Embellished with incredibly sophisticated gold, silver, and silk patterning, the refined ceremonial textiles of the Minangkabau people of West Sumatra are often so complicated that even a highly skilled weaver can complete only a few centimeters in a full day at her loom. Motif patterns woven into these exquisite cloths reflect the Minangkabau adat - the indigenous ideology that prescribes roles for all activities and speech. In this illustrated volume, 13 contributing authors - 9 of them Minangkabau - consider ceremonial dress, motifs, fibers, patterning techniques, traditional architecture, ceremonies, jewelry, music, dance, literature, and historiography.