Merantau, a migratory practice deeply embedded in Minangkabau culture, has traditionally been associated with men leaving their homeland to pursue education or economic opportunities, in line with the saying alam takambang menjadi guru (the unfolding earth becomes the teacher). Drawing on Khatijah Sidek’s Memoirs of Khatijah Sidek: Puteri Kesateria Bangsa, this article examines how a Khatijah, as a woman, reconfigures merantau in the colonial and postcolonial contexts of Malaya and Sumatra. While studies on merantau have largely centred on male experiences, limited attention has been given to women’s reinterpretations of the tradition in life writings.  While initially encouraged by her parents, Khatijah’s journey becomes an act of self-determination that challenges the gendered boundaries of the tradition. Using Chabot and Duyvendak (2002) framework of transnational diffusionism and a qualitative textual analysis of the memoir, the article analyses how Khatijah adapts and transmits ideas of independence and political engagement across borders. It considers how her experiences of colonisation and patriarchy inform her reimagining of merantau as a tool for women’s empowerment. Importantly, the article highlights Khatijah’s experience as an “incomplete merantau,” one that remains unsettled and without return, reflecting the unresolved nature of her journey. By amplifying the voices of Minangkabau women, Khatijah’s memoir disrupts the male-centred narrative of merantau, reframing it as a practice that fosters agency, self-actualisation, and resistance to societal norms.

 

Keywords: transnational diffusionism; migration; Minangkabau; memoirs; women’s narrative

DOI: http://doi.org/10.17576/3L-2026-3201-05

 

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