Rambang in Indonesia

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

Introduction / History

The Rambang people live in an area of south Sumatra Island spread across the regencies of Muara Enim, Ogan Ilir, Ogan Koemering Ilir and in Pabumulih City. The Rambang people are also sometimes called Rambang Dangku, Rambang Lubai, Rambang Kapak Tengah Dua, Rambang Senuling and Anak Rambang.


What Are Their Lives Like?

Rambang society is rich in various rituals oriented towards the natural environment, such as the life cycle, with birth and death rituals and Buang Juang, a farewell ceremony when one leaves the village to find work. Other rituals relate to special natural phenomena such as lunar and solar eclipses, requests for rain, earthquakes and others. The Rambang also highly value competitions in reading the Qur'an (Islamic holy book) and the Islamic Hajj (pilgrimage to Mecca). The Rambang people are inclined to live simply. Agriculture is the principal economic activity in the area and rice is the main crop. Wet rice plots are still worked mostly using water buffalo. In addition, corn, peanuts, fruits and vegetables are also grown. The Rambang are sometimes referred to as orang selengek, which is a term referring to their unique method of preserving fish. They also make various traditional items from bamboo, rattan, wood, roots and palm leaves. Rambang villages usually consist of 300-400 households. Houses are generally single-family dwellings of three or four rooms raised on stilts, with the area below the house used for storage, or in some cases, trade. The Rambang practice a bilateral inheritance system, which means that one's descent is traced through both the mother and father. Two types of marriage arrangements are practiced: 1) payment of bride-wealth, which establishes a couple's residence with the groom's family and primarily affiliates any children with the father's line; 2) no payment of bride-wealth, placing the groom in the bride's household and any children in their mother's line.


What Are Their Beliefs?

The Rambang believe that their first leader to follow Islam was Lord Bintang Ruano. He introduced Islam to the people of Bengkulu and condemned the practice of animism. Since that time, the people have ceased animistic sacrifice offerings, but they still believe in the existence of supernatural forces in certain objects. The teachings of the Sunni Shafi'I branch of Islam became the guidebook for their lives. Animist beliefs still influence the practice of Islam in Rambang areas. Ancestral burial grounds are still maintained, and an annual ritual is held in which Rambang people honor their ancestors and clean their graves. At the same time, the majority of Rambang men go to the mosque every week for Friday prayers.


What Are Their Needs?

People who live in Rambang villages have not yet adopted modern sanitation practices. They do not have designated places for bathing and washing and they do not have toilet facilities. Instead, the river is used for all of these activities and is considered to be more practical. Well water typically is used for drinking and cooking and is yellow in color. Thus, assistance in obtaining a supply of clean water would very much benefit the Rambang people.


Prayer Points

Pray for Rambang people to have dreams and visions that will draw them to the Lord of lords.
Pray for loving and committed Christian workers.
Pray for spiritual hunger and discernment so they can see the value of the Risen Christ.
Pray for Rambang disciples who will make more disciples.


Scripture Prayers for the Rambang in Indonesia.


References

IPN, 2011 Copyrighted © Used with permission


Profile Source:   Joshua Project  

The Sumatran Malays

Source:  Asia Harvest      Download

People Name General Rambang
People Name in Country Rambang
Alternate Names Rambang Senuling
Population this Country 162,000
Population all Countries 162,000
Total Countries 1
Indigenous Yes
Progress Scale 1
Unreached Yes
Frontier People Group Yes
GSEC 1  (per PeopleGroups.org)
Pioneer Workers Needed 3
People ID 14517
ROP3 Code 108290
ROP25 Code 306926
ROP25 Name Rambang Senuli
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 Sumatra island, Sumatera Selatan Province; east down Lematang and Ogan river valleys, south of Muaraenim town, east and southeast of Lahat town; Bengkulu Province; central Bukit Barisan highlands west to Indian Ocean along Bengkulu coast; Lampung Province, 4 separate enclaves.   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 Sumatra island, Sumatera Selatan Province; east down Lematang and Ogan river valleys, south of Muaraenim town, east and southeast of Lahat town; Bengkulu Province; central Bukit Barisan highlands west to Indian Ocean along Bengkulu coast; Lampung Province, 4 separate enclaves..   Source:  Ethnologue 2016
Map of Rambang in Indonesia Ethnolinguistic map or other map

Primary Religion: Islam
Major Religion Percent
Buddhism
0.00 %
Christianity  (Evangelical 0.01 %)
0.01 %
Ethnic Religions
0.00 %
Hinduism
0.00 %
Islam
99.99 %
Non-Religious
0.00 %
Other / Small
0.00 %
Unknown
0.00 %
Primary Language Malay, Central (162,000 speakers)
Language Code pse   Ethnologue Listing
Language Written Yes   ScriptSource Listing
Total Languages 1
Primary Language Malay, Central (162,000 speakers)
Language Code pse   Ethnologue Listing
Total Languages 1
People Groups Speaking Malay, Central
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.  
Video Source Asia Harvest
Profile Source Joshua Project 
Data Sources Data is compiled from various sources. Learn more.



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