Tabaru people

Tabaru

Total population
20,000
Regions with significant populations
Indonesia (Halmahera)
Languages
Tabaru, North Moluccan Malay, and Indonesian
Religion
Christianity (majority), Islam, and animism
Related ethnic groups
Ibu •Modole •Galela • Tobelo

The Tabaru people, also known as Tobaru, ^[1] is an ethnic group originating from the province of North Maluku, inhabiting the northwestern part of the island of Halmahera, Indonesia. ^[2] According to the Great Russian Encyclopedia , their population is 20,000 people. ^[3] They belong to the group of North Halmahera-speaking peoples, ^{[3] [4]} they are one of the most numerous peoples of Halmahera. ^[5] Just like other indigenous people of Maluku, they practice the cakalele dance. ^[6]

Language and origin

They speak Tabaru language, which does not belong to the Austronesian language family, ^[2] as well as Indonesian and local Malay language known as North Moluccan Malay. ^[7] Linguistically, they are close to other Halmahera peoples such as the Galela and the Tobelo. ^[8] Although in some sources, they are loosely classified as the Ibu people. ^[9] According to local tradition, however, they come from Sangihe Islands, ^{[10] [11]} i.e. from the area of Philippine languages. ^[12] The name "Tobaru" itself is supposed to mean 'new (newly arrived) people'. ^{[13] [14]}

Sub-groups

The homeland of the Tabaru people is considered to be the upper Ibu River basin, but there are also clusters of this people in various parts of northern Halmahera. ^[5] They are divided into two territorial groups, namely the Tobaru Nyeku and Tobaru Adu. ^[11] This division corresponds to certain dialectal differences. ^{[15] [16]} The variety of the Tabaru language from the area around the Tuada village (south of Jailolo) has developed its own features. ^[5] The forms "Tabaru" and "Tobaru" are interchangeable, with the latter being used by different ethnic groups. ^{[17] [18]}

Religion

Most of them are Christian. ^[19] Some of them accepted Islam under the influence of the Tidore people, with whom they maintain closer contacts. ^[20] At the beginning of the 20th century, some Tabaru people led a nomadic lifestyle. ^[21] At the same time, the missionary and linguist J. Fortgens was active in the region. ^{[15] [22]}

See also

• Ethnic groups in Indonesia
• Moluccans
• Halmahera

References

1. Ichi, Mahmud (2021). "Orang Tobaru dan Tradisi Menanam". baktinews.bakti.or.id (in Indonesian). Bakti News. Retrieved 16 November 2025.
2. Melalatoa, M. Junus (1995). "Ensiklopedi Suku Bangsa di Indonesia Jilid L–Z" (PDF) (in Indonesian). Jakarta: Direktorat Jenderal Kebudayaan, Departemen Pendidikan dan Kebudayaan. p. 862. OCLC   1027453789 . Retrieved 2023-07-18.
3. Czlenow, Michaił Anatoljewicz. "Siewierochalmachierskije narody" (in Russian). Great Russian Encyclopedia. Archived from the original on 2023-02-20. Retrieved 2023-02-20.
4. Czlenow, Michaił Anatoljewicz (1998), "Siewierochalmachierskije narody", in Walerij Aleksandrowicz Tiszkow (ed.), Narody i rieligii mira: encykłopiedija (PDF) (in Russian), Moscow: Great Russian Encyclopedia, p. 474, ISBN   5-85270-155-6, OCLC   40821169 , retrieved 2024-07-14
5. van Fraassen (1980), p. 110. sfnp error: no target: CITEREFvan_Fraassen1980 (help)
6. Aprilia, Annisa (30 April 2018). "Lihat Tari Cakalele Tabaru yang Gunakan Kostum Tradisional Serba Alami". travel.okezone.com (in Indonesian). Okezone . Retrieved 16 November 2025.
7. Lewis, M. Paul; Gary F. Simons; Charles D. Fennig, eds. (2015). Ethnologue: Languages of the World (18th ed.). Dallas, Texas: SIL International.
8. Voorhoeve (1988), p. 186. sfnp error: no target: CITEREFVoorhoeve1988 (help)
9. van Fraassen (1980), p. 109. sfnp error: no target: CITEREFvan_Fraassen1980 (help)
10. Voorhoeve (1983), p. 8. sfnp error: no target: CITEREFVoorhoeve1983 (help)
11. Jäger (2018), p. 63. sfnp error: no target: CITEREFJäger2018 (help)
12. Voorhoeve (1994), p. 652. sfnp error: no target: CITEREFVoorhoeve1994 (help)
13. Voorhoeve (1983), p. 9. sfnp error: no target: CITEREFVoorhoeve1983 (help)
14. Jäger (2018), p. 64. sfnp error: no target: CITEREFJäger2018 (help)
15. Voorhoeve (1988), p. 189. sfnp error: no target: CITEREFVoorhoeve1988 (help)
16. Grimes & Grimes (1984), p. 53. sfnp error: no target: CITEREFGrimesGrimes1984 (help)
17. Fortgens (1928), p. 390. sfnp error: no target: CITEREFFortgens1928 (help)
18. Kotynski (1988), p. 146. sfnp error: no target: CITEREFKotynski1988 (help)
19. Lucardie (1985), p. 85. sfnp error: no target: CITEREFLucardie1985 (help)
20. Probojo, Lany (1998), Tradition und Moderne in Tidore, Indonesien: die Instrumentalisierung islamischer Rituale und ihre politische Relevanz (in German), Muenster: Lit, p. 81, ISBN   3-8258-3633-9, OCLC   845035525
21. Visser & Voorhoeve (1987), p. 74, Note 6. sfnp error: no target: CITEREFVisserVoorhoeve1987 (help)
22. Visser & Voorhoeve (1987), p. 8. sfnp error: no target: CITEREFVisserVoorhoeve1987 (help)

Bibliography

• J. Fortgens (1928). "Grammaticale aantekeningen van het Tabaroesch, Tabaroesche volksverhalen en raadsels". Bijdragen tot de Taal-, Land- en Volkenkunde van Nederlandsch-Indië (in Dutch). 84: 300–544.
• Christiaan F. van Fraassen (1980). "Types of sociopolitical structure in North Halmaheran history". In Masinambow, E.K.M. (ed.). Halmahera dan Raja Ampat: konsep dan strategi penelitian. Jakarta: Lembaga Ekonomi dan Kemasyarakatan Nasional, Lembaga Ilmu Pengetahuan Indonesia (LEKNAS-LIPI). pp. 87–150. OCLC   7407482.
• Charles E. Grimes; Barbara D. Grimes (1984). "Languages of the North Moluccas: a preliminary lexicostatistic classification". In Masinambow, E.K.M. (ed.). Maluku dan Irian Jaya. Buletin LEKNAS III.1. Jakarta: Lembaga Ekonomi dan Kemasyarakatan Nasional, Lembaga Ilmu Pengetahuan Indonesia (LEKNAS-LIPI). pp. 35–63. OCLC   54222413.
• Edward A. Kotynski (1988). "Tabaru phonology and morphology". Work Papers of the Summer Institute of Linguistics, University of North Dakota Session. 32 (1): 143–216. doi:10.31356/silwp.vol32.06. ISSN   0361-4700 . Retrieved 2023-07-18.
• Kirsten Jäger (2018). Das Sultanat Jailolo: Die Revitalisierung von "traditionellen" politischen Gemeinwesen in Indonesien. Comparative Anthropological Studies in Society, Cosmology and Politics 11 (in German). Berlin: LIT Verlag. ISBN   978-3-643-13325-0. OCLC   1029023314.
• Ronald Lucardie (1985). "Spontaneous and Planned Movement Among the Makianese of Eastern Indonesia". Pacific Viewpoint. 26 (1): 63–78. doi:10.1111/apv.261004. ISSN   0030-8978. OCLC   7903981110 . Retrieved 2023-07-18.
• Leontine E. Visser; Clemens L. Voorhoeve (1987). Sahu-Indonesian-English dictionary and Sahu grammar sketch. Verhandelingen van het Koninklijk Instituut voor Taal-, Land- en Volkenkunde 126. Dordrecht: Foris Publications. doi:10.1163/9789004487574. ISBN   978-90-04-48757-4. OCLC   17209362.
• Clemens L. Voorhoeve (1983). "Some Observations on North-Moluccan Malay". In James T. Collins (ed.). Studies in Malay Dialects, Part II. NUSA Monograph Series 17. Jakarta: Badan Penyelenggara Seri NUSA, Universitas Atma Jaya. pp. 1–13.
• Clemens L. Voorhoeve (1988). "The languages of the North Halmaheran stock". In CRCL (ed.). Papers in New Guinea linguistics. No. 26. Pacific Linguistics A-76. Canberra: Department of Linguistics, Research School of Pacific Studies, Australian National University. pp. 181–209. doi:10.15144/PL-A76.181. ISBN   0-85883-370-0. OCLC   220535054.
• Clemens L. Voorhoeve (1994). "Contact-induced change in the non-Austronesian languages in the north Moluccas, Indonesia". In Tom Dutton, Darrell T. Tryon (ed.). Language Contact and Change in the Austronesian World. Trends in Linguistics: Studies and Monographs 77. Berlin–New York: Walter de Gruyter. pp. 649–674. doi:10.1515/9783110883091.649. ISBN   978-3-11-088309-1. OCLC   853258768.