The Cultural Aspects Analysis of Malin Kundang

The Myth of Malin Kundang

A long time ago, in a small village near the beach in West Sumatra, a woman and her son lived. They were Malin Kundang and her mother. Her mother was a single parent because Malin Kundang's father had passed away when he was a baby. Malin Kundang had to live hard with his mother.

Malin Kundang was a healthy, diligent, and strong boy. He usually went to sea to catch fish. After getting fish he would bring it to his mother, or sold the caught fish in the town. 
One day, when Malin Kundang was sailing, he saw a merchant's ship which was being raided by a small band of pirates. He helped the merchant. With his brave and power, Malin Kundang defeated the pirates. The merchant was so happy and thanked to him. In return the merchant asked Malin Kundang to sail with him. To get a better life, Malin Kundang agreed. He left his mother alone.

Many years later, Malin Kundang became wealthy. He had a huge ship and was helped by many ship crews loading trading goods. Perfectly he had a beautiful wife too. When he was sailing his trading journey, his ship landed on a beach near a small village. The villagers recognized him. The news ran fast in the town; “Malin Kundang has become rich and now he is here”.

An old woman ran to the beach to meet the new rich merchant. She was Malin Kundang’s mother. She wanted to hug him, released her sadness of being lonely after so long time. Unfortunately, when the mother came, Malin Kundang who was in front of his well dressed wife and his ship crews denied meeting that old lonely woman. For three times her mother begged Malin Kundang and for three times he yelled at her. At last Malin Kundang said to her "Enough, old woman! I have never had a mother like you, a dirty and ugly woman!" After that he ordered his crews to set sail. He would leave the old mother again but in that time she was full of both sadness and angriness.

Finally, enraged, she cursed Malin Kundang that he would turn into a stone if he didn't apologize. Malin Kundang just laughed and really set sail.

In the quiet sea, suddenly a thunderstorm came. His huge ship was wrecked and it was too late for Malin Kundang to apologize. He was thrown by the wave out of his ship. He fell on a small island. It was really too late for him to avoid his curse. Suddenly, he turned into a stone.

The Cultural Aspects Analysis of the Story

Malin Kundang is one of the famous folklores from Indonesia. The story tells about the rebellious son toward his mother. It is a story from West Sumatra, it means that the story is full of Minang ethnic group culture. As other ethnic groups in Indonesia, Minang ethnic group also set out a politeness in their core of the culture. It reflects as the characteristic of eastern culture. From the story entitled Malin Kundang, I will try to analysis it in cultural aspects. The aspects are:

• Religious Aspect

Minang ethnic group is Islam majority. They really obey the rules of Islam so that they always do something using those rules. In Malin Kundang story, his mother prayed to God to curse him after he yelled at her. It reflects that Minang society consider God as their rescuer.

• Classes of Values Aspect

According to Milton Rokeach, the list of values to show how cultures differ is divided into Instrumental and Terminal values. Both contain some values. For example:

- Obedient

From the story we know that Malin was an obedient son, but after his life was absolutely changed, he against his mother because of wealth, throne and woman. We can take moral values here. As a common person, we certainly will not satisfy before all of our desirability is able to be reached.

- Polite

As my explanation above that Minang culture which include as eastern culture always give priority to politeness as their core of their culture, especially to parent or older people. The rule has respect to them as a purpose. Of course there is a punishment to someone who breaks the rule. We can take a look the example in the story. Malin Kundang turned into a stone as the symbol of his punishment because of his impolite to his mother.

- Courageous

Courageous is one of the Indonesian characteristic behaviors. Eastern people in common and especially Indonesian people are brave to face hindrance in order to get a better life. They do not care about them self. From the story we can take a look when Malin decided to sail with the merchant. He agreed his allurement without thought the consequences.

The myth of Malin Kundang is the folklore that represents Indonesian culture in detail. The aspects like religious, behavior and objective have already been explained. Religious aspect which is very influenced by Islam is coming from the Islamic merchant who had anchored to Indonesia. Indonesian behavior that reflects as eastern culture is coming from its forefather who had kept the habit. After going on long time, the habit turned into culture itself. 

BY DIKHA D WIJANARKO