Southeast Asia
Bangka
Population: 340,000
Language: Malay
The Bangka people live on Bangka Island in the South China Sea to the east of Sumatra. This island is famous for its tin mines and pepper plantations. However, in the 1990s the price of pepper declined drastically and was followed by a drop in the price of tin, which adversly impacted the Bangka.
Belitung
Population: 100,000
Language: Malay
The Belitung live on the island of Belitung in the province of Bangka-Belitung. This island is located in the South China Sea to the east of Sumatra. The Belitung adhere to Islam, which came to the area around the 17th century; however, in spite of their dedication to Islam, many Belitung people are still influenced by animistic beliefs in spirits and various superstitions. They seek protection through magic by either appeasing or controlling both good and bad spirits. They still believe in magical forces that inhabit sacred objects and many things are forbidden by taboos.
Kerinci
Population: 260,000
Language: Kerinci
Originally from the eastern coast of Sumatra, the Kerinci fled from local Muslim Sultanates in an ancient war and moved into their existing homeland high in the Bukit Barisan Mountains in West Sumatra. The Kerinci have been able to resist assimilation with the stronger lowland peoples, but today their isolation is being broken by government-sponsored mass relocations of Jawa, Sunda, and Bali people for plantation projects on their rich soil. The area surrounding Lake Kerinci has an underdeveloped potential for tourism, something that could bring a great deal of revenue to the people.
Lembak
Population: 120,000
Language: Lembak
The Lembak people’s main livelihood is rice, though quite a few men work on the many rubber plantations in the area and others run small-scale brick factories in rural areas. The women help in the fields and manage the households. Most Lembak people today embrace Islam, although a large part of the community still adheres to animistic beliefs. Most believe in the power of unseen spirits inhabiting sacred places, and the services of a dukun (shaman/healer/occultist) are often sought for many purposes, including healing the sick and exorcising evil spirits.