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Up • Aceh • N-Sum • W-Sum • Bengkulu • Jambi • Riau • Banka-Billiton • S-Sum • Lampung |
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Sumatra Tribes |
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Aceh 7 Tribes |
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Alas Tribe 154.000 |
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The majority of the
 Alas people live in villages and make their living from
farming and raising livestock. The Alas area is considered the lumbung padi
(rice storehouse) of the Aceh area. Other agricultural products include
rubber, coffee, and kemiri (a local spice) as well as other forest products
such as wood, rattan, resin, and incense.Neighborhoods or villages of the Alas
are called kute. One kute usually consists of one or more clans that are
called a merge. Extended families will live in one house and submit to the
authority of the parents. They are a patrilineal society, which means they
measure descent through the father's family. Their culture emphasizes two
types of law. The first type consists of religious laws that are given by God
and cannot be changed. The second type consists of traditional laws, which
include rules that have been made by the leaders of the community and can be
changed according to the times.According to marriage customs, an engagement
lasts from one to three years due to the necessity of the man acquiring the
bride price, and the woman the groom price. When an Alas man and woman marry,
they live near the husband's family. After they have children, the young
family will usually move and live separately (jawe) from the parents but stay
in the same area and community of the merge. Polygamous marriages are
permitted when the marriage has produced only boys, only girls, or no children
at all (adak meu keu dueu).
Generally, the Alas people are followers of Islam, but they still seek the
assistance of a dukun (shaman/healer/occultist). They perform ceremonies so
that their crops will prosper and be protected from plague. The dukun reads
his mantra and uses magical potions of leaves and flowers that are considered
powerful to ward off plagues. |
Aneuk Jamee Tribe 16.000
The Aneuk Jamee people are one of the people groups that live on the western
coastline of the Indonesian province of Aceh. They tend to live around the
small bays found along the coast. They are also spread out over the low plains
hemmed in by the Bukit Barisan mountain range. The Aneuk Jamee are located
primarily in West Aceh Regency in the five districts of Tapak Tuan, Samadua,
Susoh, Manggeng, and Labuhan Haji. There are smaller concentrations of them in
South Aceh Regency in the three districts of Johan Pahlawan, Kaway XVI, and
Kuala.The name aneuk jamee in the Aceh language means, "visiting child" or
"newcomer." The name was used to describe Minang people from Lubuk Sikaping,
Pariaman, Rao, and Pasaman who began migrating to the area in the 17th
century. Gradually, they assimilated with Aceh people in the area, a process
facilitated by a common Islamic faith. Eventually, they came to feel that they
were neither Aceh nor Minangkabau but rather a new people group with their own
distinct culture and language. The Aneuk Jamee language is called Jamee or
Jamu. For the Aceh in southern Aceh, this Jamee language is understandable
because the Minangkabau vocabulary mixed with Aceh is similar to the national
Indonesian language. However, the Aneuk Jamee do not understand or use the
Aceh language.
Many Aneuk Jamee are fishermen, while others work in irrigated rice farming (basawah),
unirrigated agriculture (baladang), and growing fruits (bakabun). There are
some Aneuk Jamee who are permanent traders (baniago), but others, known as
penggaleh, sell goods from village to village.The Aneuk Jamee have three
levels of society. The nobles (datuk) form the highest level. The middle level
is formed by district chiefs (hulu baling) and religious leaders (ulama), such
as the prayer leaders (tengku), priests (imam), and Islamic judges (kadi). The
common people are the lowest level. Traditional leadership in a village
contains a combination of Minangkabau and Aceh elements. These leaders are the
village headman (kecik), prayer-house leader (tuangku manasah), and youth
leader (tuangku surau). This is somewhat different from the district level
leadership, which is the same as traditional Aceh leadership patterns. This
pattern consists of an area headman (mukim), village headman (kecik), street
leader (ketua jurong) and elder (tuha peut).
Islam is the religion followed by the Aneuk Jamee people. As among other
Indonesian peoples, the Aneuk Jamee also exhibit some elements of previous
beliefs that are not easily forgotten. The services of a dukun
(shaman/healer/occultist) are still frequently used for various things. For
example, a dukun is sometimes asked to put a love spell (sijundai) on a girl
or to recover a girl who has been bewitched in this manner.
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Gayo Tribe 230.000 |
The Gayo of Indonesia live in the remote central h ighlands of Aceh Province on
the island of Sumatera. Their homeland lies across the Bukit Barisan Range
("Parade of Mountains"), which reaches heights of over 12,000 feet and runs
for over a thousand miles. The Gayo mainly live in Central Aceh Regency and
Southeast Aceh Regency. Their language is Gayo with two dialects, Gayo Lut and
Gayo Luwes. The Gayo do not have a written language. Folk tales and oral
stories are passed down in the form of poetry.The Gayo are close neighbors to
the radical Islamic Aceh people, and in the past, the sultans of Aceh
conquered the Gayo region and made the Gayo slaves. After an initial
resistance (during which many Gayo were killed), the Dutch occupation from
1904-1942 resulted in the Gayo developing a thriving cash crop economy in
vegetables and coffee. During the occupation and during the 50 years of
Indonesian independence, the Gayo have gained access to higher levels of
education, and participated to some degree in the Islamicization and
modernization of their country.
The main source of income for the Gayo people is farming with the main crop
being coffee. Other sources of income are fishing and gathering forest
products. They also have developed skills in ceramics, weaving mats and
weaving cloth. Another well known handicraft, called Kerawang Gayo, is
embroidery with gold/colorful designs. In a traditional Gayo house (umah) uses
palm thatch and wood. Several related families typically live together. There
is also a meresah where older boys, bachelors, widowers, and male visitors
sleep. This is also used for studying and religious activities. Gayo arts
include saman and didong, which are mixtures of movement, literature, poetry,
and singing. Apart from entertainment and recreation, these arts have ritual,
educational, and informational functions, as well as being a means of
maintaining balance
 in the social structure. The Gayo marriage pattern calls
for marriage outside one's own family. However, marriage between cousins is
not forbidden. Most men marry women from the same area. This is done so that
the man will already know the woman and the woman's family can continue to
look after her. A first marriage must be approved by both families (polygamy
is rare, but allowed). Divorce and remarriage are quite common.
The Gayo people are mostly Muslim, but their understanding and conviction are
lacking. Most Gayo still believe in good and bad spirits and holy men both
dead and alive. They also continue to worship and make offerings to spirits,
saints, and their ancestors. |
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Alas Kuet Tribe 20.000 |
The Kluet people are one of eight people groups that live in the Indonesian
special province of Aceh. They are found in two districts of South Aceh
Regency, namely North Kluet District and South Kluet District. These two
districts are divided by the Krueng Kluet River, which has its source in the
Leuser Mountains and empties into the Indian Ocean. The area where the Kluet
people live is remote, about 20 kilometers from the main road, 50 kilometers
from the city of Tapak Tuan and 500 kilometers from Banda Aceh, the provincial
capital.The Kluet language is divided into 3 dialects, the Paya Dapur dialect,
the Meunggamat dialect, and the Krueng Kluet dialect. Apparently the language
has evolved from a combination of the Alas, Kuo, Aceh, and Minangkabau
languages.
The Kluet area is very fertile, and most Kluet make their living from farming
irrigated and unirrigated rice fields or growing crops such as coffee,
patchouli (which produces fragrant oils), and all sorts of vegetables. Other
means for livelihood include raising livestock and fishing. Fish are either
eaten fresh or preserved for storage. One way of preserving the fish is by
smoking it. This type of preserved or dried fish, called ikan saleh, is a
specialty of the Kluet people.The Kluet people are famous for hunting, since
they live at the edge of the jungle. During the time of Dutch colonialism,
this people group was often noted for their skill on the battlefield. Their
skill as hunters made them able fighters. They often employed guerrilla
tactics to fight their enemies.The Kluet prefer to live in groups and only in
certain areas. They have a strong sense of ethnic identity, and, therefore,
they do not spread out very far from each other. They find it difficult to mix
with other people groups, and as a result, their culture is rather closed to
outsiders. Kluet villages are comprised of houses and a number of other
buildings, including rice barns, a meeting center, women's centers, religious
schools, and mosques. The meeting center, called a meursah has a variety of
purposes. It is used as a place to read the Qur'an (Islamic Holy Book), say
daily prayers, hold special Islamic celebrations, as well as a place to meet
or for young men to sleep if there is no religious school in the village. The
women's center, or deyah, is a place where women may go to worship.
Most Kluet are followers of Islam. However, traditional animistic beliefs have
not totally disappeared and often have significant impact. This can be seen in
routines of daily life, especially in various special ceremonies. Many are
afraid of supernatural ghosts (setan). They also believe one of the graves in
their area has magic powers. According to the Kluet, this grave can
be seen at certain times while at other times it disappears. Magic
talismans are used so that evil spirits will not hurt them. The use
of such talismans helps them feel calmer and more protected. |
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Sikule 27.000 Christian |
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Central Simeulue Island. Alternate names: Sichule, Sikhule, Wali
Banuah. Dialects: Lekon, Tapah. Similar to Nias [nia]. |
Simeulue Tribe 107.000
The Simeulue people live on Simeulue Island located 200 kilometers off the
western coast of Aceh Province. Their largest towns are named Sibigo, Sigulai,
and Lamame. On Simeulue Island there is no land transport available and the
only means of travel is walking.Simeulue people are known as being friendly
and brave. Their physical appearance is sometimes described as being more
similar to northern Asian peoples because they are often of lighter skin than
other Indonesians. This is different from the general appearance of the Aceh
people on the mainland. The Simeulue speak Ulau, which means "island," and it
has two dialects. Sigulai is used in western Simeulue and Salang, and Devayan
is used in eastern Simeulue, central Simeulue, and southern Tepang. In general
the Simeulue can speak the Aceh language because of the strong influence of
Aceh culture on the Simeulue.
Generally, the Simeulue make a living from planting cloves and coconuts as
well as fishing. Each village usually has one mesjid (mosque) or musholla
(prayer-house). Beside using it for prayer, the mesjid is also used for
discussing religious issues, holding social functions, providing information
from the government, and encouraging the community to work together on
community projects. The village head in Simeulue is called a kecik.
Previously, the Simeulue were ruled by a king before they were conquered by
the king of Aceh and became part of that kingdom. The Simeulue house is built
on stilts. Typically, the parents live in a large house with their unmarried
children and the families of their sons. This group is called walli or walli
akrab. Heredity is patrilineal (tracing descent from the father).Living
arrangements after marriage are of three types. In the first pattern, the
couple lives near the husband's family. The second pattern is called
paladangan sataun duo in the Devayan dialect or beladang sataun duo in the
Sigulai dialect. In this pattern, the couple lives for a few years with the
wife's family and the husband must help his in-laws. After this, they live
with the husband's family for the rest of their lives. In the third pattern,
which is called mafanofano, the couple always lives with the wife's family and
the husband must help his in-laws. This usually happens because the wife is an
only child.
Although most Simeulue embrace Islam, many are still influenced by animistic
beliefs and various superstitions. These beliefs are focused upon seeking
protection through magic by either appeasing or controlling both good and bad
spirits |
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Tamiang Tribe 6.800 |
The Tamiang live in the southea st part of East Aceh Regency, in the Aceh
Province. Previously this area was the Tamiang administrative district with a
very large area of 7,760 square kilometers. Now the district has been divided
into six districts, Kuala Simpang, Bendahara, Karangbaru, Seuruway,
Kejuruanmuda, and Tamiang Hulu. One legend states that the name Tamiang comes
from the words itam and mieng. Itam means "black" and mieng means "cheek."
This appellation supposedly arose because a king of Tamiang named Raja Muda
Sedia (1332-1362) had a black mark on his cheek. Another story says that the
name Tamiang comes from the name of an island in the Riau Archipelago, which
was the original dwelling place of the Tamiang people's ancestors. The Tamiang
people have their own language with an 87% vocabulary similarity to the Melayu
(Malay) Riau language.
The main source of income for Tamiang people is planting rice in both
irrigated and unirrigated fields. Other crops which they plant are corn,
cassava, tomatoes, chili peppers, and eggplant. They also grow fruits such as
oranges, mangoes, durian, and langsat. Those who live on the coast fish and
make coal from mangrove trees. Some become plantation workers and traders. The
Tamiang rarely leave their area because their agricultural land is extensive
and fertile enough to support them. At the beginning of the twentieth century,
this area received many migrants from other areas because of the opening of
rubber and palm oil plantations and oil wells.The Tamiang people are
controlled by the "Law of the Four Peoples." This means that the highest
traditional leader is the "Datuk of the Four Peoples." The word datuk comes
from the word ndatu, which signifies the first person to open a settlement (rebas
tebang). Those who came later were placed below the existing Datuk. In the
ensuing process, the four Datuks united their areas and chose a king (raje) as
leader. This decision was established and sealed with an agreement called Kate
Tetuhe. The four datuks were titled Datuk Imam Balai, Datuk Penghulu, Datuk
Hakim, and Datuk Setia Maha Raja. For the king there was a proverb: "raje adil
raje disembah, raje lalin raje disangah" (A fair king will be worshipped, a
cruel king will be dethroned). In upholding that role, Tamiang leaders hold
onto a vow that states "kasih papa setia mati" (a father's love is faithful to
death). Traditional law was effectively carried out with the philosophy "adat
dipangku, syarat dijunjung, resam dijalin, kanun diatur" (traditional law is
administered but religious law is respected customary ways are formed but
canon law is organized).
Tamiang people are followers of Islam, which has penetrated various aspects of
their lives. However, many still carry out the ceremonies of their old
beliefs. They hold certain ceremonies connected with their everyday lives,
such as ceremonies held for blessing the planting of the rice (kenduri blang),
the harvesting of the rice, and ceremonies to protect them for disasters (tula
bala). |
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