Negeri Sembilan’s matrilineal customs spotlight the fading role of Ibu Soko

Negeri Sembilan’s protracted constitutional and adat crisis has drawn public focus to its unique matrilineal customs, known as Adat Perpatih, where descent and property pass through women. Within this framework, the Ibu Soko serves as a senior custodian of clan histories, helping determine eligibility for customary offices that are formally held by men. Researchers Nurlisa Syuhada Mohd Radzi and Mohd Yuszaidy Mohd Yusoff of Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia documented the Ibu Soko’s duties, from overseeing marriage rites to preserving traditions, but warned that the role is fading from collective memory.

The piece connects this cultural erosion to broader gender issues highlighted on International Day of the Girl Child, emphasizing the need to teach girls about the women who shaped their heritage. It argues that preserving the Ibu Soko’s knowledge is essential for the continuity of the adat system beyond one outlet political turmoil.