Bundo Kanduang as a Pillar of Local Democratic Resilience: A Study of the Dynamics of Women's Leadership in Nagari Pasia Laweh

In the landscape of local democracy in West Sumatra, Indonesia, the existence of bundo kanduang is often considered merely symbolic and ceremonial. However, this research debunks that narrative by positioning bundo kanduang as active actors in maintaining the resilience of nagari democracy. This study is rooted in the results of a focus group discussion (FGD) in Nagari Pasia Laweh, Agam Regency, which describes the involvement of indigenous women in deliberative processes, values education, conflict management, and indigenous-based social regeneration. Through a social institution approach with three institutional pillars, namely regulatory, normative, and cognitive-cultural, the findings show that bundo kanduang are not only guardians of morality, but also informal educators and catalysts for citizen participation in the deliberate democratic process. Informal schools such as SEDAM (Sekolah Dasa Wisma) and other customary training programs show that indigenous women are not passive, but rather perform strategic functions in strengthening values, norms, and cultural regeneration. The assertiveness of inclusive nagari leadership and cross-institutional synergy make bundo kanduang active partners in maintaining socio-political stability. These findings reinforce the argument that Minangkabau local democracy, when combined with customary values and women’s leadership, is capable of building adaptive and responsive institutional resilience to modern challenges. This study also proposes a reinterpretation of the position of women in local democracy, not merely as complementary, but as pillars supporting the institutional resilience of the nagari.