Praying For Indonesia, Author at Praying for Indonesia

Who are the Dayak Tidung?

The Dayak Tidung belong to the Dayak cluster, speak the Dayak Tidung dialect and follow Islam. In the Bulungan regency, they are associated with the Bulungan people (considered the most indigenous group in Bulungan). In that area they are called the Tidung Bulungan. The Tidung Bulungan language is close to… Read more

Who are the Baliaga?

The Baliaga are a small people group living in several remote villages on the island of Bali. They are considered to be the original inhabitants of the island and were there long before the 16th century arrival of the people group we now know as Balinese. The culture, language, and… Read more

Rescue Efforts in Sulawesi After Earthquake

A 6.3 earthquake hit Sulawesi right as Ramadan was ending on Saturday, August 18. There were landslides as a result of the quake and at least six people were killed by falling debris and mud. Rescue efforts are ongoing, but are being hampered because of downed communications. Pray for the… Read more

Who are the Jawa Osing?

The Jawa Osing reside in the Banyuwangi district of the East Java Province. They seem to be the original occupants of this eastern-most area of Java. The Jawa Osing are part of the Jawa cluster of peoples, but they have their own cultural variations which differ from other Jawa peoples.… Read more

Who are the Minangkabau?

The Minangkabau (also called the Minang) come from West Sumatra Province and are the majority ethnic group in all areas of the province other than in the islands inhabited by the Mentawai people. They speak the Minang language, which has many dialects. They are famous for their tradition of leaving… Read more

Who are the Wawonii?

The Wawonii live on the island of Wawonii (‘coconut mountain’), located off the southeastern coast of the major island of Sulawesi, and on the tiny island of Menui to its north. Although not much information is currently available about the Wawonii, what is available shows a way of life similar… Read more

Who are the Palembang?

Palembang is the name of a city and a people group. The Palembang people live in Palembang as well as several other areas. The Palembang are sometimes called Melayu Palembang or Musi Banyuasin people. The Mesuji can also be considered a part of the Palembang. In the city of Palembang,… Read more

Who are the North Sumatra Malay?

North Sumatra is the homeland of both the Batak ethnic group who live in the mountains and the Melayu (Malay) people who live on the eastern coast. Other people groups also live there, including the Jawa, Nias, and Mandailing. The Malay people in North Sumatra are not actually an ethnic… Read more

Who are the Jawa Pesisir Lor?

The “Jawa Pesisir Lor” people are a distinctive Muslim Javanese sub-ethnic group. They inhabit the villages, small towns, and cities which stretch south from the North Java Sea to the hills and mountains that span two-thirds of the length of the island of Java. This sub-ethnic group has more in… Read more

Who are the Loloan?

The Loloan (also known as the Melayu Bali) people are located in the district of Negara on the western end of Bali. The word Loloan is derived from the word liloan (“wrapped around” or “winding”), which refers to the first settler’s description of the River Ijogading, with its turbulent, changing… Read more

“Mudik” is a Unique Phenomenon in Indonesia

Ramadan is almost over, and the celebration at the end of Ramadan, Idul Fitri is the biggest holiday in Indonesia. Right before this holiday, there is a mass exodus out of big cities in Indonesia as Indonesians go home. Indonesians actually have a special word for this, called “mudik.”… Read more

A House of Prayer Closed

Protestant Christians in Bogor, West Java have seen much persecution recently. Now Catholics are the brunt of persecution. A “house of prayer” was recently closed for a week. The congregation was told that if they try to use building for prayer during this time, authorities would demolish the building. Pray… Read more

Who are the Banjar?

The southern and eastern coast of Kalimantan is home to the Banjar people, who live along the rivers from the interior rainforest to the coastal cities. Most Banjar live in Southern Kalimantan, but there are also significant Banjar populations in East Kalimantan, Central Kalimantan, Riau Province, and Malaysia. The Banjar… Read more

Who are the Betawi?

The Betawi people are the original inhabitants of Jakarta. They are often called “people of Jakarta,” “people of Batavia,” or “Betawi.” They are descendents of the people who came to Batavia, (the historical name for Jakarta) in the 15th century. Today, the original Betawi community can be found in areas… Read more

Who are the Bangka?

The Bangka live on the island of Bangka in the South China Sea, off the east coast of Sumatra in Bangka-Belitung Province. Other Indonesians often visit this island because it has beautiful beaches. Inhabitants of the island are composed of two groups: those descended from the Malay and those descended… Read more

Who are the Bakumpai?

The Bakumpai are a group of Dayak people who speak the Bakumpai language and call themselves the Bakumpai. However, there are many similarities between the Bakumpai and the Dayak ethnic groups around them. In spite of this, they choose to identify themselves as different from the Dayak groups mainly because… Read more

Who are The Balinese?

The island of Bali is probably better known than the country of Indonesia. The word “Bali” brings to mind visions of a tropical paradise. Its beauty, friendly people, exquisite art and unique dance have made Bali a favorite destination for millions of tourists from around the world. On this “Island… Read more

Sulawesi

Sulawesi is the most uniquely shaped island in the Indonesian archipelago, with four large, narrow peninsulas. Many people describe the island as either crab-shaped or orchid-shaped. Sulawesi is between Borneo and the Maluku Islands, with the Philippines to the north and Java to the south. Sulawesi has six provinces: North… Read more

Who are the Aji?

The Aji are a small community who live in a mountainous area of South Sumatra. They are often called the Haji people because according to a folktale they are descendants of a “Haji” (a person who has completed the Hajj). The Aji live in 14 villages. Eleven of the villages… Read more

Who are the Jawa Banyumasan?

The Jawa Banyumasan live in the southwest part of the province of Central Java, specifically in the regencies of Cilacap, Kebumen, Purworejo, Purbalingga, Banjarnegara, and Banyumas. The Jawa Banyumasan is one of the subgroups of the Jawa people groups, but they have their own cultural variations which differ from other… Read more