Singkil people are an Bataks sub-ethnic group of people found in Aceh Singkil Regency and Subulussalam, province of Aceh, Indonesia.[2] Sometimes Singkil people are misunderstood as Boang people, a Pakpak sub-ethnic group, especially because of their shared religion of Islam and because they live side by side.[3]
Their closest linguistic relationship is with the Pakpak people, but the customs and culture of the Singkil people are very different from those of the Pakpak people. This is because majority of the Singkil people practices Islam, whereas the majority of the Pakpak people practices Christianity. Apart from that the Singkil people have intermarried with the neighbouring ethnic group of people like Acehnese people and Minangkabau people.[4]
The culture of the Singkil people itself has been greatly influenced by Islamic traditions. Although they may belong to the same clusters of parent-ethnic, the culture of the Pakpak people is vastly different from the Singkil people. This is because the Singkil people are mostly Muslims, while majority of the Pakpak people are Christians. Apart from that, mix marriages among the Singkil people with other foreign ethnics such as Acehnese people and Minangkabau people occurs more frequently.[4]
Religion
Islam is believed to have spread in lands of the Singkil people a few centuries ago by foreign merchants that came from Minangkabau Highlands and later during the rule of the Aceh Sultanate. Many of the Minangkabau people have left traces of their history and their descendants in the coastline region. Abdurrauf Singkil, also known as Syekh Abdur Rauf as-Singkili was once a famous Singkil ulama that was appointed as a head ulama and a mufti in the Acehnese kingdom in 17th century.[5]
Surnames
Traditional Singkil wedding stageMandi pangir, bathing during children circumcision procession
Just as with other sub-ethnic Batak people, the marga (family name or surname) of the Singkil people derives from the patrilineal lineage.[6] Generally, the margas that are used by the Singkil people are similar to those used by the Pakpak people, Alas people, Kluet people and part of Karo people along with Toba people. Nevertheless, there are margas that are different. Several of the margas that are found among the Singkil people includes:-
Kombih (Kumbi)
Ramin
Barat
Palis (Pelis)
Manik
Kembang
Kesugihen
Lingga
Bako
Ujung
Sulin (Solin)
Pokan (Pohan)
There are also a number of Singkil margas that originates from the descendants of the Minangkabau people that have assimilated with the Singkil people centuries ago, such as:-
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Indonesia (Aceh)
