Sobei people

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Sobei
Sobey
Scenes from every land, second series; a collection of 250 illustrations picturing the people, natural phenomena, and animal life in all parts of the world. With one map and a bibliography of (14786878273).jpg
The Sobei people on Yamna Island, 1909.
Total population
1,850 (2000) [1]
Regions with significant populations
Indonesia (Sarmi Regency)
Languages
Sarmi languages (Sobei, Anus, Podena, Liki, Wakde, Yamna), Papuan Malay, and Indonesian
Religion
Christianity
Related ethnic groups
Armati  • Rumbuai  • Manirem  • Isirawa

The Sobei people, also known as the Sobey, are an Austronesian-speaking ethnic group living in three main areas, namely Sawar, Bagaiserwar, and Sarmi Kota of Sarmi Regency in the province of Papua, Indonesia. In addition, they also occupy several islands off the north coast, such as Liki-Liki, Wakde, Yamna, Anus, and Podena. [2] They are one of the five main ethnic groups in Sarmi Regency.

Contents

Population

In 2000, according to the 18th edition of Ethnologue , the population of the Sobei people was estimated at 1,850, with 1,000 of them speaking the Sobei language. [1] Other languages spoken are Anus, Podena, Liki, Wakde, and Yamna which are closely related. [3]

Culture

Weaving tradition

One thing that distinguishes the Sobei people from most other native Papuans is that they are familiar with the culture of weaving cloth ( tenun ). An Austronesian culture that has been inherited from their ancestors. The terfo (tervo) cloth is a type of ikat weaving that uses thread from the nibung palm tree (Oncosperma tigillarium) or pe'a in the local language. The leaves of the tree are removed and tied together in bundles, then the bundles are boiled and soaked in salt water for 3–4 hours. If it comes from the mayang leaf, it will be lighter in color, compared to the stem. [4] [5]

Then the leaves are spun into thread and colored with various natural dyes, such as the root of the mare mixed with lime and water to produce a red color (federa), for reddish brown color use mengkudu (noni), brown color from yone (turmeric) mixed with lime and water, the light yellow color of the yone alone, the menwafo tree produces a purplish blue color, the fruit of the meoerta tree produces a black color (femeno), and the bemotepori tree or old palm leaves which are boiled to produce a green color. Based on its use, terfo cloth is divided into three types, the first type is for decorating the karwari house, the second type is for the tribal chief (satetum) and his children, and the third type is for ordinary people. This weaving tradition declined with the rise of imported cotton fabric. [4] [5] [6]

See also

References

  1. 1 2 Sobei at Ethnologue (18th ed., 2015) (subscription required)
  2. ↑ Lestari, Ummu Fatimah Ria (2014). "Morfologi Cerita Rakyat Sobey Kororsri (Penerapan Teori Naratologi Vladmir Propp)" (PDF). Gramatika (in Indonesian). 2 (2): 93.
  3. ↑ Grace, George W. (1971). "Notes on the phonological history of the Austronesian languages of the Sarmi Coast". Oceanic Linguistics. 10: 11–37.
  4. 1 2 "Tenun Ikat Terfo Tradisi Suku Sobey Dari Kabupaten Sarmi Terancam Punah". jubi.id (in Indonesian). Jubi Papua. 2022-10-15. Retrieved 2025-11-03.
  5. 1 2 Buckley, Christopher; Kondologit, Enrico; Yapsenang, Yudha; Sardjono, Sandra (2023). "The fiber making and terfo weaving tradition of the Sobei people of Papua" (PDF). Fiber, Loom; Technique (1): 1–16. Retrieved 2025-11-03.
  6. ↑ "Kain Tenun Terfo Orang Sobey di Sarmi". rri.co.id (in Indonesian). Radio Republik Indonesia. 2024-08-04. Retrieved 2025-11-03.
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