Wolio

WHO are they? Wolio people live as farmers on the land and sea. Primary land crops

are rice, corn and cassava. In the sea, especially from June to September, vast

stretches of water are used to cultivate agar-agar (seaweed) that is ground up and used

to make a variety of products. Many people also work as sailors and shipbuilders.

The Wolio houses are built using boards, with small windows added. The roofs are built

with small boards and coconut leaves. These houses are raised up to two meters above

the ground. In the Wolio community, the men are mainly involved in labor outside the

home, while the wife works in the home and manages the family and their finances.

The Wolio people place a great priority on education. Good education for their children

has been a high priority. This, added to their willingness to study foreign languages, has

resulted in noticeable social advancement.

WHERE do they live? The Wolio primarily live on the island of Buton, around the city of

Baubau, but can also be found on Muna, located in the SE Sulawesi province. The

Wolio are at the heart of the culture of Buton.

HOW many? 215,000

WHAT do they worship? Almost all Wolio have beliefs centered in Sufi Islam.

According to their teachings, they practice mediation in order to receive visions from

God, or to find hidden truths far beyond their own reasoning. Belief in reincarnation is

also adhered to as a result of Hindu influence. They also believe that evil spirits cause

illnesses to occur while helpful spirits give guidance.

Pancana

WHO are they? The primary means of livelihood for the Pancana people is farming,

with corn as their primary crop. Other than corn, they also grow sweet potatoes, sugar

cane, other vegetables, tobacco, and coffee. The Pancana people practice migratory

agriculture (shifting from one field to another), mainly because they cannot maintain the

soil's fertility in their existing fields due to inadequate farming methods. New farmland is

opened by cutting down trees and burning the underbrush, this is the very common

"slash-and-burn" method. Their houses are spread out over land that has been cleared

for farming. Their houses are built on raised platforms 1.5-2 meters high. The Pancana

make their houses out of plaited thatch with very high roofs.

WHERE do they live? The Pancana people (also known as the Kapontori) live on

Buton island, located in the eastern part of the Province of South-East Sulawesi.

HOW many? 6,600

WHAT do they worship? Almost all Pancana people practice Sunni Islam. Even so,

traditional beliefs and animism have an important role in their lives. They will often

employ the services of a dukun (shaman/healer/occultist) for a variety of services, such

as healing illnesses, cursing enemies, and bringing good fortune to individuals and the

community.

Kaulisusu

WHO are they? Most Kulisusu families have their own farmlands and work together in

cultivating the land. They primarily cultivate cassava, corn and rice along with assorted

vegetables and fruits. In addition to personal consumption, produce is also sold in the

markets, and the Kulisusu are known for offering low prices. Some Kulisusu are traders

who travel to other islands in and around Indonesia or work on merchant ships.

Honesty and hard work are valued among the Kulisusu people, and they have an

extremely low crime rate.

WHERE do they live? The Kulisusu people of Indonesia are located on the

northeastern area of Buton Island, which is in the province of Southeast Sulawesi. The

Kulisusu live on the narrow hilly peninsula which juts southward separating the Koro

Bay on the west from the Banda Sea on the east. Although little has been written about

the Kulisusu, it’s known that they have been settled in their present location for at least

the past 400 years.

HOW many? 22,000

WHAT do they worship? The Kulisusu are followers of Islam, which came into their

area around the 17th century. The Islamic faith is expressed through activities such as

circumcision, attending the mesjid (mosque), and fasting during the month of Ramadan.

Despite their Islamic identity, their beliefs in Allah and the Qur'an (Islamic holy book) do

not prevent them from having special celebrations to satisfy evil spirits, or going to a

dukun (shaman) when they are sick or having difficulties.

Muna

WHO are they? The Muna people (also called Wuna) live in the province of Southeast

Sulawesi on the larger islands of Muna and the west coast of Buton, and the smaller

islands of Kadatua, Siompu, Bangkomalape, Tiworo, and Telaga.

WHERE do they live? The Muna make their living as farmers, with their primary crops

being cashews, corn, rice, and seaweed. Other crops include sweet potatoes, sugar

cane and various kinds of spices. A large portion of their commerce has come from

marketing the products of the jungle such as teak wood and rattan. The Muna usually

live in the interior of the island, though there are a good number of coastal communities.

They live together in kinship groups, which are called Tombu. Those who live by the

sea have been successful in pearl farming and cultivation of seaweed.

HOW many? 300,000

WHAT do they worship? The majority of Muna follow Sunni Islam. There is a Christian

minority, with two villages being historically Catholic. There was a Protestant village, but

those residents have moved to Ambon. Followers of Islam believe they will be judged

on their knowledge of the Qur'an (Islamic holy book) as well as their deeds done during

this lifetime. However, traditional animistic beliefs still influence many aspects of Muna

life.

Wawoni

WHO are they? The Wawonii live on the island of Wawonii (the name means 'coconut

mountain'), which is located off the southeastern coast of the major island of Sulawesi,

and on the tiny island of Menui to its north. Wawonii has two dialects, which correspond

to the two islands where it is spoken.

WHERE do they live? The Wawonii's primary livelihood is growing corn. Crops other

than corn include sweet potatoes, sugar cane, tobacco, coffee and various vegetables.

New fields are opened by the "slash and burn" technique of cutting down trees and

burning the underbrush. The Wawonii are forced to move each time their fields become

infertile, because their farming techniques do not include sustainable methods. Their

houses are spread throughout the new areas they clear out of the jungle. Houses are

built on stilts with high roofs made of woven thatch.

HOW many? 30,000

WHAT do they worship? Almost all Wawonii people practice Sunni Islam. Despite this,

traditional animistic beliefs are still strong in daily life. They still believe in the power of

unseen spirits that inhabit sacred places. The services of a dukun (shaman) are often

sought for many purposes, including healing sicknesses and exorcising evil spirits.

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Balinese

WHO are they? Most Balinese live in very close knit villages with strong family, social,

religious and economic interrelationships. Much of the village's interactions are centered

on Hindu worship in the temples and agricultural cooperatives in the surrounding fields.

The Balinese' main livelihood is rice farming. The Balinese are known throughout the

world for their artistic abilities. Many Balinese villages specialize in one particular form

of art. Their artistic talents can be seen in the variety of their paintings, carvings,

sculpting, dancing, and weavings.

WHERE do they live? 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 of the gods" reside the

Balinese. However, many Balinese can also be found on the nearby island of Lombok,

as well as in Lampung, Sulawesi, South Kalimantan, Sumbawa and Papua.

HOW many? 3,519,000

WHAT do they worship? Hinduism is the primary religion of the Balinese. Even

though Hinduism has greatly affected the culture, the Balinese have managed to

maintain their original culture, so that Balinese Hinduism differs from Indian Hinduism.

Balinese Hindus believe that there is one god that can be explained by the Trimurti, a

concept of three aspects of God: Brahma, the creator; Vishnu, the protector; and Shiva,

the destroyer. Both individual families and larger assemblies use this shrine to offer

food and flowers to their gods.

Baju West Coast

WHO are they? The Bajau have traditionally been known as sea-nomads, involved in

extensive maritime trading and dwelling in boats. However, the great majority of Bajau

are now house dwellers. While some such Bajau continue to derive their livelihood

primarily from the sea, others have adopted an agrarian way of life.

WHERE do they live? Currently the West Coast Bajau are spread along Sabah's

coastal regions from Kuala Penyu in the southwest as far as Terusan, east of Pitas.

They live primarily in the Kota Belud, Kawang, Papar, Tuaran, Banggi, and Putatan

areas. The Kota Belud District, on the Tempasuk plain about halfway between Kota

Kinabalu and Kudat, contains the largest grouping of West Coast Bajau in Sabah. Kota

Belud is the cultural heartland of the West Coast Bajau.

HOW many? 68,000

WHAT do they worship? The traditional belief system of the West Coast Bajau people

is animistic in nature; a variety of spiritual beings interact with human beings both

positively and negatively. For example, people are discouraged from going out on foot

alone at night owing to the presence of spirits of the dead, or ghoulish creatures that

seek to eat babies or the flesh of recently deceased people. Traditional beliefs interact

in complex ways with Islamic beliefs (the more current system). Most people subscribe

to a variety of both traditional and more current beliefs, and it is difficult if not impossible

to separate them. Various superstitious beliefs from former times still have some

prevalence among the West Coast Bajau.

PRAYER needs:

• Pray for translation of the Bible to begin in this people group's primary language.

• Pray for the availability of the Jesus Film in the primary language of this people.

• Pray for Gospel messages to become available in audio format for this people

group.

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