Alas people

The Alas people are an ethnic group that inhabits Southeast Aceh Regency, Aceh, Indonesia. They speak the Alas language, which is related to the Batak languages.

Alas people
Pemamanan tradition of the Alas people.
Total population
85,600[1]
Regions with significant populations
 Indonesia (Aceh)
Languages
Alas language, Indonesian
Religion
Islam
Related ethnic groups
Gayo people, Kluet people, Karo people (Indonesia)

Languages

Alas people uses the Alas language (Cekhok Alas) on a daily basis. This language is part of the Austronesian languages of the Kluet people in Aceh Selatan Regency, which also uses a very similar language with the language of the Alas people.[2] The Alas language also uses many similar vocabulary with Karo language of the Karo people in North Sumatra.[3] It is estimated that 80,000 people spoke the language in 2000.[4] It is thought that the Alas language might have originated from Batak languages.[3] Although Alas people live in Aceh Province, the language they use is very different with Acehnese.

Surnames

The Alas names often include the family name or Marga (Batak) such as:[5]

  • Bangko
  • Deski
  • Keling
  • Kepale Dese
  • Keruas
  • Pagan
  • Selian
  • Acih
  • Beruh
  • Gale
  • Kekaro
  • Mahe
  • Menalu
  • Mencawan
  • Munthe
  • Pase
  • Pelis
  • Pinim
  • Ramin
  • Ramud
  • Sambo
  • Sekedang
  • Sugihen
  • Sepayung
  • Sebayang
  • Teriga

Art

Traditional dance and musical instruments of the Alas people are such as:[6][7]

  • Mesekat dance
  • Pelabat dance
  • Landok Alun dance
  • Tangis Dilo[8]
  • Canang Situ[9]
  • Canang Buluh
  • Genggong
  • Oloi-olio
  • Keketuk layakh.

Crafts
Alas traditional house in Aceh Tenggara Regency.

The Alas people are also known to work on traditional crafts like:

  • Nemet (weaving of Rumbia leaves)
  • Mbayu amak (Pandan mat)
  • Bordir (customary attire)
  • Blacksmith (Pisau Bekhemu, a traditional blade from Aceh Tenggara Regency)
  • Payung mesikhat

Traditional cuisine

Traditional food of the Alas people includes:[10]

  • Manuk labakh
  • Ikan labakh
  • Puket Megaukh
  • Lepat bekhas
  • Gelame
  • Puket Megaluh
  • Buah Khum-khum
  • Ikan pacik kule
  • Telukh Mandi
  • Puket mekuah
  • Tumpi
  • Godekhr
  • Puket sekuning
  • Cimpe
  • Getuk

References
  1. "Alas in Indonesia". Joshua Project. Retrieved 2014-11-02.
  2. John Fitzgerald McCarthy (2006). The Fourth Circle: A Political Ecology of Sumatra's Rainforest Frontier. Stanford University Press. ISBN 08-047-5212-5.
  3. K Alexander Adelaar & Nikolaus Himmelmann (2013). The Austronesian Languages of Asia and Madagascar. Routledge. ISBN 11-367-5509-8.
  4. "Batak Alas-Kluet". Ethnologue. Retrieved 2017-02-25.
  5. Dr Thalib Akbar (2004). Sanksi dan Denda Tindak Pidana Adat Alas.
  6. Komisi A (2003). Musyawarah Adat Alas dan Gayo. Pemerintah Kabupaten Aceh Tenggara.
  7. Zulyani Hidayah (1997). Ensiklopedi: Suku bangsa di Indonesia. Pustaka LP3ES. ISBN 979-8391-64-0.
  8. Bakhrum Yunus (1987). Struktur sastra lisan Alas. Pusat Pembinaan dan Pengembangan Bahasa, Departemen Pendidikan dan Kebudayaan. OCLC 20579319.
  9. Akifumi Iwabuchi (1994). The People of the Alas Valley: A Study of an Ethnic Group of Northern Sumatra. Clarendon Pres. ISBN 0-19-827902-7.
  10. Makarina Rina. "Makanan Khas Suku Alas". Google+. Retrieved 2014-12-12.

See also
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