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Tomini |
|
People Group: |
Tomini |
 |
| Location: |
Indonesia |
| Population: |
33,000 |
| Religion: |
Islam |
| % Christian: |
1.00% |
| % Evangelical: |
0.00% |
| Ministry
Resources: |
One Known Church |
|
|
Total People Group
Population: |
33,000 |
Other countries People
Group Linked to: |
None |
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Additional Information:
Who are the Tomini?
The Tomini people live in the districts of Tomini, Tinombo, and Moutong,
in the regency of Donggala, in Central Sulawesi Province. The Tomini are
said to be the original inhabitants of this area. The Tomini area in
these three districts stretches from the northeast to the south and
forms a half circle facing the Tomini Bay.The coastal area is made up of
plains, specifically in the northern part of Moutong District. The
plains grow narrower to the south. While the coastal regions are flat,
the interior is mountainous. Many of the valleys in the interior have
fertile irrigated rice farms and the land is well cultivated.The other
native groups living in Donggala are Dampelasa, Balaesang and Pikoro.
The Tomini people use the Tomini language, however several sub-dialects
of Tomini are used as a result of interaction between various groups
through trade.
 What
are their lives like?
Tomini villages are made up of small wooden houses built on stilts. The
Tomini living on the coastal areas are farmers of clove and copra. Many
of these Tomini also seek supplemental income from trading, forestry or
fishing. In the mountains, the Tomini people cultivate rice and corn,
and gather rattan to be sold on the coast.The marriage system follows
Islamic guidelines. An intermediary talks with the parents of the bride
and makes arrangements according to the status of the girl. Marriage is
allowed between first cousins, and polygamy, although allowed, rarely
occurs. After marriage the couple usually stays with one of the two
families until the first child is born.The cultural history of the
Tomini can be divided into five periods: the traditional period; the
period when Islam entered their area; the period of Dutch rule; the
period of Japanese rule in WW II; and the period from Indonesia's
Independence in 1945. In earlier times, Tomini was a sultanate. The
sultan, along with his aides were chosen through the ancestral line.
During those times there were four classes among the people: royalty,
nobility, commoners and slaves. In the late 1950's separatist movements
against the Indonesian government were begun by youth groups throughout
the island of Sulawesi, including the Permesta Rebellion of the 1960's
in the Tomini region. For several years the area produced no marketable
products. Since that time, the government has made a significant effort
to integrate the area into the national and international economic
system. Cloves were successfully introduced in large plantations and
national and international lumber firms have established themselves
throughout the area.
What do they believe?
The Tomini people have embraced the Sunni Islam faith but are not very
strict followers. Many of the Tomini people still hold to their local
ancient religion of animism. They believe that inanimate things are
indwelt by spirits. Many Tomini mix worship of their ancestors and
nature with the Islamic religion.
What are their needs?
At this time the Tomini people need improved infrastructures to market
their produce (cloves, copra, onions and rattan). They need increased
trade to overcome the lingering weakness in the economy which has never
fully recovered from the economic destruction of the Permesta rebellion.
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