Aneuk Jamee in Indonesia

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

Introduction / History

The Aneuk Jamee are found in the southern part of the western coastline of Aceh province on the island of Sumatera. They tend to live around the small bays and on the low plains hemmed in by the Bukit Barisan mountain range. These areas are primarily in West Aceh Regency in the four districts of Tapak Tuan, Samadua, Sawang and Labuhan Haji. Smaller numbers of Aneuk Jamee live in South Aceh Regency in the three districts of Johan Pahlawan, Kaway XVI and Kuala. One group of Aneuk Jamee calling themselves the Ba'apo live farther south in Simpang Kiri District, Singkil Regency. The name Aneuk Jamee in the Aceh language means "offspring of guests" or "newcomer". The name refers to Minangkabau people from the Lubuk Sikaping, Pariaman, Rao and Pasaman areas farther south who began migrating to the area in the 17th century. Gradually, they settled among the Aceh people in the area, a process facilitated by a common Islamic faith. Eventually, they came to feel that they were neither Aceh nor Minangkabau but rather a new people group with their own distinct culture and language. The Aneuk Jamee language is called Jamee or Jamu. The Aceh in southern Aceh can understand this Jamee language because the Minangkabau vocabulary that is part of their language is similar to the national language. However, most Aneuk Jamee do not understand or use the Aceh language.


What Are Their Lives Like?

Many Aneuk Jamee are fishermen, and others work in irrigated and unirrigated rice farming (basawah and baladang) and growing fruits (bakabun). Some Aneuk Jamee are permanent traders (baniago) while others, known as penggaleh, sell goods from village to village. The Aneuk Jamee have three classes in their society. The nobles (datuk) form the highest level. The middle level is formed by local leaders (hulu baling) and religious leaders such as the prayer leaders (tengku and imam) and Islamic judges (kadi). The common people are at the lowest level. Traditional leadership in a village contains a combination of Minangkabau and Aceh elements. These leaders are the village headman (kecik), prayer-house leader and youth leader. This is somewhat different from the district level leadership, which follows traditional Aceh leadership patterns. In this pattern, there is an area headman (mukim), village headman (kecik), street leader (ketua jurong) and elders (tuhapeut).


What Are Their Beliefs?

The Aneuk Jamee follow Islam. As with other Indonesian people, Aneuk Jamee incorporate earlier beliefs and practices into Islam. The services of a shaman (occultist or magical healer) are still frequently used for various things. For example, a young man may ask the shaman to cause a girl to fall in love with him with a spell. The shaman may later be asked by the family to release a girl from this spell.


What Are Their Needs?

Many of the boats used by the Aneuk Jamee fishermen are actually owned by residents of Medan and Banda Aceh cities. Thus, a program to finance the purchase of their own boats would be very strategic. Also, Aneuk Jamee farmers could use agricultural training, more efficient irrigation and the provision of good fertilizer and seeds to increase crop yields so that their economy can improve.


Prayer Points

Scripture Prayers for the Aneuk Jamee in Indonesia.


Profile Source:   IPN, 2011   Copyrighted ©   Used with permission  

Additional Info
Global Prayer Digest: 2013-05-19
People Name General Aneuk Jamee
People Name in Country Aneuk Jamee
Alternate Names
Population this Country 75,000
Population all Countries 75,000
Total Countries 1
Indigenous Yes
Progress Scale 1
Unreached Yes
Frontier People Group Yes
GSEC 1  (per PeopleGroups.org)
Pioneer Workers Needed 2
People ID 10317
ROP3 Code 100341
Country Indonesia
Region Asia, Southeast
Continent Asia
10/40 Window Yes
National Bible Society Website
Persecution Rank 33  (Open Doors top 50 rank, 1 = highest persecution ranking)
Location in Country Widespread in the Indonesian Archipelago; west central Sumatra, Padang area. Nearly half live outside central Sumatra; South Sumatra, west coast Mukomuko area   Source:  Ethnologue 2016
Country Indonesia
Region Asia, Southeast
Continent Asia
10/40 Window Yes
National Bible Society Website
Persecution Rank 33  (Open Doors top 50 rank, 1 = highest persecution ranking)
Location in Country Widespread in the Indonesian Archipelago; west central Sumatra, Padang area. Nearly half live outside central Sumatra; South Sumatra, west coast Mukomuko area.   Source:  Ethnologue 2016
Primary Religion: Islam
Major Religion Percent
Buddhism
0.00 %
Christianity  (Evangelical 0.01 %)
0.10 %
Ethnic Religions
0.00 %
Hinduism
0.00 %
Islam
99.90 %
Non-Religious
0.00 %
Other / Small
0.00 %
Unknown
0.00 %
Primary Language Minangkabau (75,000 speakers)
Language Code min   Ethnologue Listing
Language Written Yes   ScriptSource Listing
Total Languages 1
Primary Language Minangkabau (75,000 speakers)
Language Code min   Ethnologue Listing
Total Languages 1
People Groups Speaking Minangkabau
Photo Source Copyrighted © 2023  Kerry Olson  All rights reserved.  Used with permission
Map Source Anonymous   Copyrighted ©   Used with permission
Profile Source IPN, 2011   Copyrighted ©   Used with permission  
Data Sources Data is compiled from various sources. Read more