Ethnic Groups: Definition, Characteristics and Examples

UNGKIT.COM – An ethnic group is a social group or category of people who share a common origin, language, customs, history, and a specific cultural identity that distinguishes them from other groups.

According to the KBBI—the official Indonesian dictionary, the term ethnic group refers to a group of people (or families) who share a common ancestry. It can also denote a specific group within a larger nation.

Characteristics of an ethnic group include having common ancestors, or sharing a lineage or historical origin. An ethnic group typically possesses a distinct language or dialect, using this regional language or dialect for daily communication as a marker of their identity.

In social life, an ethnic group is defined by its customs and traditions; members practice specific habits, traditional ceremonies, norms, and rules for communal living that have been passed down through generations. 

Furthermore, they share an internal bond and a sense of togetherness as members of that group. According to data from Statistics Indonesia (BPS), there are more than 1,340 ethnic groups in Indonesia, spread across the archipelago from Sabang to Merauke.

Examples of major ethnic groups include the Javanese (on the island of Java), the Sundanese (West Java), the Batak (North Sumatra), the Minangkabau (West Sumatra—who follow a matrilineal system), the Bugis and Toraja (South Sulawesi), the Dayak (Kalimantan), and the Dani, Asmat, and Biak peoples (Papua), among many others. (*)

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