Culture
Negeri Sembilan is a matrilineal society. Adat Perpatih is the practice of this matrilineal way of life. The domestic unit was traditionally the community house, in which a head woman, her sisters, their daughters, and their children lived. In early history several of these houses made up the clan, within which no marriage was allowed. Several clans made up a government consisting of a male representive from each house. Rice is the main form of subsistence in Negeri Sembilan. Not only is rice the basic source of food, but the cultivation affects the matrilineal society as well. Land is owned by the wife and passed on to her daughters.
The man's role in the buying and selling of land is restricted by his duty to his wife and her kin. If a man buys land he cannot register it in his own name without seeming to be planning to divorce his wife. He is also obliged to provide a portion of the land for his daughter on marriage. This system of matrilocality causes very little tension because rice growing is considered a woman's task. There is no desire to grow more rice than needed for food. For most families rice is not something planned for and relied on because of its unpredictability. The cash crops in Negeri Sembilan are fruit and rubber. Both products are sold to the Chinese to make an income. In the late 1800's, tin was a major production and lured many immigrants and the British. Today, only a few declining tin mines can be found throughout the western valleys and along the coast.
Cuisine
Traditional Negeri Sembilan food is hot and spicy, as one of the ingredients used is the chili padi, the hottest of chillies. Popular dishes include rendang, (pieces of beef cooked in coconut milk and chillies). One should experience the unique Minangkabau style of cooking, which sees generous portions of 'chili padi' (small & extremely hot chilies) being used. Try the "Masak Lemak Chili Padi - fish, meat, or vegetables cooked in coconut milk blended with turmeric and ground chili padi.
Another NS specialty is "Lemang", glutinous rice cooked in coconut milk in a bamboo stem over an open fire. This is normally served with Rendang, a deliciously thick, dry meat curry.
Dances
Even the musical instruments used bear some semblance to Sumatra, the ancestral home of the Minankabau people. Dances like the tarian lilin (candle dance) and rentak kuda (beat of the horse) are popular. Not to mention the beautifully coordinated graceful movements of the dancers in their colorful costumes in the captivating Tarian Piring and the upbeat tempo of Tarian Randai. Unlike modern dance, each beat, rhythm and movement in these dances combine to form a story, maybe of a bygone myth or simply a reflection of the lifestyles of another era.
They are usually performed at traditional festivities, cultural events and dinner-cum-cultural shows. The movements of the dance with the music pulsating, create a joyous air of fiesta and revelry among the celebrants and are often rhythmically alluring..