Kafoa people

Last updated
Kafoa
Kafoa parti.png
The Kafoa people dancing in North Probur village, 2018.
Total population
1,000 (2010) [1]
Regions with significant populations
Indonesia (Alor Island)
Languages
Kafoa, Klon, Abui, Alor Malay, and Indonesian [2]
Religion
Christianity (predominantly) [3] and Islam [1]
Related ethnic groups
Beilel  • Abui  • Klon

The Kafoa people, also known as the Jafoo or Habollat, [3] are an ethnic group that primarily inhabits the North Probur village of Alor Regency in the province of East Nusa Tenggara, Indonesia. They are Kafoa speakers, most of them multilingual, speaking Abui, Klon, Alor Malay, and Indonesian. [2]

Contents

History

According to folklore, the Kafoa people originate from Munaseli in Pantar, specifically from the village of Helan Dohi. Their ancestors were Bapa Baa (lit. 'Father of Baa') and Sura Baa (lit. 'Son of Baa'). At that time, there was a war in their place of origin, led by a tribal chief, they sailed using a pelangka (boat) until they arrived in Alor Kecil, then continued their journey to Worowat, Buraga, and finally to Makong Afeng. It was only in the 1960s that they moved to Habollat hamlet, where they lived until present. [4]

Population

The population was around 1,000 in 2010, most of whom lived in the hamlets of Habollat and Lola in North Probur village. [1] The Kafoa people are divided into at least eleven known subgroups, namely the Hamalelang, Bailelang, Dikalelang, Nalentau, Fariu Aramang, Bulaka, Damoi Aramang, Kafola Aramang, Kula Afeng, Kalong Aramang, and Arang Aramang. [2] They are known to be residents of Munaseli in Pantar who migrated in the 14th century after the war that occurred between the Munaseli Kingdom and the Pandai Kingdom. [3]

Language

The Kafoa people speak the Kafoa language, a Papuan language from the Alor–Pantar branch. This language is endangered, with the number of speakers decreasing every year. Its speakers are multilingual, speaking Alor Malay, Klon, Abui, and Indonesian. [5] Some of the Kafoa people were once speakers of the extinct Beilel language, inter-ethnic marriage and assimilation made them become Kafoa language speakers and most of the Beilel people were absorbed into the Kafoa people. [3]

See also

References

  1. 1 2 3 Humaedi, Alie (2013). "Pelestarian Budaya dan Bahasa Etnik Terancam Punah (Studi Kasus Bahasa Kafoa di Probur Utara, Alor, Nusa Tenggara Timur)". Kajian (in Indonesian). 18 (2). Jakarta: House of Representatives Library: 219–245.
  2. 1 2 3 Patji, A.R. (2014). Bahasa, Kebudayaan, dan Pandangan, Tentang Kebahasaan Masyarakat Etnik (Lokal) Kafoa di Alor Nusa Tenggara Timur (1st ed.). Jakarta: LIPI Press. ISBN   978-979-799-775-5.
  3. 1 2 3 4 Sudiyono (2015). "Sejarah dan Dinamika Praktik Hak Ulayat Tanah di Desa Probur Utara Habollat Kabupaten Alor" [The History and Dynamic of Customary Land Tenure in the Village of Probur Utara Habollat Alor Regency](PDF). Journal of Society and Culture. 17 (2). Jakarta: Center for Social and Cultural Research, Indonesian Institute of Sciences: 185–206. doi: 10.14203/jmb.v17i2.284 . ISSN   1410-4830.
  4. ↑ Sunarti, Sastri (2018). "Asal-Usul Kampung Habollat (Suku Kafoa)". Mendengar nenek moyang turun dari langit: motif cerita asal-usul suku dari Alor, Pura, dan Pantar, Nusa Tenggara Timur (in Indonesian). Jakarta: LIPI Press. pp. 138–146. doi: 10.55981/brin.406 . ISBN   9786024960100.
  5. ↑ Baird, Louise (2017). "Kafoa". In Schapper, Antoinette (ed.). The Papuan Languages of Timor, Alor and Pantar: Volume 2. Berlin: Walter de Gruyter. pp. 55–108.
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