Peran Niniak Mamak pada Pemenangan Pasangan Ramlan Nurmatias – Ibnu Asis dalam Pemilihan Kepala Daerah Kota Bukittinggi pada Tahun 2024

Abstrak

This study examines the role of niniak mamak in the victory of the Ramlan Nurmatias–Ibnu Asis pair in the 2024 Bukittinggi City Regional Head Election as part of the local political dynamics rooted in Minangkabau custom. The objective is to identify the roles, forms of involvement, and impacts of niniak mamak’s support on community political preferences and the legitimacy of the candidate pair. The study employs a descriptive qualitative approach with a case study design, using in‑depth interviews, participant observation, and documentation of KPU records and social media content. The population encompasses all active niniak mamak in Nagari Kurai, Guguak Panjang, and Jambak Aua, the winning team, KPU officials, and kemenakan communities, with a purposive sample of key informants. Main instruments are interview guides and documentation sheets, while data analysis follows the Miles and Huberman model of data reduction, data display, and verification, supplemented by source triangulation. The findings indicate that approximately 95 percent of niniak mamak in Nagari Kurai supported the pair through routine silaturahmi visits, customary release ceremonies at Parit Antang, and active accompaniment during campaign activities, thereby strengthening the candidates’ legitimacy grounded in adat and the Tigo Tungku Sajarangan principle. In conclusion, the involvement of niniak mamak is a key factor in vote mobilization and political legitimacy, yet it also calls for clearer regulations to ensure that customary institutions are not reduced merely to instruments of practical politics.