Minangkabau Visual Identity Principle in Virtual World

Abstract

Minangkabau is one of ethnic community in Indonesia. Minangkabau people have certain value to follow while growing as modern society. Known as their culture to migrate outside their hometown, Minangkabau people also becoming active and exist in virtual world. In the cyber society, some of Minangkabau people imagining their ethnic self through their account’s profile picture. This research aims to identify the principles hold by Minangkabau people as they declaring their ethnic self in virtual world. The declaration of their ethnicity in a non boundary world is how they imagining themselves in the real world. The approach of this research is cultural studies with virtual ethnography method. The data collected by virtual observation and documentation. The data analyzed by visual composition interpretation method and related to the ethnic value of Minangkabau people. The ethnic value believed by the Minangkabau people is how they identifying their ethnic self in virtual world. The research summarized in six principles of subjectivity and visual identity of Minangkabau ethnic people.