Who are the Mamuju?

The Mamuju people of South Sulawesi live in the coastal area and on the mountain slopes of the regency of Mamuju. Their communities are located from the southern border of this regency to the mouth of the Budong-Budong River. Their language is the Mamuju language, which has 9 dialects.

What are their lives like?

The Mamuju people’s main livelihood is agriculture and fishing. They cultivate copra and cocoa on a small scale, and also grow cloves, corn and cassava along the coast. They also raise cattle. Their primary forest product is ebony wood. In the city, some Mamuju work as traders, teachers or nurses.

The houses of the Mamuju have a simple structure, with most of the walls made of plaited bamboo and the roof made of palm leaves. Their houses are built on stilts approximately two meters high.

The Mamuju people live peacefully with their neighbors, whom they regard as their own family. They work together, such as in building their houses, in preparing festivities, and in drying copra. The Mamuju treat visitors as honored guests, but serious conflict will arise if they feel they have been dishonored or shamed. Many women and girls wear gold earrings to show that they are not poor. Groups of men and women never mix together. When they catch fish, men take the boats, while the women wait on the beach.

The Mamuju tribe have several kinds of leaders, who are always men. They rely on a dukun (shaman/healer/occultist) to determine the right days for various activities, such as weddings and harvest ceremonies. They also have a religious leader and a leader who is chosen by the regional government. The religious leader is the most influential, while the governmental leader is only effective when the people regard him as being a good leader. Important informational meetings are usually held at the mesjid (mosque). The Mamuju have many of their own rules and regulations. For serious offenses, a person often has to give a cow to the offended party.

In the life of the Mamuju, young people make their own choice of who to marry. Women are usually 16-17 years old when they marry, while men are usually 18-20 years old. They like to have many children and there are usually 5-6 children in a family.

What do they believe?

Nearly all of the Mamuju are Muslim. There is a mesjid (mosque) in almost every village. However, there is still influence from animism in their lives, such as fear of ghosts, or regarding the sounds of certain birds as ghosts or bad spirits.

What are their needs?

Information on health and nutrition is greatly needed by the Mamuju people. Many children have poor nutrition, and the child mortality rate is quite high. Malaria is also widespread in this area. The Mamuju people have a positive attitude toward education; however they sometimes do not have sufficient funds to continue schooling. More effort is needed to increase production of their plantation products and to market them more effectively. These products in fact have a relatively high economic value, which is currently underdeveloped.