Wayer people

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Wikipedia

Wayer
Maybrat Tee
Ra ro Wayer
The Wayer people and district officials on the day of the gospel mission, 19 January 2022.
Total population
3,000 (2020)
Regions with significant populations
Indonesia (Southwest Papua)
Languages
Maybrat, Papuan Malay, and Indonesian
Religion
Christianity
Related ethnic groups
Maybrat • Tehit • Kais [id]

The Wayer people (Maybrat: Ra ro Wayer), also known as Maybrat Tee, are an ethnic group in Southwest Papua, Indonesia. They are part of the Maybrat people, which includes several other sub-ethnic groups. Their distribution area is mainly in the Wayer district and the part of Moswaren [id] district,[1] which is administratively in South Sorong Regency, near the border of Maybrat Regency.[2]

They have clan (keret or fam) connections with other Maybrat people, as well as with their neighboring Kais people [id] to the south.[3] They are known to speak a dialect of the Maybrat language, bordering the Tehit language speaking area in the Wersar village to the west.[4] In Wayer people, the tribal chief functions as the community leader and owner of customary land.[5]

Religion

The Wayer people are mostly or almost entirely Christian, mainly Protestant. Christianity entered the Wayer region during the reign of the Dutch East Indies government, where 19 January 1919 was known as the day of the gospel mission there. The evangelism was led by Tuan Guru (Mr. Teacher) Pareira and Tuan Guru (Mr. Teacher) Rumaresi from Kampung Baru, accompanied by Kapitan (Captain) Sura of Kampung Baru and Tuan (Sir) Bister of Ambon. They went from Kampung Baru to Mogatemin, then to Bagaraga (Kitanor).[6]

The second gospel landing began in Warongge in 1922 under the leadership of gospel teacher Isak Fati who used a sailing ship and was received by Simbrah Maga Wororik. After from Warongge, he continued to Fategomi (Tehak Besar). Where finally Christianity was gradually accepted by the Wayer people and the residents of the surrounding ethnic groups. The spread of Christianity progressed peacefully and with assistance from the Dutch colonial government.[6]

Sub-tribes

The Wayer people is divided into three sub-tribes recognized by the South Sorong Regency Government in regional regulations, namely:[7]

  • Wayer Bronarak
  • Wayer Ciu
  • Wayer Tee

Customary land

The customary land of the Wayer people is located on the border between South Sorong Regency and Maybrat Regency in the province of Southwest Papua, Indonesia. Administratively, their customary land is included in the South Sorong Regency, specifically in the Wayer district and the part of Moswaren district.[1] Their residential land borders the Kais and Tehit peoples. They are also related to other Maybrat sub-ethnic groups who inhabit the Wamoka (Wayer, Moswaren, Kais Darat) region.[8]

Their customary land consists of village settlements, hunting and gathering areas, and customary forests which may not be used indiscriminately. However, currently, they are in conflict with a palm oil plantation company that is encroaching on their land by destroying the forest and replacing it with palm oil and factory buildings.[1] An area of 35,000 hectares of customary land belonging to the Wayer people, consisting of 12,101 hectares in the district of Wayer and 23,000 hectares in the district of Moswaren, are unilaterally claimed by two different palm oil plantation companies.[9]

See also

References

  1. 1 2 3 Pratama, Sandy I. (20 May 2021). "Liputan Khusus: Suku Maybrat Tee dan Tehit Tolak Izin Sawit di Sorong Selatan". betahita.id (in Indonesian). Betahita. Retrieved 6 November 2025.
  2. ↑ "Demografi Kabupaten Sorong Selatan: Potret Keberagaman dan Potensi Lokal". sorongselatankab.go.id (in Indonesian). South Sorong Regency Government. 5 August 2024. Retrieved 6 November 2025.
  3. ↑ Semunya, Engel (1 November 2018). Belau, Arnold (ed.). "Marga Sub Suku Mare dan Aifat Didata". suarapapua.com (in Indonesian). Suara Papua. Retrieved 6 November 2025.
  4. ↑ "Bahasa Tehit Dit (Tehit Tua)". petabahasa.kemdikbud.go.id (in Indonesian). Language Development and Fostering Agency. Jakarta: Ministry of Education and Culture. Retrieved 6 November 2025 – via Bahasa dan Peta Bahasa di Indonesia.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: others (link)
  5. ↑ Hermawan, Nandang (8 July 2015). "Masyarakat Sorong Selatan Rindukan Pembangunan Kodim di Wilayahnya". tniad.mil.id (in Indonesian). Indonesian Army. Retrieved 6 November 2025.
  6. 1 2 Watho, Desianus (23 January 2022). "Perayaan HUT 103 Tahun Pendaratan Injil Ditanah Wayer Dengan Sub Tema "Wayer Bersyukur dan Bangkit"". metrorakyat.com (in Indonesian). Metro Rakyat. Retrieved 6 November 2025.
  7. ↑ Anggiluli, Samsudin (2022). "Peraturan Daerah Kabupaten Sorong Selatan Nomor 3 Tahun 2022 Tentang Pengakuan, Perlindungan, dan Penghormatan Hak Masyarakat Hukum Adat di Kabupaten Sorong Selatan" (PDF). brwa.or.id (in Indonesian). South Sorong Regency Government. Retrieved 6 November 2025 – via Badan Registrasi Wilayah Adat.
  8. ↑ Pulo, Paulus (23 March 2024). Supar, Evarianus (ed.). "LMA Wamoka deklarasi dukung Dance Nauw maju dalam Pilbup Sorsel". papuatengah.antaranews.com (in Indonesian). Antara News. Retrieved 6 November 2025.
  9. ↑ "Masyarakat Adat Tehit & Maybrat Tuntut Pemkab Sorsel Cabut Ijin Perusahaan Sawit". gardapapua.com (in Indonesian). Garda Papua. 20 May 2021. Retrieved 6 November 2025.