Wawonii in Indonesia

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

Introduction / History

The Wawonii live on the island of Wawonii (the name means 'coconut mountain'), which is located off the southeastern coast of the major island of Sulawesi and on the tiny island of Menui to its north. Although not much information is currently available about the Wawonii, what is available shows a way of life similar to their better known neighbors living on Buton and Muna islands. All of these groups once belonged to the sultanate of Buton. The sultanate included Buton, Muna, Kabaena and other small islands. The Sultan of Buton ruled the Wawonii through a hierarchy of advisors and officials. Local chiefs, who were selected from the families of their predecessors, lived in the capital. The Wawonii were under Dutch rule from 1910 until 1949 after which time they became part of the newly independent Indonesian nation. The Wawonii language is part of a larger linguistic grouping called the Eastern Bungku-Tolaki subfamily, which also includes the Moronene, Kulisusu, Taloki, Koroni, Bungku, Bahonsuai and Mori languages. Wawonii has two dialects, which correspond to the two islands where it is spoken.


What Are Their Lives Like?

The Wawonii's primary livelihood is growing corn. Crops other than corn include sweet potatoes, sugar cane, tobacco, coffee and various vegetables. New fields are opened by the "slash and burn" technique of cutting down trees and burning the underbrush. The Wawonii are forced to move each time their fields become infertile, because their farming techniques do not include sustainable methods. Their houses are spread throughout the new areas they clear out of the jungle. Houses are built on stilts with high roofs made of woven thatch. They are still familiar with the different social classes in their social system. The Wawonii use the typical groupings of nobility, middle class and common people. Usually, each respective class has its own customs, in addition to their various traditions and habits. The privilege of owning land is decided by the community advisory committee, which has unconditional authority over all the land. The lineage of descent of the Wawonii is patrilineal (tracing descent from the father). In Wawonii marriages, the groom pays a bride price to her family. This price is determined by the groom's social status in the community; the higher his status, the higher the price. Before the marriage, the future husband must undergo a trial period by his future in-laws. However, this requirement is the main cause of many elopements.


What Are Their Beliefs?

Almost all Wawonii people practice Sunni Islam. Despite this, traditional animistic beliefs are still strong in daily life. They still believe in the power of unseen spirits that inhabit sacred places. The services of a dukun (shaman) are often sought for many purposes, including healing sicknesses and exorcising evil spirits.


What Are Their Needs?

The Wawonii need better agricultural education to create sustainable, eco-friendly farming methods. The Wawonii have inadequate employment opportunities and the creation of new jobs is much needed. In order to improve health services for the community, they also need better access to medical services, clinics and medical personnel.


Prayer Points

Scripture Prayers for the Wawonii in Indonesia.


Profile Source:   IPN, 2011   Copyrighted ©   Used with permission  

People Name General Wawonii
People Name in Country Wawonii
Alternate Names
Population this Country 29,000
Population all Countries 29,000
Total Countries 1
Indigenous Yes
Progress Scale 1
Unreached Yes
Frontier People Group No
GSEC 1  (per PeopleGroups.org)
Pioneer Workers Needed 1
PeopleID3 15896
ROP3 Code 110728
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 Banda Sea, Sulawesi Tenggara Province, Wawonii and Menui islands near Kendari port.   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 Banda Sea, Sulawesi Tenggara Province, Wawonii and Menui islands near Kendari port..   Source:  Ethnologue 2016
Map of Wawonii in Indonesia Ethnolinguistic map or other map

Primary Religion: Islam
Major Religion Percent
Buddhism
0.00 %
Christianity  (Evangelical 0.60 %)
1.00 %
Ethnic Religions
4.00 %
Hinduism
0.00 %
Islam
95.00 %
Non-Religious
0.00 %
Other / Small
0.00 %
Unknown
0.00 %
Primary Language Wawonii (29,000 speakers)
Language Code wow   Ethnologue Listing
Language Written Unknown
Total Languages 1
Primary Language Wawonii (29,000 speakers)
Language Code wow   Ethnologue Listing
Total Languages 1
People Groups Speaking Wawonii

Primary Language:  Wawonii

Bible Translation Status:  Unspecified

Resource Type Resource Name Source
Audio Recordings Audio Bible teaching Global Recordings Network
General Language Learning Phrasebook They Need the Bible
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 IPN, 2011  Copyrighted ©  Used with permission 
Data Sources Data is compiled from various sources. Learn more.


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