June 2004: This page is being reconstructed with new information.
The information on this page may no longer be accurate.
LUBU OF INDONESIA
LOCATION : southern Batakland, Central Sumatra
POPULATION : 39,000
LANGUAGE : Lubu
PEOPLE CLUSTER : Mandailing
RELIGION : Ethnic religionist 80%, Muslim (Sunni) 20%
% OF CHRISTIANITY : 0%
SCRIPTURE : None
RADIO BROADCAST : None
JESUS FILM : None
GOSPEL AUDIO RECORDING : None
MISSION AGENCY / CHURCH PLANTING WORKING AMONG THEM: 0
The Lubu are a people of mixed origin who live in central Sumatra. They mainly inhabit the mountainous regions of the various provinces of southern Batakland. In the early part of this century, the Lubu still roamed the mountains in a wild state, living mainly in tree houses. They shot game with blow guns and poisoned darts and existed on the products of the jungle. Their clothing was simple, they ate all types of meat, and they cooked in hollow bamboo. Although they have made considerable progress since that time, the Lubu are still very tribal in their basic lifestyle. Like the Kubu, they are afraid of water and seldom wash, even though they live alongside rivers. They are generally despised and mistrusted by their Batak neighbors, who suspect them of partaking in all kinds of witchcraft.
The Lubu now live in huts built on the ground. A group of houses forms a village (bandja), and a number of villages forms a district (kuria). The chief of the bandja is called na bodjo bodjo. All the older male members of the community (the family heads) have a voice in the village government. When a chief dies, he is succeeded by his son. Every Lubu village have their special communal houses (tawatak) for boys and others for girls wherein both sexes are expected to sleep after the age of twelve. Marriages usually take place when the girls turn fifteen. A small bride-price is required, but most Lubu men do not have the ability to pay it. As a result, most of them must work for up to two years for their future parents-in-law during the engagement period. The Lubu grow rice as their staple crop. For special delicacies, they eat mice and bats, as well as monkeys killed with blowguns. They often compose songs about their culture, and these are sung around the fires at night. Interestingly, the Lubu never dance.
Although 20% of the Lubu are nominally Muslim, the great majority (80%) are ethnic religionists, still practicing many of their pagan beliefs. Hosts of both good and evil spirits are honored, especially the spirit of the first tribal chief, Singa Tandang. The Lubu attribute sickness to the work of evil spirits, particularly ghosts who are said to work either externally or internally on a person. Many traditional rituals are performed at birth and puberty. Like the Alas-Kluet, Lubu girls have their teeth filed and permanently blackened before marriage.
It is imperative that a more detailed and specific study of the Lubu be done in order to develop church planting strategies. Medical and agricultural help would probably be a vital part of any effective ministry to the Lubu. There's a great need for Bible translators and Christian media personnel to help make the Bible, the Jesus film, and Christian radio broadcast available in their own language. There are no known Christians among the Lubu because of the remoteness of their location which made them being neglected by missionary efforts. Although they live close to the Batak (many of whom are Christian), long-standing bitterness and fear prevents the Gospel from being effectively shared. Their pagan religious beliefs, as well as the veneer of Islam, keep them in spiritual bondage.
PRAYER POINTS
- Ask the Lord of the harvest to send missionaries who are willing to live and work among the Lubu.
- Pray that Christian radio broadcasts and the Jesus film will soon be available to the Lubu.
- Ask the Lord to raise up qualified linguists to translate the Bible into the Lubu language.
- Ask the Holy Spirit to save key leaders among the Lubu who will boldly proclaim the Gospel.
- Take authority over the spiritual principalities and powers that have kept the Lubu bound for many generations.
- Ask God to raise up prayer teams who will begin breaking up the soil through worship and intercession.
- Pray that strong local churches will be raised up among the Lubu.
- Ask God to raise up Christian Batak to reach and work among the Lubu and pray that the Lubu's long-standing bitterness and fear towards them will stop in Jesus name.
links to related information: http://www.bethanynorth.com/profiles/profile1.html , www.joshuaproject.net
