Tabla people

Not to be confused with Tabla.

Tabla

Tepra or Tepera
Tabla dance from the village of Tablanusu, Depapre District
Total population
3,750
Regions with significant populations
Indonesia (Jayapura Regency)
Languages
Tabla language
Related ethnic groups
Sentani, Demta

The Tabla people (Tabla : Tepra or Tepera) are an ethnic group who inhabit the Depapre District and surrounding areas in Jayapura Regency, Papua Province, Indonesia. ^[1]

Language

The Table people speak the Tabla language, which is divided into three dialects: ^{[1] [2]}

• Yokari in Yokari District, Jayapura Regency
• Central Tepera in Depapre District, especially in the villages of Tablanusu, Waya, and Tablasupa
• Tawano in the areas to the east of Depapre District, such as Yepase through Yongsu Desoyo in Ravenirara District.

Traditions

Tiyaitiki

Tiyaitiki is the local sasi (conservation tradition) of the Tepera people, namely the knowledge of regulating, managing, using, and preserving the marine and coastal resources of the Tanah Merah Bay area. As with other sasi traditions, the community is forbidden from exploiting certain marine resources for a specified period. Other names for the practice are tiyaitikete among the Yokari people and dabom or takar among the Demta people. ^[3]

References

1. Szilzer, Peter J.; Clouse, Helja Heikkinen (1991). Index of Irian Jaya languages: A Special Publication of Irian. Index of Irian Jaya Languages. SIL and Universiy of Cenderawasih. Retrieved 17 November 2025.
2. Kelian, Rosalina; Kelian, Rosalina (17 April 2014). "Persebaran Bahasa Daerah di Papua dan Analisis Pergeserannya (Kasus Bahasa Daerah Tepra dan Sentani di Jayapura)" [Distribution of Local Languages in Papua and Analysis of Their Shift (Case Study of Tepra and Sentani in Jayapura)]. Kemendikbudristek (in Indonesian). Retrieved 17 November 2025.
3. "Menjaga Perairan Teluk Tanah Merah Dengan Tiyaitiki" [Protecting the Waters of Tanah Merah Bay Through Tiyaitiki]. New Guinea Kurir (in Indonesian). 10 September 2022. Retrieved 17 November 2025.