Who are the Mandar?Located in Indonesia, the Mandar (or Andian) people live in the low coastal plains and mountains of the Majene, Mamuju, and Polmas regencies, located in the province of West Sulawesi. They speak the language of Mandar, which has at least five dialects: Majene, Balanipa (Napo-Tinambung), Malunda, Pamboang, and Sendana (Cenrana, Tjendana). The Mandar have been greatly influenced by the larger neighboring Bugis, Makassar, and Toraja Sa’dan peoples.
Mountains surround the Mandar region, with a large area in the middle suited for rice fields. The main sea products of the region are the cakalang fish and turtle. A rare and protected type of bird in the area is known as the Mandar bird (in the Armimadea family).
What are their lives like?Many Mandar live by farming rice fields or orchards, while some work as fishermen. In the Sendana and Malunda areas, their produce includes copra (dried coconut meat) and cocoa. The rice fields of Polmas are irrigated, while other regencies still use the traditional means of depending on rainfall.
The nobility are referred to as Daeng for the ”royal class” and the Puang is used for the ”common class”
As a society that used to be an independent kingdom, the Mandar people recognize three social classes. The high class consists of the nobility (Todiang Laiyana), the middle class is made up of commoners (Tau Maradika), and the lowest is the slave class (Batua). The nobility are referred to as Daeng for the ”royal class” and Puang is used for the ”common class”.
The history of the development of the Mandar family system has been marked by several periods. First was the Tomakala period, the time when there was no regular government or law. Next came the transition period (Pappuangang), in which the social relationship system began to form. Third was the Arajang period, which brought systematized structures, regulations, and values. Arajang guidelines are still influential, but they have been fused with Islamic and modern structures.
Currently, the king does not rule by hereditary right, but is chosen by the traditional leaders (hadat). In the Mandar tradition, if the headdress of the community leaders is worn angling to the left, it is a call for the king to reconsider his leadership and policies. If all the elders come and walk in front of the palace while wearing their headdress angling to the left and also carrying spears and keris (sacred knives), this is a sign for the king to step down from his throne voluntarily. If the king does not step down voluntarily, they will try to depose him with force, even to the point of killing him. If they are not able to accomplish this by force, then many of them will leave their villages. The Mandar view is that a king is a bad king if the people leave in this manner.What are their beliefs?
The Mandar people are Muslims. At the same time, traditional animistic beliefs are still strong in daily life. The Mandar still believe in the power of unseen spirits that inhabit sacred places. As such, the services of a dukun (shaman/healer/occultist) are often sought for many purposes, including the healing of the sick and the casting out of spirits.
What are their needs?
The Mandar need assistance in managing their commercial agricultural enterprises so they can obtain a maximum yield. They also need help to professionally market their sea products (sea turtle and cakalang fish) in order to obtain the highest market values.
