Luwu (Toala') - Un-Reached People Group Of Indonesia

June 2004: This page is being reconstructed with new information.

Click here for the new page.

The information on this page may no longer be accurate.

LUWU OF INDONESIA

LOCATION : eastern part of central Sulawesi in the Luwu district
POPULATION : 38,000
LANGUAGE : Luwu (Toala)
PEOPLE CLUSTER : Bugis
RELIGION : Muslim (Shafiite) 95%, Nonreligious 4.9%
% OF CHRISTIANITY : 0%
SCRIPTURE : None
RADIO BROADCAST : None
JESUS FILM : None
GOSPEL AUDIO RECORDING : None
MISSION AGENCY / CHURCH PLANTING WORKING AMONG THEM: 1

The Luwu are located in the eastern part of central Sulawesi in the Luwu district. Specifically, they live in the sub-districts of Limbong and Sabbang. Their language, which is called Luwu or Taeo, is a part of the Austronesian language family.

Wet rice grown in swiddens (land cleared by "slash and burn" agriculture) is the staple crop for Luwu, but sweet potatoes, sugarcane, various vegetables, tobacco, and coffee are also grown. Their houses are generally made of woven grasses and have very high roofs. Luwu marriage customs require payments to the girl's family at the time of engagement and again at the wedding. The amount of the bride-price depends on the social rank of the young man. Prior to marriage, he is required to serve a probationary period with his prospective parents-in-law, and this requirement gives rise to a high degree of elopement. Polygyny (having more than one wife) was common among some of the aristocracy but is no longer a common practice.

The Luwu are 95% Shafi'ite Muslims. However, traditional beliefs are still very important, especially the belief in evil spirits.

The Luwu have no available Christian resources, but there is one missions agency currently working among them. The Bible and other materials need to be translated into their language, and the missions work needs to be extended. Intercession is the key to seeing the Luwu won to Christ.

PRAYER POINTS

Ask the Lord to call missionaries who can share the Gospel with the Luwu in culturally relevant ways.
Ask the Holy Spirit to anoint the efforts of the missions agency that is targeting the Luwu.
Pray that the Bible, the Jesus film, and evangelical literature will soon be available in the Luwu language.
Pray that God will reveal Himself to the Luwu through dreams and visions.
Ask the Lord to save key leaders among the Luwu who will boldly declare the Gospel.
Take authority over the spiritual principalities and powers that are keeping the Luwu bound.
Ask God to raise up prayer teams who will begin breaking up the soil through intercession.
Pray that strong local churches will be established among the Luwu.

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION:
Luwu, the horseshoe-shaped region capping the Gulf of Bone, is at once the most ancient and most modern region in South Sulawesi. Believed the site of the first Bugis kingdom, Luwu became an open frontier. Found here is the old mosque of Jami which was founded by Dato 'Sulaeman', who was the first one who brought and wide spread the Islam religion in South Sulawesi. This mosque was built in 1604 by King Luwu XVI Setiaraja. Also found here is the Museum of Batara Guru which is formerly the palace of King Luwu whose named was Andi Jemma. It was in this place that Andi Jemma firstly declared Luwu Kingdom as a part of Republic of Indonesia on August 17, 1945. This place then became the center for planning the strategies in the frame of fighting against resettlement of the Dutch colonialism in Luwu.