10 Isolated Tribes In Indonesia

Indonesia has a variety of tribes, languages, and cultures. In 2010, BPS recorded at least 1,340 ethnic groups across the archipelago. Some of them are isolated tribes that are not touched by modern-day modernism.

What are some of the indigenous tribes in Indonesia? Here are the 10 tribes that we summarize for you.

10. Bauzi Tribe, Papua

Many of these Bauzi tribes, among them Baudi, Bauri, and Bauji. According to the Summer Institute of Linguistics (SIL) of the United States, this tribe belongs to an indigenous tribe in Indonesia. Similarly, the Central Bureau of Statistics (BPS), Bauzi is categorized as one of the 20 indigenous tribes in Papua.

The tribe is almost never in direct contact with modern life because of the vastness of wilderness, valleys, swamps, and large rivers that limit it. These geographical boundaries isolate them from society in general.

The Bauzi tribe has about 1,500 members. Spread in the northern and central regions of mamberamo.

9. Polahi Tribe, Gorontalo

Polahi tribe is an isolated tribe that lives in the forest of Gorontalo. According to the story that developed in the community, polahi are people who in the Dutch colonial period first run into the forest because they do not want to be colonized by the Dutch. They end up living in the forests of Boliyohuto, Paguyaman and Suwawa until now.

The life of the Polahi tribe is quite isolated. They do not know the counters and do not know the names of the days. Some are strange according to our culture in general, this tribe allows to marry siblings.

The way they get their daily dietary needs by farming their eagles. The rest is hunting deer or wild boar.

8. Togutil Tribe, North Maluku

Tribe Tobelo Dalam or commonly called the Togutil Tribe, live in a move in the forest Totodoku, Tukur-Tukur, Lolobata, Kobekulo and Buli. His living area entered into the area of Aketajawe-Lolobata National Park, North Maluku. Togutil has a negative meaning, that is "backward". This term is the name of the outsider to the tribe.

Like other inland tribes, they depend on the existence of the forest. They settled near the river with wooden and bamboo houses, with palm-fringed roofs.

7. Kajang Tribe, South Sulawesi

The Kajang, their distinctive features are all dressed in black and do not use footwear. The kajang people are very strong in their customs.

The kajang live in Bulukumba District, South Sulawesi. About 200 km from Makassar city. They survive in traditional ways such as fishing in the river, farming, and hunting.
6. Sakai Tribe, Riau

The Sakai tribe is an alienated tribe and still lives nomadically in Riau. According to the story, the Sakai population originated from the Pagaruyung kingdom who migrated to Riau.
How to survive this tribe is also still the same with other tribes that is all done traditionally, hunting, farming, fishing.
5. Korowai Tribe, Papua

Korowai tribe began to be found 30 years ago in the interior of Papua. The tribe has a membership of about 3,000 people. It is unique to their Korawai tribe to build houses on top of tall trees. Even the height can be up to 50 meters from the ground.

Korowai tribe people are the only indigenous tribes who do not use koteka at all. It is said that this tribe has a habit of eating human flesh that has died.
4. Tribe of the Sea, Riau Islands

Sea people or commonly called the tribe of the Sea is a tribe that inhabit Riau Islands. In general the Sea Tribe is the various groups that settled on the islands and in the rivers Lingga, Pulau Tujuh, and the islands offshore.

In the past this tribe played an important role in the kingdom of Srivijaya, Sultanate of Johor, and the Malacca Sultanate. They are in charge of guarding the straits, guiding the merchants, and expelling the pirates. The language they use is mostly Malay.

3. Dani Tribe, Papua

Dani tribe is a tribe who live in the region of the Central Highlands, Papua. They also occupy Jayawijaya and Puncak Jaya districts. Dani tribe itself since hundreds of years ago has been known as a skilled farmer. They have also used tools such as stone axes, knives of bones. This tribe uses "Koteka" as their genuine cover made of pumpkin shells.

Dani tribe was first discovered in the Baliem Valley. They have a belief in the spirit of the ancestors who lowered their supernatural powers to the boys. Examples of the supernatural powers they believe are the power of guarding the garden, the power of healing disease, and also the strength of the soil.

The life of the Dani community, though retarded, is very peaceful. They implement a system of gotong royong in every activity. For example, on the construction of a house, initially they will deliberate and then build it together.

Liv's main Liv's livelihoods are sweet potato planting and raising pigs. They still have a creepy tradition of "finger-cutting tradition". This is done when a family member dies. Left families are required to cut off their fingers as a symbol of sadness.

2. Anak Dalam Tribe, Jambi

Suku Anak dalam or commonly known also as Kubu tribe or Orang Rimba is a tribe that is isolated from the outside life. They live on Sumatra Island precisely in the provinces of Jambi and South Sumatra. Its population is about 200,000 inhabitants.

The majority of tribal children now feel a hard life because of the loss of forest resources in Jambi and South Sumatra. The majority of tribal children in mesih adhere to the belief of animism. They also believe that what grows in nature belongs together.

1. Baduy Tribe, Banten

Besides known as the tribe of Baduy this tribe is also called as Urang Kanekes. They are a group of people living in the area of Banten. There are about 5,000 to 8,000 inhabitants living in that tribe. They apply isolation from the modern world.

There are two types of Baduy tribe, namely Baduy Dalam and Baduy Luar. Baduy tribe in life is very self-isolating. Meanwhile, Outdoor Baduy more open to the development of the era. Between these two Baduy live in a separate society. Outer Baduy often become a friendship between the tribe of Baduy Dalam with the wider community.

The language used by Baduy is the Sundanese dialect of Banten. However, some of them, especially outside baduy tribe also smoothly use the Indonesian language. Meanwhile, the tribe of Baduy Dalam is very closed from the outside world. They even assume the school is against their customs.