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Lampung of Indonesia

Population: 1.5 million
Primary Location: South Sumatra, Indonesia
Languages: Lampung, Bahasa Indonesia

Monday
Nov172008

Who are the Lampung?

The Lampung people live in Indonesia's Lampung Province on the southern tip of Sumatra. The Lampung have several different subgroups, including the Abung, or mountain people, who practiced head hunting and remained in isolation until the 19th century.

Livelihood

Lampung Province is one of the poorest in Sumatra. According to the World Bank, 40% of Lampung's inhabitants live below the poverty line, and many children are malnourished. The majority of Lampung earn their living by farming, forestry, animal husbandry and fishing. A small number also work in construction, in education or as government employees.

Culture

Lampung people in the mountains and the eastern lowlands have maintained many traditional practices. They have extravagant weddings. They use charms and other means to interact with the spirit world. Honorific titles are granted to some men as a mark of status in the community. Traditional Lampung people also follow a hereditary elder system in which the first son of a man's first wife not only inherits a large percentage of his father's property, but also becomes the head of the family after his father dies. Lampung people along the coast, unlike their mountain kinfolk, have been influenced by other ethnic groups and retain fewer traditional practices.

Beliefs

Most Lampung people are Muslim. Urban Lampung are particularly faithful in carrying out the rituals of their faith. In the past several years, the government has helped to build many new mosques and religious education facilities throughout the province.

Prayer Points

  • Pray that followers of Jesus from other ethnic groups in Lampung Province would begin to reach out in love to the Lampung people. May they demonstrate God's love in practical ways as well as by sharing the Good News.

  • Barriers such as community pressure and the poor witness of some "Christians" keep many Lampung from accepting the Good News. Pray that these barriers would be removed and that the Lampung would meet Jesus in dreams and visions.

  • Pray that followers of Jesus would develop sensitive and effective strategies for reaching the Lampung.

  • Pray for Lampung followers of Jesus to grow strong in faith. May they have courage to follow Jesus despite opposition. May they be salt and light in their communities.

Read the full profile

Lampung of Indonesia

Learn more about the Lampung

(External links)

Joshua Project People Profile
Wikipedia
Lampung Travel Guide
Things to do in Lampung Province
Lampung Language