro nan Putiah. And each tribe to do the expansion depends on the agreement of each tribe.

Datuk titles in Minangkabau Tradition

Datuk degree depending on their respective tribes in Minangkabau. Social status of a people in Minangkabau society, can be seen from the title of Datuk who used. The beginning or the oldest usually consists of one syllable and derived from the Sanskrit language, for example Datuak Ketemanggungan. Meanwhile, when composed of two words or more, usually considered his parts or fractions, for example Datuak Parpatiah nan Sabatang. After the Islamic influence, the title of Datuk is absorbed from Arabic. Here's title of Datuk list of major general in the Minangkabau legend and tradition :

• Datuak Ketumanggungan
• Datuak Parpatiah nan Sabatang
• Datuak Bandaro
• Datuak Makhudum
• Datuak Indomo
• Datuak Sinaro