Rejangese people

The Rejangese (Rejang: Tun Jang) are an Austronesian ethnic group native and living mainly on the southwest coast of the island of Sumatra, in an oool mountain slopes of the Barisan mountain range in Bengkulu and South Sumatra. They constitute 50% of the Bengkulu population and number approximately larger than 1 million. The Rejangese speak Rejangese language, an Austronesia language, which is quite different from the similarly named Rejang-Baram language group, which is spoken on the island of Borneo in Sarawak and Kalimantan, and predominantly Sunni Islam. Although very small number of Rejangese follow branches other than Islam. The Rejangese are mostly found in North Bengkulu Regency, Central Bengkulu Regency, Kepahiang Regency, Rejang Lebong Regency, Lebong Regency, and in 7 villages in North Musi Rawas Regency. According to the some research, The Rejangese are the descendants of the Bukar-Sadong people who moved from the Northern Borneo (Sarawak).

Rice, tobacco and coffee are the most common crops grown by Rejangese farmers. Besides farming, there are also gold and silver Rejangese miners.

Number of Population

The population is not well measured, with estimates from 250,000 to a million.^[1] The 2000 Indonesian census estimated the population at around 330,000.

Location

Cover page of Indonesian Ethnic Group Maps show the location where Rejangese rest down.

In Bengkulu Province, the Rejangese are prevalent in Rejang Lebong Regency (districts of Lebong Utara, Lebong Selatan, Curup and Kepahiang), in North Bengkulu Regency (districts of Taba Penanjung, Pondok Kelapa, Kerkap, Arga Makmur and Lais),^[2] in Kepahiang Regency, in Lebong Regency and in Central Bengkulu Regency.^[3] Majority of them lived in along the slopes of Bukit Barisan mountain range.

Culture

Pencak Silat is one of many kind of Rejangese culture. The Pencak Silat origin from Rejang land well known as Silat Jang Pat Petulai.^[4]

References

Further reading

• Rois Leonard Arios (2011), Sistem Pewarisan Suku Bangsa Rejang, BPSNT Padang, Departemen Kebudayaan dan Pariwisata, ISBN 978-602-8742-35-1 

External links

• Rejang Gordon, Raymond G., Jr. (ed.), 2005. Ethnologue: Languages of the World, Fifteenth edition. Dallas, Tex.: SIL International. Online version;

Ethnic groups in Indonesia by region
Indonesians
Sumatra	Acehnese Batak Angkola Karo Mandailing Pakpak Simalungun Toba Alas Kluet Singkil Gayo Kubu Lampung Malay Batin Mentawai (Sakuddei) Minangkabau Aneuk Jamee Sakai Nias Rejang Seafarers Orang laut Orang Kuala Simeulue
Java	Betawi Cirebonese Javanese Banyumasan Osing Tenggerese Madurese Sundanese Baduy Bantenese
Kalimantan	Banjarese Dayak Apo Kayan Bahau Kayan Kenyah Uma Baka' Bidayuh Kendayan Selako Iban Mualang Kelabit Lun Bawang Murut Tidung Ot Danum Dusun Kwijau Lawangan Ma'anyan Ngaju Bakumpai Meratus Punan Bah Bukitan Krio Malay Berau Seafarers Bajau Suluk
Sulawesi	Buginese Butonese Bonerate Gorontaloan Lindu Makassarese Mandarese Minahasan Mongondow Muna Pamona Sangirese Tau Taa Wana Toraja
Papua	Melanesians Papuan Amungme Asmat Bauzi Dani Ekari Fayu Kombai Korowai Lani Marind Mek Moni Sawi Wolani Yali
Lesser Sunda Islands	Atoni Bali Aga Balinese Bunak Kemak Lamaholot Manggarai Nage Sasak Savu Sika Sumba Sumbawa
Maluku Islands	Moluccans Alfur Alune Ambelau Ambonese Buru Kayeli Lisela Manusela Nuaulu Togutil Wemale
Non-indigenous	African Arab Chinese Benteng Peranakan Eurasian Indo Filipino Indian Tamil Jewish Korean Pakistani Totok