|
Pekal |
| People Group: |
Pekal |
 |
 |
| Location: |
S. Sumatra, Indonesia |
| Population: |
34,000 |
| Religion: |
Islam |
| % Christian: |
0.10
% |
| % Evangelical: |
0.01 % |
| Ministry
Resources: |
No Known Believers |
|
|
Total People Group
Population: |
34,000 |
Other countries People
Group Linked to: |
None |
____________________________________________________________ |
|
Additional Information:
Who are the Pekal?
 The
Pekal people live along the southwest-central shores and mountain slopes
of the island of Sumatera, the fifth largest island in the world. They
inhabit the Southern Muko-Muko District of the North Bengkulu region,
specifically the Teramang River Basin. This region fringes the Indian
Ocean on its southwest border while the Bukit Barisan Mountain range
forms the northeastern border. The Pekal people are often called the
Ketahun because some of them live in the district of Ketahun. The
western link of the trans-Sumateran highway that connects Bengkulu to
Padang now crosses the Pekal region in the area of Ipuh. The Pekal
language is a branch of the Melayu (Malay) language cluster. It is the
everyday language used by the Pekal people. The current form of the
language has evolved from the original Melayu language with additional
influence from the Minangkabau and Indonesian languages.
What are their lives like?
The majority of the Pekal work as farmers and plantation workers during
the rainy season but shift to fishing in the dry season. They use
traditional, home-made devices and tools in their work. They raise
coffee, rice, chocolate, tobacco, tapioca, spices, peanuts and various
vegetables. Others work as teachers, government officers, soldiers,
construction workers, basket weavers, brick makers and traders. The
women also work in the rice fields and/or process dried fish and shrimp
in special traditional woven containers. The traditional market is a
cultural event involving many people. Sellers from the outside only come
to trade once a week.The traditional Pekal houses are long and narrow
and built on stilts. They have arranged their village communities into
several clans, which are found all over the South Muko-Muko District. If
a newcomer arrives who wants to live among the Pekal people, he will
first be asked to cook a meal for the clan among whom he lives as well
as several others living nearby. He will then formally be considered a
part of their family and will be treated like all other Pekal without
distinction for ethnicity, religion, education, or economic status. In
the Pekal culture no person has rights that are greater than anyone
else. Of course, the newcomer must fulfill customary and traditional
obligations by participating in his/her duties as a Pekal family member.
What do they believe?
Almost all the Pekal profess Islam. However, they also use traditional
incantations to bring rain, exorcise evil spirits and clean the village
from immorality. They have a tradition of giving social and material
help to each other in the community. They feel compelled to help others
because of their own strong feeling of indebtedness. Even though their
income is usually barely sufficient, they willingly give help to people
in need, victims of natural disasters, and financial support for the
building of mosques.
What are their needs?
Creativity is needed to catalyze jobs for the many Pekal youth needing
work today. Their area is still underdeveloped economically compared to
other areas in Sumatera. They need professionals to help them in
economic development, education, health and farming. They also need to
be introduced to more effective technologies in order to raise their
productivity.
Back to People Group Listing
|
