Rejang people (
Rejang: ''Tun Hejang'' or ''Tun Jang'') are an
Austronesia
The Austronesian peoples, sometimes referred to as Austronesian-speaking peoples, are a large group of peoples in Taiwan, Maritime Southeast Asia, Micronesia, coastal New Guinea, Island Melanesia, Polynesia, and Madagascar that speak Austrone ...
n ethnolinguistic group, native to the some parts of
Bengkulu Province
Bengkulu is a province of Indonesia. It is located on the southwest coast of Sumatra. It was formed on 18 November 1968 by separating out the former Bencoolen Residency area from the province of South Sumatra under Law No. 9 of 1967 and was fi ...
and
South Sumatera Province in the southwestern part of
Sumatera Island, Indonesia. They occupied some area in a cool mountain slopes of the
Barisan mountain range in both sides of
Bengkulu
Bengkulu is a province of Indonesia. It is located on the southwest coast of Sumatra. It was formed on 18 November 1968 by separating out the former Bencoolen Residency area from the province of South Sumatra under Law No. 9 of 1967 and was fi ...
and
South Sumatra
South Sumatra ( id, Sumatra Selatan) is a province of Indonesia. It is located on the southeast of the island of Sumatra, The province spans and had a population of 8,467,432 at the 2020 Census. The capital of the province is Palembang. The pro ...
. With approximately more than 1,3 million people, they form the largest ethnic group in Bengkulu Province. Rejang people predominantly live as a majority in 5 out 10 regencies and city of Bengkulu Province, while the rest of them who lives in South Sumatera resides at 7 villages in the district called as Bermani Ulu Rawas. The Rejangs are predominantly an Islam adherent group with small numbers following a religion other than Islam. According to research, Rejang people are the descendants of the Bukar-Sadong people who migrated from Northern Borneo (
Sarawak
Sarawak (; ) is a States and federal territories of Malaysia, state of Malaysia. The largest among the 13 states, with an area almost equal to that of Peninsular Malaysia, Sarawak is located in northwest Borneo Island, and is bordered by the M ...
).
Etymology
The etymology of the name of Rejang or in
Rejang language
Rejang (, ) is an Austronesian language predominantly spoken by the Rejang people in southwestern parts of Sumatra (Bengkulu), Indonesia. There are five dialects, spread from mountainous region to the coastal region of Bengkulu, including the M ...
itself as Jang is remains unclear. It is not clearly known when the name Rejang people was used or when did they first regard themselves as Rejang. Another question that is yet to be certain if the name Rejang itself is a term or reference name that was given by other neighboring ethnic groups. According to the locals of
Lebong Regency, it is believed that the word ''Rejang'' means "to cross over". This belief if based on a widely spread myth among the Rejang community in Tapus, which is believed to be the oldest Rejang settlement. The belief mentions that the ancestors of the Rejang people came from a distant land where its exact location is unknown. Hence, some scholars believe that the term Jang or Rejang has a correlation with the possibility of Rejang people in ancient time did not reside in Sumatra.
On the basis of that belief, therefore according to Professor Richard McGinn's observation that presents a theory or hypothesis that the ancestors of the Rejang people originate from a region in the northern part of West Borneo that is known as
Sarawak
Sarawak (; ) is a States and federal territories of Malaysia, state of Malaysia. The largest among the 13 states, with an area almost equal to that of Peninsular Malaysia, Sarawak is located in northwest Borneo Island, and is bordered by the M ...
today, from which the ancestors of the Rejang people crossed over the
Karimata Strait
The Karimata Strait (alternatively, Carimata or Caramata; id, Selat Karimata) is a wide strait that connects the South China Sea to the Java Sea, separating the Indonesian islands of Belitung to the west and Borneo (Kalimantan) to the east. It ...
from
Borneo
Borneo (; id, Kalimantan) is the third-largest island in the world and the largest in Asia. At the geographic centre of Maritime Southeast Asia, in relation to major Indonesian islands, it is located north of Java, west of Sulawesi, and eas ...
to
Sumatra
Sumatra is one of the Sunda Islands of western Indonesia. It is the largest island that is fully within Indonesian territory, as well as the sixth-largest island in the world at 473,481 km2 (182,812 mi.2), not including adjacent i ...
with unclear reason. The term Jang or the verb Merejang means "passed" (specifically means "passed the strait") or "traveling not on land". However, the meaning of Jang word which is the native term used by Rejang people to describe themselves as a single entity remains unclear. The usage of that word also limited just for describing the entity of Jang and uncommon in the daily conversation. Upon their arrival at the estuary of the
Musi River, they went upwards
Musi River and
Rawas River
The Rawas River is a river in northern Sumatra, Indonesia, about northwest of the capital Jakarta
*Rand McNally, ''The New International Atlas'', 1993.Air Rawas- Geonames.org. It is a tributary of the Musi River.
Geography
The river flows in ...
towards the upstream to the place where majority of the Rejang settlements are today in the interior of
Bengkulu Province
Bengkulu is a province of Indonesia. It is located on the southwest coast of Sumatra. It was formed on 18 November 1968 by separating out the former Bencoolen Residency area from the province of South Sumatra under Law No. 9 of 1967 and was fi ...
. The term Rejang is also the same as the
Rejang River
The Rajang River ( ms, Batang Rajang) is a river in Sarawak, northwest Borneo, Malaysia. The river originates in the Iran Mountains, flows through Kapit, and then towards the South China Sea. At approximately , the river is the seventh-longest i ...
in
Sarawak
Sarawak (; ) is a States and federal territories of Malaysia, state of Malaysia. The largest among the 13 states, with an area almost equal to that of Peninsular Malaysia, Sarawak is located in northwest Borneo Island, and is bordered by the M ...
,
Malaysia
Malaysia ( ; ) is a country in Southeast Asia. The federation, federal constitutional monarchy consists of States and federal territories of Malaysia, thirteen states and three federal territories, separated by the South China Sea into two r ...
, the place where it is thought to be the land of origin of the Rejang people before settling in
Sumatra
Sumatra is one of the Sunda Islands of western Indonesia. It is the largest island that is fully within Indonesian territory, as well as the sixth-largest island in the world at 473,481 km2 (182,812 mi.2), not including adjacent i ...
.
Apart from that among the community of Taba Anyar Village, there is a story that the term Rejang and Lebong are correlated and is used as the name for
Rejang Lebong Regency
Rejang Lebong is a regency of Bengkulu Province, Indonesia, on the island of Sumatra. It covers 1,475.99 km² and had a population of 246,787 at the 2010 Census and 276,645 at the 2020 Census; the official estimate as at mid 2021 was 278,793 ...
came from the common practice of ''merajang rebung'' (meaning "chopping bamboo shoots") in the Rejang community that is still seen today. Bamboo shoots have long been consumed as a food source in the interior of
Bengkulu Province
Bengkulu is a province of Indonesia. It is located on the southwest coast of Sumatra. It was formed on 18 November 1968 by separating out the former Bencoolen Residency area from the province of South Sumatra under Law No. 9 of 1967 and was fi ...
. From the common practice of chopping bamboo shoots, then came the term Rejang and Lebong. Nevertheless, this one story is doubted by many parties due to the impression of simply rhyme matching the terms alone.
Population
The population is not well measured, with estimates from 250,000 to a million. The 2000 Indonesian census estimated the population at around 350,000.
Distribution
![COLLECTIE TROPENMUSEUM Dorpshoofden te Tjoeroep Benkoelen Zuid-Sumatra TMnr 10001863](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/b/bf/COLLECTIE_TROPENMUSEUM_Dorpshoofden_te_Tjoeroep_Benkoelen_Zuid-Sumatra_TMnr_10001863.jpg)
In
Bengkulu Province
Bengkulu is a province of Indonesia. It is located on the southwest coast of Sumatra. It was formed on 18 November 1968 by separating out the former Bencoolen Residency area from the province of South Sumatra under Law No. 9 of 1967 and was fi ...
, the Rejang people are prevalent in
Rejang Lebong Regency
Rejang Lebong is a regency of Bengkulu Province, Indonesia, on the island of Sumatra. It covers 1,475.99 km² and had a population of 246,787 at the 2010 Census and 276,645 at the 2020 Census; the official estimate as at mid 2021 was 278,793 ...
(districts of Lebong Utara, Lebong Selatan, Curup and
Kepahiang), in
North Bengkulu Regency
North Bengkulu is a regency ( id, kabupaten) of Bengkulu Province, Indonesia
Indonesia, officially the Republic of Indonesia, is a country in Southeast Asia and Oceania between the Indian and Pacific oceans. It consists of over 17,000 is ...
(districts of Taba Penanjung, Pondok Kelapa, Kerkap, Arga Makmur and Lais), in
Kepahiang Regency
Kepahiang is a regency in Bengkulu Province of Indonesia. It is located on the island of Sumatra. It covers an area of 710.11 km2, of which a high percentage (27%) is still forest. It had a population of 124,865 at the 2010 CensusBiro Pusat Stati ...
, in
Lebong Regency and in
Central Bengkulu Regency
Central Bengkulu is a regency of Bengkulu Province, Indonesia
Indonesia, officially the Republic of Indonesia, is a country in Southeast Asia and Oceania between the Indian and Pacific oceans. It consists of over 17,000 islands, includin ...
. Majority of them lived in along the slopes of
Bukit Barisan
The Bukit Barisan or the Barisan Mountains are a mountain range on the western side of Sumatra, Indonesia, covering nearly 1,700 km (1,050 mi) from the north to the south of the island. The Bukit Barisan range consists primarily of volc ...
mountain range.
History
Ancestors of Rejang people are ancient
Austronesian peoples
The Austronesian peoples, sometimes referred to as Austronesian-speaking peoples, are a large group of peoples in Taiwan, Maritime Southeast Asia, Micronesia, coastal New Guinea, Island Melanesia, Polynesia, and Madagascar that speak Austro ...
. Their migration to
Sumatra
Sumatra is one of the Sunda Islands of western Indonesia. It is the largest island that is fully within Indonesian territory, as well as the sixth-largest island in the world at 473,481 km2 (182,812 mi.2), not including adjacent i ...
occurred as a result of several waves of migration 1,200 years ago from
Tonkin
Tonkin, also spelled ''Tongkin'', ''Tonquin'' or ''Tongking'', is an exonym referring to the northern region of Vietnam. During the 17th and 18th centuries, this term referred to the domain ''Đàng Ngoài'' under Trịnh lords' control, includi ...
,
Indochina
Mainland Southeast Asia, also known as the Indochinese Peninsula or Indochina, is the continental portion of Southeast Asia. It lies east of the Indian subcontinent and south of Mainland China and is bordered by the Indian Ocean to the west an ...
through
Borneo
Borneo (; id, Kalimantan) is the third-largest island in the world and the largest in Asia. At the geographic centre of Maritime Southeast Asia, in relation to major Indonesian islands, it is located north of Java, west of Sulawesi, and eas ...
. Some linguist argue on the basis of the analysis of
Rejang language
Rejang (, ) is an Austronesian language predominantly spoken by the Rejang people in southwestern parts of Sumatra (Bengkulu), Indonesia. There are five dialects, spread from mountainous region to the coastal region of Bengkulu, including the M ...
, that the main role in the formation of Rejang people was played by settlers from the island of
Kalimantan
Kalimantan () is the Indonesian portion of the island of Borneo. It constitutes 73% of the island's area. The non-Indonesian parts of Borneo are Brunei and East Malaysia. In Indonesia, "Kalimantan" refers to the whole island of Borneo.
In 2019, ...
.
In the first half of the 19th century, the lands of Rejang people were captured by the Dutch colonialists (the Dutch were in power along the coastal areas of
Bengkulu
Bengkulu is a province of Indonesia. It is located on the southwest coast of Sumatra. It was formed on 18 November 1968 by separating out the former Bencoolen Residency area from the province of South Sumatra under Law No. 9 of 1967 and was fi ...
was officially established on April 6, 1825, but many internal areas were not colonized until the 1860s). According to reports of Dutch officials in
Bengkulu
Bengkulu is a province of Indonesia. It is located on the southwest coast of Sumatra. It was formed on 18 November 1968 by separating out the former Bencoolen Residency area from the province of South Sumatra under Law No. 9 of 1967 and was fi ...
, the Rejang was divided into 5 linguistic and tribal groups, each of which was subject to a separate leader. The traditional culture of Rejang people was badly affected, when at the end of the 19th century, gold was found in their lands and a large number of miners who did not belong to their people went to this region. The rapid spread of monetary relations led to the decline of local traditional way of life, but the natives retained their customary law, dancing and singing. In 1945 the lands of Rejang people became part of Indonesia.
Ethnic groups relations
Neighboring ethnics includes the Serawai people, Bengkulu's Malay people (Melayu Bengkulu), Kerinci people, Pasemah people, and Lembak people. Rejang people had always been sharing some vocabularies with these people because of the proximity between them. In this common era, there are many inter-ethnic marriage between Rejang with its neighboring ethnic groups.
Suggested relation with ethnics from Borneo includes
Bidayuh
Bidayuh is the collective name for several indigenous groups found in southern Sarawak, Malaysia and northern West Kalimantan, Indonesia, on the island of Borneo, which are broadly similar in language and culture (see also #Language issues, is ...
, Bukar, and Sadong.
Language
The Rejang people have a language of their own with the same name. The Rejang language is the main language used to carry out conversations at home or among the extended families. While in public places or while conversing with non-Rejang people, the language that is used is the
Bengkulu language
Bengkulu or Bengkulu Malay is a Malayic language spoken on the Indonesian island of Sumatra, around the city of Bengkulu, in the rest of the Indonesian province of Bengkulu and in the Pesisir Barat Regency ("west coast") of Lampung Province. It ...
. The Bengkulu language at this moment is seen as a lingua franca to carry out communication between the native Rejang people and the non-native ethnic people. Bengkulu is a variant of the
Malay language
Malay (; ms, Bahasa Melayu, links=no, Jawi alphabet, Jawi: , Rejang script, Rencong: ) is an Austronesian languages, Austronesian language that is an official language of Brunei, Indonesia, Malaysia, and Singapore, and that is also spo ...
with its own native speakers in
Bengkulu Province
Bengkulu is a province of Indonesia. It is located on the southwest coast of Sumatra. It was formed on 18 November 1968 by separating out the former Bencoolen Residency area from the province of South Sumatra under Law No. 9 of 1967 and was fi ...
. The Bengkulu language is known for sharing similarities with
Minangkabau language
Minangkabau (Minangkabau: , Pegon script: ; id, Bahasa Minangkabau; ms, Bahasa Minangkabau or , Jawi: ) is an Austronesian language spoken by the Minangkabau of West Sumatra, the western part of Riau, South Aceh Regency, the northern part of ...
and
Palembang Malay
Palembang, also known as Palembang Malay (), or Musi, is a Malayic languages, Malayic language primarily spoken in about two thirds of South Sumatra Province in Indonesia, especially along the Musi River (Indonesia), Musi River. It consists of ...
.
Linguist Richard McGinn suggests that the Rejang people originate from outside of
Sumatra
Sumatra is one of the Sunda Islands of western Indonesia. It is the largest island that is fully within Indonesian territory, as well as the sixth-largest island in the world at 473,481 km2 (182,812 mi.2), not including adjacent i ...
and migrated there for reason yet to be known.
Sarawak
Sarawak (; ) is a States and federal territories of Malaysia, state of Malaysia. The largest among the 13 states, with an area almost equal to that of Peninsular Malaysia, Sarawak is located in northwest Borneo Island, and is bordered by the M ...
is the region where it is said to be the birthplace of the Rejang people before migrating to Sumatra. According to McGinn, Rejang does not have a single related language in
Sumatra
Sumatra is one of the Sunda Islands of western Indonesia. It is the largest island that is fully within Indonesian territory, as well as the sixth-largest island in the world at 473,481 km2 (182,812 mi.2), not including adjacent i ...
. Based on his observations the closest language to the Rejang language is the
Bukar Sadong language in Sarawak that is classified under the
Bidayuh
Bidayuh is the collective name for several indigenous groups found in southern Sarawak, Malaysia and northern West Kalimantan, Indonesia, on the island of Borneo, which are broadly similar in language and culture (see also #Language issues, is ...
people or previously known as "Land Dayak" people. However, the language of the Rejang people are quite different from the
Rejang-Baram languages of
Borneo
Borneo (; id, Kalimantan) is the third-largest island in the world and the largest in Asia. At the geographic centre of Maritime Southeast Asia, in relation to major Indonesian islands, it is located north of Java, west of Sulawesi, and eas ...
.
As the Rejang language belongs to the
Malayo-Polynesian languages
The Malayo-Polynesian languages are a subgroup of the Austronesian languages, with approximately 385.5 million speakers. The Malayo-Polynesian languages are spoken by the Austronesian peoples outside of Taiwan, in the island nations of Southeast ...
group of the
Austronesian languages family,
this language possesses a number of similar vocabularies with a variety of other indigenous languages and spoken in farther locations in Indonesia.
The Rejang language consists of five major dialects
with distinct variations and differences among the dialects itself in various degrees. Four of the five dialects are used in
Bengkulu Province
Bengkulu is a province of Indonesia. It is located on the southwest coast of Sumatra. It was formed on 18 November 1968 by separating out the former Bencoolen Residency area from the province of South Sumatra under Law No. 9 of 1967 and was fi ...
and the other one is used in
North Musi Rawas Regency id, Kebersamaan Kesepakatan en, Togetherness in the one Consensus
, image_skyline =
, imagesize =
, image_caption = Location within South Sumatra
, image_flag =
, ...
,
South Sumatra Province
South Sumatra ( id, Sumatra Selatan) is a province of Indonesia. It is located on the southeast of the island of Sumatra, The province spans and had a population of 8,467,432 at the 2020 Census. The capital of the province is Palembang. The pr ...
. The five dialects are:-
* Rejang-Musi dialect is not uniform and therefore divided into two dialects namely:-
** Musei / Musi / Musai / Kepahiang dialect. It is used along the upstream of
Musi River in
Rejang Lebong Regency
Rejang Lebong is a regency of Bengkulu Province, Indonesia, on the island of Sumatra. It covers 1,475.99 km² and had a population of 246,787 at the 2010 Census and 276,645 at the 2020 Census; the official estimate as at mid 2021 was 278,793 ...
, part of
North Bengkulu Regency
North Bengkulu is a regency ( id, kabupaten) of Bengkulu Province, Indonesia
Indonesia, officially the Republic of Indonesia, is a country in Southeast Asia and Oceania between the Indian and Pacific oceans. It consists of over 17,000 is ...
and parts of
Kepahiang Regency
Kepahiang is a regency in Bengkulu Province of Indonesia. It is located on the island of Sumatra. It covers an area of 710.11 km2, of which a high percentage (27%) is still forest. It had a population of 124,865 at the 2010 CensusBiro Pusat Stati ...
especially in
Merigi and
Ujan Mas.
** Cu’up / Curup dialect, the archaic name is Selupu dialect. It is spoken in
Curup
Curup is a town and district of Rejang Lebong Regency, part of Bengkulu Province of Indonesia. It is also the administrative capital of the regency. Curup is the second-largest town in the province of Bengkulu. Curup District has an area of 6.21&n ...
and its surrounding region.
* Utara dialect, also known with the name Pesisia / Pesisir / Coastal dialect. It is spoken in parts of
Central Bengkulu Regency
Central Bengkulu is a regency of Bengkulu Province, Indonesia
Indonesia, officially the Republic of Indonesia, is a country in Southeast Asia and Oceania between the Indian and Pacific oceans. It consists of over 17,000 islands, includin ...
such as Pondok Kelapa and in regions of
North Bengkulu Regency
North Bengkulu is a regency ( id, kabupaten) of Bengkulu Province, Indonesia
Indonesia, officially the Republic of Indonesia, is a country in Southeast Asia and Oceania between the Indian and Pacific oceans. It consists of over 17,000 is ...
.
* Lebong dialect. It is spoken in Aman Delta and
Tes Lake,
Lebong Regency and it surrounding region.
This dialect is regarded as the standard
Rejang language
Rejang (, ) is an Austronesian language predominantly spoken by the Rejang people in southwestern parts of Sumatra (Bengkulu), Indonesia. There are five dialects, spread from mountainous region to the coastal region of Bengkulu, including the M ...
.
* Awes or Rawas dialect. It is used in upstream of
Rawas River
The Rawas River is a river in northern Sumatra, Indonesia, about northwest of the capital Jakarta
*Rand McNally, ''The New International Atlas'', 1993.Air Rawas- Geonames.org. It is a tributary of the Musi River.
Geography
The river flows in ...
in
North Musi Rawas Regency id, Kebersamaan Kesepakatan en, Togetherness in the one Consensus
, image_skyline =
, imagesize =
, image_caption = Location within South Sumatra
, image_flag =
, ...
. This dialect is considered as the proto-dialect or the oldest dialect in the
Rejang language
Rejang (, ) is an Austronesian language predominantly spoken by the Rejang people in southwestern parts of Sumatra (Bengkulu), Indonesia. There are five dialects, spread from mountainous region to the coastal region of Bengkulu, including the M ...
, and according to Professor McGinn it functions as a tool in helping to reconstruct Old Rejang language.
Speakers of these various Rejang dialects are able to mutually understand each other with the level of understanding of above 80%, except for Rawas dialect. Rawas dialect is almost unrecognizable when spoken to speakers of other dialects.
Script
Before the 20th century, the Rejang people have used their own written script in official correspondence, a script that is known as
Buak Rikung.
Today, the Rikung script is commonly known as Kaganga alphabets,
and it is taught in schools in
Rejang Lebong Regency
Rejang Lebong is a regency of Bengkulu Province, Indonesia, on the island of Sumatra. It covers 1,475.99 km² and had a population of 246,787 at the 2010 Census and 276,645 at the 2020 Census; the official estimate as at mid 2021 was 278,793 ...
and
North Bengkulu Regency
North Bengkulu is a regency ( id, kabupaten) of Bengkulu Province, Indonesia
Indonesia, officially the Republic of Indonesia, is a country in Southeast Asia and Oceania between the Indian and Pacific oceans. It consists of over 17,000 is ...
. This script is a type of
abugida
An abugida (, from Ge'ez language, Ge'ez: ), sometimes known as alphasyllabary, neosyllabary or pseudo-alphabet, is a segmental Writing systems#Segmental writing system, writing system in which consonant-vowel sequences are written as units; ...
and is a developed from
Indian scripts. The main characteristics of the script are the sharp and bold straight lines in contrary to
Javanese script
The Javanese script (natively known as ''Aksara Jawa'', ''Hanacaraka'', ''Carakan'', and ''Dentawyanjana'') is one of Indonesia's traditional scripts developed on the island of Java. The script is primarily used to write the Javanese langu ...
and
Balinese script
The Balinese script, natively known as and , is an abugida used in the island of Bali, Indonesia, commonly for writing the Austronesian Balinese language, Old Javanese, and the liturgical language Sanskrit. With some modifications, the scrip ...
that are more wavy. The evolution of the
Rejang script
The Rejang alphabet, is an abugida of the Brahmic family, and is related to other scripts of the region, like Batak, Lontara, and others. Rejang is a member of the closely related group of Surat Ulu scripts that include the script variants of ...
that led to its sharp, straight and bold lines is said to be the consequences of the adaption of writing on wood, bones, bark cloth, bamboo, buffalo horn and (now lost) copper plates. It is harder to make curvy lines on materials of hard surface, as a result curvy lines evolved into straight and sharp lines.
The term in the
Rejang language
Rejang (, ) is an Austronesian language predominantly spoken by the Rejang people in southwestern parts of Sumatra (Bengkulu), Indonesia. There are five dialects, spread from mountainous region to the coastal region of Bengkulu, including the M ...
bears the meaning to scythe or to mow grass or at a cornering angle. According to folk tales, the
Rejang script
The Rejang alphabet, is an abugida of the Brahmic family, and is related to other scripts of the region, like Batak, Lontara, and others. Rejang is a member of the closely related group of Surat Ulu scripts that include the script variants of ...
was first written with sharp tools including sickle which produces sharp lines. According to other tales,
Rejang script
The Rejang alphabet, is an abugida of the Brahmic family, and is related to other scripts of the region, like Batak, Lontara, and others. Rejang is a member of the closely related group of Surat Ulu scripts that include the script variants of ...
is referred to as due to its cornering angles. There are 19 main consonants () in
Rejang script
The Rejang alphabet, is an abugida of the Brahmic family, and is related to other scripts of the region, like Batak, Lontara, and others. Rejang is a member of the closely related group of Surat Ulu scripts that include the script variants of ...
, changes in vowel sound () and 9 doubling consonants (). These 28 alphabets are assigned single or double
diacritic
A diacritic (also diacritical mark, diacritical point, diacritical sign, or accent) is a glyph added to a letter or to a basic glyph. The term derives from the Ancient Greek (, "distinguishing"), from (, "to distinguish"). The word ''diacriti ...
marks to produce sounds other than "a" and also produce
diphthong
A diphthong ( ; , ), also known as a gliding vowel, is a combination of two adjacent vowel sounds within the same syllable. Technically, a diphthong is a vowel with two different targets: that is, the tongue (and/or other parts of the speech o ...
s.
Religion
Folk religion
Not much is known about the religion or the beliefs that is practiced by the ancestors of the Rejang people. The most clearest and important relics that exist today that states about the spiritual or religious experiences of the old Rejang society are the and tradition. Both of these traditions are inseparable from each other. is a pile of land produce or food and cakes that are arranged in a similar manner. Its height could reach up to 2 meters. Allegedly, symbolises the shape of a mountain, Kaba Mountain specifically for Rejang around Ulu Musi which viewed the mountain as an important place in their spiritual world. is carried out during a procession or a (meaning, "big feast") ritual. is the offering for the gods that are worshiped through the .
The belief of the Rejang people in the supernatural powers in their surrounding environment has created a dichotomy between and with . refers to "gods" and refers to "goddess". The names of the gods and goddesses of the folk belief of the Rejang people are almost unknown. However, the most well known is the Goddess of Paddy or Goddess of Fertility that is known as Nyang Serai. Nyang Serai is the Rejang people's version of Javanese Goddess of Paddy,
Dewi Sri
Dewi Sri or Shridevi (Javanese language, Javanese: ꦢꦺꦮꦶꦱꦿꦶ, Balinese language, Balinese: ᬤᬾᬯᬶᬲ᭄ᬭᬶ, Dewi Sri)(Sundanese language, Sundanese: ᮑᮄ ᮕᮧᮠᮎᮤ ᮞᮀᮠᮡᮀ ᮃᮞᮢᮤ, Nyai Pohaci Sanghyang ...
. In honor of the goddess, people in the past would make offerings of sacrificial animals, burn incense or deliver
apem pancake. One of the most famous places to carry out the offerings ritual is Bingin Kuning District in
Lebong Regency.
There is also a term used for hermitage or prayer to the deities in
Rejang language
Rejang (, ) is an Austronesian language predominantly spoken by the Rejang people in southwestern parts of Sumatra (Bengkulu), Indonesia. There are five dialects, spread from mountainous region to the coastal region of Bengkulu, including the M ...
that is called . One of the main locations to is in
Mount Kaba
Kaba, a twin volcano with Mount Hitam in Bengkulu Province of Indonesia, has an elongated summit crater complex dominated by three large historically active craters trending ENE from the summit to the upper NE flank. The SW-most crater of Gunung ...
.
Mount Kaba
Kaba, a twin volcano with Mount Hitam in Bengkulu Province of Indonesia, has an elongated summit crater complex dominated by three large historically active craters trending ENE from the summit to the upper NE flank. The SW-most crater of Gunung ...
is actually opened to the public. This area is a conservation area and permission from the officers at the entrance is required and it is an obligation to report the number of hikers. Nevertheless, based on the tale of Muning Raib, Rejang people from
Curup
Curup is a town and district of Rejang Lebong Regency, part of Bengkulu Province of Indonesia. It is also the administrative capital of the regency. Curup is the second-largest town in the province of Bengkulu. Curup District has an area of 6.21&n ...
are forbidden to enter
Mount Kaba
Kaba, a twin volcano with Mount Hitam in Bengkulu Province of Indonesia, has an elongated summit crater complex dominated by three large historically active craters trending ENE from the summit to the upper NE flank. The SW-most crater of Gunung ...
to avoid misfortune or calamity.
In contrast to the or that is worshiped by the community, the group on the other hand are feared; be it of its nature to consume its victim nor to dwell in certain locations in the lands of the Rejang people. In order to avoid , prayer and seeking permission must be done before entering a place or taking something from nature. Seeking a permission is done by saying, "", which means "excuse me, granny, we're passing by". Types of that the Rejang people believe are such as , , and . There are some that are positioned as guards or in certain places. The most well known among the Rejang people is the Dung Ulau Tujuak or the Seven Headed Snake that inhabits the or underwater cave beneath the
Tes Lake,
Lebong Regency.
The old Rejang society regard the jungle as a gift by God and as the source of life. The jungle are the source of timber, honey and animal game. When clearing the jungle, the ritual is carried out to seek permission from the ancestral guardian of the jungle before the clearing of the jungle is carried out. Just as in other society, the jungle or ''imbo'' are usually inhabited by mystical animals such as ''imeu'' or tiger. For the Rejang community, the tiger is seen as an ancestral incarnation, sacred and should not be hurt or killed. Tigers are seen as old relatives addressed as ''datuk'', ''ninik'' or ''puyang''.
Present day beliefs
Islam first appeared in the area through the
Banten Sultanate
The Banten Sultanate (كسلطانن بنتن) was a Bantenese Islamic trading kingdom founded in the 16th century and centred in Banten, a port city on the northwest coast of Java; the contemporary English name of both was Bantam. It is said ...
.
Later contact with Aceh and West Sumatra helped establish the presence of Islam in the region.
Conversion was mainly due to three factors: marriage with external and converted Muslims, the growth of trade, and the adoption of cultural traits from Muslim communities.
After first contact with Islam, Muslims from Java and other parts of already Islamized Sumatra settled and began setting up Islamic schools and other institutions.
The Islamization of the Rejang people took place much later than other Indonesian peoples, and was still under way long into the Dutch era, who actively supported it.
At present, many of the Rejang people embraces
Islam
Islam (; ar, ۘالِإسلَام, , ) is an Abrahamic religions, Abrahamic Monotheism#Islam, monotheistic religion centred primarily around the Quran, a religious text considered by Muslims to be the direct word of God in Islam, God (or ...
. Currently, there is no official statistics on the number of religious beliefs in the Rejang community. It is estimated that nearly 100% of the Rejang people practices
Islam
Islam (; ar, ۘالِإسلَام, , ) is an Abrahamic religions, Abrahamic Monotheism#Islam, monotheistic religion centred primarily around the Quran, a religious text considered by Muslims to be the direct word of God in Islam, God (or ...
.
Most of the Rejang people are not associated with any specific
branches of Islam
A branch, sometimes called a ramus in botany, is a woody structural member connected to the central trunk of a tree (or sometimes a shrub). Large branches are known as boughs and small branches are known as twigs. The term ''twig'' usually r ...
. However, just as other Muslim communities in the
Malay Archipelago
The Malay Archipelago (Indonesian/Malay: , tgl, Kapuluang Malay) is the archipelago between mainland Indochina and Australia. It has also been called the " Malay world," "Nusantara", "East Indies", Indo-Australian Archipelago, Spices Archipe ...
, the Rejang people are adherents of the
Shafi‘i
The Shafii ( ar, شَافِعِي, translit=Shāfiʿī, also spelled Shafei) school, also known as Madhhab al-Shāfiʿī, is one of the four major traditional schools of religious law (madhhab) in the Sunnī branch of Islam. It was founded by ...
school in
Sunni Islam
Sunni Islam () is the largest branch of Islam, followed by 85–90% of the world's Muslims. Its name comes from the word '' Sunnah'', referring to the tradition of Muhammad. The differences between Sunni and Shia Muslims arose from a disagre ...
. The main Islamic organization are the
Muhammadiyah
Muhammadiyah ( ar, محمدية; 'followers of Muhammad'); also known as the Muhammadiyah Society ( id, Persyarikatan Muhammadiyah) is a major Islamic non-governmental organization in Indonesia.A. Jalil HamidTackle the rising cost of living longer ...
and
Nahdlatul Ulama
Nahdlatul Ulama (, , NU) is an Islam in Indonesia, Islamic organization in Indonesia. Its membership estimates range from 40 million (2013) to over 95 million (2021), making it the largest Islamic organization in the world. NU also is a charitab ...
. The minority Islamic organization such as Naqsyabandiyah are often frowned upon as ''sulup'' are found in Suka Datang village, North Curup District,
Rejang Lebong Regency
Rejang Lebong is a regency of Bengkulu Province, Indonesia, on the island of Sumatra. It covers 1,475.99 km² and had a population of 246,787 at the 2010 Census and 276,645 at the 2020 Census; the official estimate as at mid 2021 was 278,793 ...
nearby the
Musi River.
The existence of Hindus or Buddhists and Christians in the settlements of the Rejang people is generally related to the non-indigenous communities that lies behind it. Hindus in the Rejang customary region are generally
Balinese people
The Balinese people ( id, suku Bali; ban, ᬳᬦᬓ᭄ᬩᬮᬶ, anak Bali) are an Austronesian ethnic group native to the Indonesian island of Bali. The Balinese population of 4.2 million (1.7% of Indonesia's population) live mostly on the ...
, Buddhists are mainly
Chinese Indonesians
Chinese Indonesians ( id, Orang Tionghoa Indonesia) and colloquially Chindo or just Tionghoa are Indonesians whose ancestors arrived from China at some stage in the last eight centuries.
Chinese people and their Indonesian descendants have l ...
and Christians are part
Batak
Batak is a collective term used to identify a number of closely related Austronesian ethnic groups predominantly found in North Sumatra, Indonesia, who speak Batak languages. The term is used to include the Karo, Pakpak, Simalungun, Toba, ...
and
Javanese people
The Javanese ( id, Orang Jawa; jv, ꦮꦺꦴꦁꦗꦮ, ''Wong Jawa'' ; , ''Tiyang Jawi'' ) are an ethnic group native to the central and eastern part of the Indonesian island of Java. With approximately 100 million people, Javanese people ...
.
Islam
Islam (; ar, ۘالِإسلَام, , ) is an Abrahamic religions, Abrahamic Monotheism#Islam, monotheistic religion centred primarily around the Quran, a religious text considered by Muslims to be the direct word of God in Islam, God (or ...
is considered as part of the religion of the community and part of which is inseparable from the culture today.
Islam
Islam (; ar, ۘالِإسلَام, , ) is an Abrahamic religions, Abrahamic Monotheism#Islam, monotheistic religion centred primarily around the Quran, a religious text considered by Muslims to be the direct word of God in Islam, God (or ...
influences the funeral procedures, the use of
halal
''Halal'' (; ar, حلال, ) is an Arabic word that translates to "permissible" in English. In the Quran, the word ''halal'' is contrasted with ''haram'' (forbidden). This binary opposition was elaborated into a more complex classification kno ...
food, as well as cultivating the culture of praying and
Tahlila in mosque.
Islam
Islam (; ar, ۘالِإسلَام, , ) is an Abrahamic religions, Abrahamic Monotheism#Islam, monotheistic religion centred primarily around the Quran, a religious text considered by Muslims to be the direct word of God in Islam, God (or ...
is estimated to have entered the lands of the Rejang people in the 16th century.
Islam
Islam (; ar, ۘالِإسلَام, , ) is an Abrahamic religions, Abrahamic Monotheism#Islam, monotheistic religion centred primarily around the Quran, a religious text considered by Muslims to be the direct word of God in Islam, God (or ...
was introduced by the
Minangkabau people
Minangkabau people ( min, Urang Minang; Indonesian or Malay: ''Orang Minangkabau'' or ''Minangkabo''; Jawi: منڠكبو), also known as Minang, are an Austronesian ethnic group native to the Minangkabau Highlands of West Sumatra, Indonesi ...
,
Bantenese people
The Bantenese people (Sundanese: ᮅᮛᮀ ᮘᮔ᮪ᮒᮨᮔ᮪ romanized: ''Urang Banten'') are an indigenous ethnic group native to Banten in the westernmost hemiphere of Java island, Indonesia. The area of Banten province corresponds more o ...
and
Acehnese people
The Acehnese (also written as Atjehnese and Achinese) are an ethnic group from Aceh, Indonesia on the northernmost tip of the island of Sumatra. The area has a history of political struggle against the Dutch. The vast majority of the Acehnese p ...
, whom had already experienced
Islamization
Islamization, Islamicization, or Islamification ( ar, أسلمة, translit=aslamāh), refers to the process through which a society shifts towards the religion of Islam and becomes largely Muslim. Societal Islamization has historically occur ...
earlier.
Before the arrival of
Islam
Islam (; ar, ۘالِإسلَام, , ) is an Abrahamic religions, Abrahamic Monotheism#Islam, monotheistic religion centred primarily around the Quran, a religious text considered by Muslims to be the direct word of God in Islam, God (or ...
, it is said that the Rejang people had already known
Hinduism
Hinduism () is an Indian religion or '' dharma'', a religious and universal order or way of life by which followers abide. As a religion, it is the world's third-largest, with over 1.2–1.35 billion followers, or 15–16% of the global p ...
that were introduced by the Four Monks from
Java
Java (; id, Jawa, ; jv, ꦗꦮ; su, ) is one of the Greater Sunda Islands in Indonesia. It is bordered by the Indian Ocean to the south and the Java Sea to the north. With a population of 151.6 million people, Java is the world's List ...
.
Culture
![Market in Curup Bengkulu Indonesia 2](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/c/cd/Market_in_Curup_Bengkulu_Indonesia_2.jpg)
Rejang people usually live in the valleys of
mountain river
A mountain river is a river that runs usually in mountains, in narrow, deep valley with steep banks, rocky stream bed, and accumulated rock debris.
Mountain rivers are characterized by high slope and flow velocity, insignificant depth, frequent r ...
area that is known as in the upper of Ketahun River region in
Lebong Regency. The main livelihood is agriculture especially as rice cultivators, although they are also considered good fishermen and hunters, and today they also often seek out work as hired workers on plantations and in forestry. The introduction of monetary relations at the end of the 19th century led to large losses of traditional material culture and lifestyle assimilation of other ethnic groups. Today, even the Rejang people would even buy clothings from other neighboring people groups. However, the culture of the Rejang people is considered slightly maladaptive, because they miss out on many of the benefits of modern civilization and they treat foreigners with disdain.
The main social structure is made up of rural
hamlet
''The Tragedy of Hamlet, Prince of Denmark'', often shortened to ''Hamlet'' (), is a tragedy written by William Shakespeare sometime between 1599 and 1601. It is Shakespeare's longest play, with 29,551 words. Set in Denmark, the play depicts ...
(''talang''), consisting of 10 to 15 houses. Traditional families are usually large and extended. The kinship is counted only on the patriarchal lineage. Children from the intermarriage of Rejang women with other ethnicity receive a lower status in the community than pure blooded Rejang children. Noble families of ''kutei'' (meaning, "community")
are distinguished, who are considered to be the founders of the village or the whole populated area. Leaders are chosen from their noble class to form a leadership system called, ''tui kutei'' or ''tuei kutei'' or ''tuwi kutei''. Rejang people have a common law for all customary matters;
which differs significantly from both state legislation and the norms of Islam. The leaders have long lost the possibility of absolute rule over their fellow society, but retained their functions as judges.
Rejang people are known for their song and dance art, including popular female dances. In Rejang society, women do occupy high position. In their customary law, severe penalties such as adultery are provided; which is in line with Islamic laws that makes it easier for the Rejang people and also one of the earliest people group to convert to Islam.
In the present era, despite a number of them still adhere to traditional cultural practices, many Rejang people have received higher education and have been represented in various modern skilled professions or as government employees.
Festivals
There are a few festivals that are celebrated by the Rejang people especially, ''Rayo'' or ''
Idulfitri'', ''Rayo Ajai'' or ''
Iduladha'', annual celebration of each Regencies as well as
Indonesian Independence Day
The Proclamation of Indonesian Independence ( id, Proklamasi Kemerdekaan Indonesia, or simply ''Proklamasi'') was read at 10:00 on Friday, 17 August 1945 in Jakarta. The declaration marked the start of the diplomatic and armed resistance of th ...
in every August. ''Rayo'' and ''Rayo Ajai'' are the two biggest celebrations for the Rejang people. These two religious holidays of
Islam
Islam (; ar, ۘالِإسلَام, , ) is an Abrahamic religions, Abrahamic Monotheism#Islam, monotheistic religion centred primarily around the Quran, a religious text considered by Muslims to be the direct word of God in Islam, God (or ...
; that is already considered as the people's religion, is the time for people to return to their hometown, visit families, vacationing with family members and to build close bonds with one another. The night in celebrating ''Rayo'' as well as ''Rayo Ajai'', parade, processions and small scale fireworks can be seen. In the 27th day of
Ramadan
, type = islam
, longtype = Religious
, image = Ramadan montage.jpg
, caption=From top, left to right: A crescent moon over Sarıçam, Turkey, marking the beginning of the Islamic month of Ramadan. Ramadan Quran reading in Bandar Torkaman, Iran. ...
towards ''Rayo'', the Rejang people observe the ''Opoi Malem Likua'' tradition where they would light up wooden poles of coconut husks in front of their houses for the spirit of their ancestors to be able to find their way back to their homes for the ''Rayo'' celebration.
Annual Regency Day and
Indonesian Independence Day
The Proclamation of Indonesian Independence ( id, Proklamasi Kemerdekaan Indonesia, or simply ''Proklamasi'') was read at 10:00 on Friday, 17 August 1945 in Jakarta. The declaration marked the start of the diplomatic and armed resistance of th ...
are two festivals that are celebrated by the Rejang people are not related to any religion. During the Annual Regency Day, exhibition by the relevant
Small and medium-sized enterprises
Small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) or small and medium-sized businesses (SMBs) are businesses whose personnel and revenue numbers fall below certain limits. The abbreviation "SME" is used by international organizations such as the World Bank ...
of the Regency, along with musical performances of artists that were invited from various places. The largest Annual Regency Day is carried out in May annually in
Curup
Curup is a town and district of Rejang Lebong Regency, part of Bengkulu Province of Indonesia. It is also the administrative capital of the regency. Curup is the second-largest town in the province of Bengkulu. Curup District has an area of 6.21&n ...
,
Rejang Lebong Regency
Rejang Lebong is a regency of Bengkulu Province, Indonesia, on the island of Sumatra. It covers 1,475.99 km² and had a population of 246,787 at the 2010 Census and 276,645 at the 2020 Census; the official estimate as at mid 2021 was 278,793 ...
. While the
Indonesian Independence Day
The Proclamation of Indonesian Independence ( id, Proklamasi Kemerdekaan Indonesia, or simply ''Proklamasi'') was read at 10:00 on Friday, 17 August 1945 in Jakarta. The declaration marked the start of the diplomatic and armed resistance of th ...
celebrated in August annually is enliven with street contest and other typical independence day competitions such as climbing
Areca nut palm
''Areca catechu'' is a species of palm which grows in much of the tropical Pacific, Asia, and parts of east Africa. The palm is believed to have originated in the Philippines, but is widespread in cultivation and is considered naturalized in sou ...
, sack racing, tug of war, street marching and others.
Martial arts
Pencak Silat is one of the many kind of Rejang culture. The Pencak Silat that originate from Rejang land is well known as Silat Jang Pat Petulai.
Traditional weapons
Most of the traditional Rejang weapons are bladed weapons. These traditional weapons in everyday practicability were metamorphosed into various tools that are needed for everyday usage. Traditional Rejang weapons includes the spear which is referred to as ''kujua'' or ''kujuh'', the
parang
Parang is a popular folk music originating from Venezuela and Trinidad and Tobago that was brought to Trinidad and Tobago by Venezuelan migrants who were primarily of Amerindian, Spanish, Mestizo, Pardo, and African heritage, something which i ...
that is called ''pitat'', the
badik
The badik or badek ( Makassarese : badiʼ ᨅᨉᨗ, Buginese : kawali ᨀᨓᨒᨗ) is a knife or dagger developed by the Bugis and Makassar people of southern Sulawesi, Indonesia.
Description
The badik consists of three parts, namely the ha ...
or ''badek'', the
kris
The kris, or ''keris'' in the Indonesian language, is an asymmetrical dagger with distinctive blade-patterning achieved through alternating laminations of iron and nickelous iron (''pamor''). Of Javanese origin, the kris is famous for its disti ...
or ''ke-is'' and a curved
badik
The badik or badek ( Makassarese : badiʼ ᨅᨉᨗ, Buginese : kawali ᨀᨓᨒᨗ) is a knife or dagger developed by the Bugis and Makassar people of southern Sulawesi, Indonesia.
Description
The badik consists of three parts, namely the ha ...
in a shape of a tiger's claw is called ''badek slon imeu''.
The usage of the
parang
Parang is a popular folk music originating from Venezuela and Trinidad and Tobago that was brought to Trinidad and Tobago by Venezuelan migrants who were primarily of Amerindian, Spanish, Mestizo, Pardo, and African heritage, something which i ...
is seen as a compulsory tool to bring along when working on the field. The
parang
Parang is a popular folk music originating from Venezuela and Trinidad and Tobago that was brought to Trinidad and Tobago by Venezuelan migrants who were primarily of Amerindian, Spanish, Mestizo, Pardo, and African heritage, something which i ...
is used for land clearing, to make pathways, to cut wood and to split open coconuts. The use of spear is becoming lesser these days. Generally, it was used for traditionally catching fish in the clear river waters.
Kris
The kris, or ''keris'' in the Indonesian language, is an asymmetrical dagger with distinctive blade-patterning achieved through alternating laminations of iron and nickelous iron (''pamor''). Of Javanese origin, the kris is famous for its disti ...
is generally used in martial arts or as amulets to be kept in homes.
References
Further reading
*
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
Ethnic groups in Indonesia
Muslim communities of Indonesia
Ethnic groups in Sumatra