Haloban people

Haloban people is an ethnic group that inhabits in Banyak Islands, Aceh Singkil Regency, in a group of islands in the Indian Ocean. This ethnic group inhabits two villages on Tuangku Island, namely Haloban and Asantola.

Haloban

Total population
1,800[1]
Regions with significant populations
Banyak Islands
Languages
Haloban, Jamee
Religion
Sunni Islam
Related ethnic groups
Acehnese • Minangkabau • Simeulue

According to oral tradition, this ethnic group is an assimilation of the Minangkabau, Nias, Simeulue, Batak, and Acehnese. These five ethnic groups agreed to establish a kingdom by asking a nobleman from Pagaruyung to become raja (king).^[2] But actually the native people already existed before the assimilation occurred, who can be proven by the Haloban language which is different from other languages (incl. Jamee and Acehnese), but is still related to Simeulue language.

Languages

There are two languages spoken by Haloban people, Jamee language for going to the market and speaking with other ethnicities, while Haloban language which has many similarities with Simeulue language on the island of Simeulue is used among themselves.^[2]

See also

• Haloban language
• Acehnese people