LOCATION : island of Sumbawa
POPULATION : 500,000
LANGUAGE : Mbojo (Bima)
PEOPLE CLUSTER : Sasak
RELIGION : Muslim (Sunni) 99.9%
% OF CHRISTIANITY : <1% (55 known believers)
SCRIPTURE : None
RADIO BROADCAST : None
JESUS FILM : available
GOSPEL AUDIO RECORDING : available
MISSION AGENCY / CHURCH PLANTING WORKING AMONG THEM: 1

The Mbojo or Bimanese live o­n the island of Sumbawa, in the valleys of the island and may be related to the Sasak, who live o­n the nearby island of Lombok. The name "Sumbawa" originally referred to the western part of the island, whereas the eastern part of the island was called "Bima." Today, however, the entire island is known as Sumbawa. Their language, called Bima, is part of the Malayo-Polynesian family. According to local tradition, Bima has had 52 ruling princes, the names of which testify to the influence of Hinduism.

Much of the island is covered by open fields. Rice lands are farmed year round along the northern river coasts and the central river valleys. The climate is tropical with little change in temperature. Sumbawa is also marked by distinct wet and dry seasons. The lifestyle of the Bimanese revolves around the farming of wet and dry rice, and the gardening of fruits and vegetables. While rice is the major crop, secondary crops include o­nions, beans, and some tobacco and coffee. Besides farming, Sumbawa is also rich in forest products such as nuts, rattan (a type of palm), and beeswax. Ever since the fourteenth century, Sumbawa has been known for its small and sturdy horses. These horses were exported to the nearby island of Java. In the 1920's Bima was o­nce again an important horse breeding area. The people generally go to the mountains where they live o­n community farms for part of the year, then return to their home villages after harvesting. If a young man wishes to propose marriage, he will send a "go-between," an eloquent woman, to the young girl. The woman will then make the proposal in a formal language. Upon acceptance of the proposal, the groom must then pay a "bride price" to the girl's parents. The price will depend o­n the social status of the bride. O­nce married, the young couple immediately establishes their own independent household. The most important local unit of the Bimanese is the village. Each village has its own Muslim temple or mosque. The head of the mosque is responsible for all religious ceremonies and yearly festivals.

The 38th ruler of Sumbawa (Bima) was converted to Islam around 1640; and today the Bimanese are 99.9% Muslims. However, there are a large number of natives who still practice the area's original animistic beliefs. (Animism is the belief that non-living objects have spirits.) The shaman, or witchdoctor, also plays an important role in the Bimanese culture. Today there are numerous Shamans left in the society. Many Bimanese claiming to hold Islamic beliefs still rely heavily o­n the help of the Shaman, especially in times of crisis.

There is o­nly a handful of known believers among the Bimanese. Unfortunately, they have very few of the needed resources for church growth or evangelization. O­nly o­ne mission agency is currently targeting the Bimanese. There are no Christian radio or television broadcasts available in the Bimanese language, and the Bible has not yet been translated. The Bimanese are a people lost in spiritual darkness, trapped in the bondages of Islam and animism.

PRAYER POINTS

links to related information: http://www.bethanynorth.com/profiles/profile1.html , www.joshuaproject.net