Tamiang in Indonesia

The Tamiang have only been reported in Indonesia
Population
Main Language
Largest Religion
Christian
Evangelical
Progress
Progress Gauge

Introduction / History

The Tamiang live in the southeast part of East Aceh Regency in the province of Aceh. Previously this area was the Tamiang administrative district with a very large area of 7,760 square kilometers. Now the district has been divided into six districts: Kuala Simpang, Bendahara, Karangbaru, Seuruway, Kejuruanmuda and Tamiang Hulu. One legend states that the name Tamiang comes from the words itam and mieng (black cheek). This name supposedly arose because a king of Tamiang named Raja Muda Sedia (1332-1362) had a black mark on his cheek. Another story claims that the name Tamiang comes from the name of an island in the Riau Archipelago, the original dwelling place of the Tamiang. The Tamiang have own Malay dialect, called Tamiang, which is lexically 87% similar to the nearby Melayu Riau (Riau Malay) language.


What Are Their Lives Like?

The main source of income for the Tamiang people is rice, which they grow in both irrigated and non-irrigated fields. Other crops planted by the Tamiang are corn, cassava, tomatoes, chili peppers and eggplant. They also grow fruits such as oranges, mangoes, durian and langsat. Those who live on the coast fish and make coal from mangrove trees. Some have become plantation workers and traders. The Tamiang rarely move away because their agricultural land is vast and fertile enough to support them. At the beginning of the twentieth century this area received many migrants from other areas because of the opening of rubber and palm oil plantations, as well as oil wells.
The Tamiang live by The Law of the Four Tribes. Their area was settled by four founding fathers called datuk. Future settlers were then placed under the authority of the existing datuk. Eventually the four datuk united their areas and chose a king as leader. This decision was established and sealed with a covenant called The Message of the Elder. The names of the four datuk were Datuk Imam Balai, Datuk Penghulu, Datuk Hakim and Datuk Setia Maha Raja. The kingdom lived by a proverb: "A fair king will be worshipped, but a cruel king will be dethroned." In upholding that role, Tamiang leaders still hold to the vow "a father's love is faithful to death". Traditional law is effectively carried out with the philosophy: "Ancestral customs are followed, but religious law is respected; customs are modified, but religious norms are negotiated".


What Are Their Beliefs?

The Tamiang people are followers of Islam, which has penetrated various aspects of their lives. Despite this, many still carry out traditional ritual ceremonies. These include ceremonies for the successful planting of rice, harvesting of rice and protection from natural disasters.


What Are Their Needs?

The primary need of the Tamiang is better farming and plantation methods to increase their income. Educational and public health facilities are also very much needed to increase their welfare. The Tamiang area has great potential, because the main highway between Medan and Aceh runs right through the area. Due to this, the potential that already exists in this area needs to be better taken advantage of by the Tamiang, who are increasingly marginalized and losing out to migrants from other areas.


Prayer Points

Pray for the Lord to reach the Tamiang people through dreams and visions.
Pray for them to have the spiritual hunger and discernment to seek and find the only savior.
Pray for Tamiang disciples who will make more disciples.


Scripture Prayers for the Tamiang in Indonesia.


References

IPN, 2011 Copyrighted © Used with permission


Profile Source:   Joshua Project  

People Name General Tamiang
People Name in Country Tamiang
Alternate Names
Population this Country 46,000
Population all Countries 46,000
Total Countries 1
Indigenous Yes
Progress Scale 1
Unreached Yes
Frontier People Group Yes
GSEC 1  (per PeopleGroups.org)
Pioneer Workers Needed 1
People ID 15225
ROP3 Code 109774
ROP25 Code 307912
ROP25 Name Tamiang
Country Indonesia
Region Asia, Southeast
Continent Asia
10/40 Window Yes
National Bible Society Website
Persecution Rank 42  (Open Doors top 50 rank, 1 = highest persecution ranking)
Location in Country Widespread in Peninsular Malaysia; also in Sarawak state: Kuching, Samarahan, Sri Aman, and Betong districts.   Source:  Ethnologue 2016
Country Indonesia
Region Asia, Southeast
Continent Asia
10/40 Window Yes
National Bible Society Website
Persecution Rank 42  (Open Doors top 50 rank, 1 = highest persecution ranking)
Location in Country Widespread in Peninsular Malaysia; also in Sarawak state: Kuching, Samarahan, Sri Aman, and Betong districts..   Source:  Ethnologue 2016
Map of Tamiang in Indonesia Ethnolinguistic map or other map

Primary Religion: Islam
Major Religion Percent
Buddhism
0.00 %
Christianity  (Evangelical 0.00 %)
0.00 %
Ethnic Religions
0.00 %
Hinduism
0.00 %
Islam
100.00 %
Non-Religious
0.00 %
Other / Small
0.00 %
Unknown
0.00 %
Primary Language Malay (46,000 speakers)
Language Code zlm   Ethnologue Listing
Primary Dialect Riau
Dialect Code 5094   Global Recordings Listing
Language Written Yes   ScriptSource Listing
Total Languages 1
Primary Language Malay (46,000 speakers)
Language Code zlm   Ethnologue Listing
Primary Dialect Riau
Dialect Code 5094   Global Recordings Listing
Total Languages 1
People Groups Speaking Malay

Primary Language:  Malay

Bible Translation Status  (Years)
Bible-Portions Yes  (1629-1932)
Bible-New Testament Yes  (1668-1974)
Bible-Complete Yes  (2015)
FCBH NT (www.bible.is) Online
Possible Print Bibles
Amazon
World Bibles
Forum Bible Agencies
National Bible Societies
World Bible Finder
Virtual Storehouse
Resource Type Resource Name Source
Audio Recordings Audio Bible teaching Global Recordings Network
Audio Recordings Love letter to you from scripture Father's Love Letter
Audio Recordings Story of Jesus audio Jesus Film Project
Film / Video Indigitube.tv Video / Animation Create International
Film / Video Jesus Film: view in Malay Jesus Film Project
Film / Video My Last Day video, anime Jesus Film Project
Film / Video Story of Jesus for Children Jesus Film Project
Film / Video World Christian Videos World Christian Videos
General Bible for Children Bible for Children
General Biblical answers to your questions Got Questions Ministry
General Faith Comes By Hearing - Bible in text or audio or video Faith Comes by Hearing
General Faith Comes By Hearing - Bible in text or audio or video Faith Comes by Hearing
General Four Spiritual Laws Campus Crusade for Christ
General Gospel resources links Scripture Earth
Mobile App Download audio Bible app as APK file Faith Comes by Hearing
Mobile App Download audio Bible app as APK file Faith Comes by Hearing
Mobile App Download audio Bible app from Google Play Store Faith Comes by Hearing
Text / Printed Matter Download scripture in this language eBible.org
Text / Printed Matter Jesus Messiah comic book General / Other
Text / Printed Matter Literacy primer for Malay Literacy & Evangelism International
Text / Printed Matter Tools for faith conversations Campus Crusade for Christ
Text / Printed Matter Topical Scripture booklets and Bible studies World Missionary Press
Photo Source Copyrighted © 2024  Anonymous  All rights reserved.  Used with permission
Map Source People Group location: IMB. Map geography: ESRI / GMI. Map design: Joshua Project.  
Profile Source Joshua Project 
Data Sources Data is compiled from various sources. Learn more.



Joshua Project logo    Joshua Project    Copyright © 2024