Tunggu tubang and the extended family property inheritance system in Semende community, Indonesia

Abstract

ABSTRACT The main issue to be discussed in this article is the takeover of women’s authority by men in the inheritance system of the extended family’s property in the Semende community (Indonesia). This departs from the idea that, according to the custom, the authority to manage the extended family’s inheritance in the form of houses and agricultural land is handed over to the eldest daughter in the family, who is known as tunggu tubang. However, the current practice is that the authority to manage the agricultural land is taken over by men, while the tunggu tubang is only given the authority over the house. This shows that the authority of the tunggu tubang begins to erode, even creating pseudo-authority, deception, and hyperreality. This article aims at describing the system of inheritance of the extended family’s property that is practiced by the Semende community today, by understanding the position of women (tunggu tubang) and men in this inheritance system, and the implications for the social structure of the Semende community as a whole.