Dompu people

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Dompu
Dou Dompu
Total population
80,000[1]
Regions with significant populations
Indonesia (Dompu)
Languages
Bimanese (Dompu dialect) and Indonesian
Religion
Sunni Islam
Related ethnic groups
Bimanese • Sumbawa • Tambora†

The Dompu people (Bimanese: Dou Dompu) are an ethnic group that inhabits the central part of Sumbawa Island in the province of West Nusa Tenggara, Indonesia.[2] The Dompu people originally inhabited most of Dompu Regency.[3] However, due to the eruption of Mount Tambora in 1815, only a small number of the native Dompu people remained in Dompu Regency. Currently, the Dompu people primarily inhabit the districts of Dompu, Hu'u, Pajo, and Woja, as far as Manggelewa. Meanwhile, the districts of Pekat, Kempo, and Kilo are now predominantly inhabited by the Bimanese people.[4] The mother tongue used by the Dompu people today is the Dompu dialect of Bimanese language.[2][5]

The Dompu people today are mostly descendants of the Bimanese migrants who occupied the former kingdoms in Dompu – especially the kingdoms of Tambora, Pekat, and Sanggar – which were affected by the 1815 eruption of Mount Tambora.[6] It is known that after the eruption, only 12 villages of the Dompu people remained.[4] So it can be said that they are a sub-group of Bimanese people, even though before the eruption they were indicated to be a different ethnic group, both in terms of lineage and linguistics.[7] They are thought to be related to or at least influenced by the Tambora culture which became extinct in the 19th century.[8]

Origin

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According to local folklore, the Dompu people were originally the natives of the Dompu Kingdom, one of the oldest kingdoms in Lesser Sunda Islands. This was confirmed and agreed to by archaeologists from the National Archaeology Research Institute, Sukandar and Kusuma Ayu, whose research found that before the founding of the Dompu Kingdom, the Dompu people had been led by several tribal chiefs who ruled over their respective territories with the title of neuhi (little king), including:[1]

  • Neuhi Hu'u who ruled in Hu'u and its surroundings; was the most respected and honored
  • Neuhi Soneo who ruled in Soneo and its surroundings (now Dompu and Woja districts)
  • Neuhi Nowa who ruled in Nowa and its surroundings
  • Neuhi Tonda who ruled in Tonda (now Riwo village in Woja district)

Livelihood

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The main sources of livelihood for the Dompu people are farmers, traders, livestock breeders, and fishermen. The agricultural products of this area are sweet potatoes, yams, soybeans, and corn, while the garden products are tobacco, kapok, fenugreek, pineapple, and tamarind.

Religion

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The religion of the Dompu people is Islam,[2] around 99% of Dompu people are Muslims. The scholar are seen as very good among the Dompu people because they are highly educated and live a decent life. In the past, the Dompu people received a very large Islamic influence from the Gowa Sultanate, as well as influence from Java and Sumatra.[9]

Culture

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Wedding ceremony

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One of the most famous ceremonies in Dompu is the peta kapanca ceremony.[10] The peta kapanca ceremony is part of a wedding tradition taken from Bimanese and Dompu customs, which is carried out before the wedding ceremony at the bride's house. The main activity of this ceremony is applying henna leaves or red henna to the bride's nails, which was then smeared alternately by the women who attended this event. The meaning of this ceremony is as a mother's hope that her daughter can follow in the groom's footsteps. Meanwhile, women can use this ceremony as an example to quickly end their menstruation. The stages of this tradition are as follows:[10]

  1. Sangongo, a steam bath with various flowers and herbs.
  2. Boho oi ndeu, a ritual bathing ceremony.
  3. Cafi ra hambu maru kai is the act of cleaning the bride's room.
  4. The application of henna (inai) leaves to the bride's nails.
  5. Rawa mbojo, a traditional song sung until dawn.

In addition to traditional ceremonies, the Dompu people have a long-standing art form, called rawa mbojo.[10] This art is played by men and women, where a man plays the role of violinist and sometimes sings together as the lead singer. Before the emergence of modern musical instruments such as the Malay orchestra or single organ, rawa mbojo was one of the most popular folk arts of its time. This music is typically played at weddings. Rawa mbojo is usually sold at the host's home, ready for formal receptions. The Dompu people call this new musical creation biola katipu, a combination of violin and drums, a symbol of dangdut music. The personnel are more than two people according to how many musical instruments are played. Because it works with dangdut music, the rhythm and tempo of the music is relatively fast and beautiful.

Traditional house

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The traditional House of the Dompu people call it the uma jompa and uma panggu.[11] The uma jompa functions as a rice barn. This place is separate from the houses of the Dompu people. The uma jompa has three floors, based on their respective functions. The first floor is used to receive guests and hold traditional ceremonies, the second floor serves as a bedroom and kitchen, and the third floor serves as a food storage area. Meanwhile, the uma panggu or uma ceko is a traditional dwelling house for the Dompu people. The structure is constructed of wood and sits on stilts.

Traditional clothing

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The traditional clothing of the Dompu people is differentiated for men and women.[2] Traditional women's clothing is divided into two categories, distinguished by function and social status. First, the rimpu colo, which is the attire worn by married women.[2] This form of dress covers the entire body, only the face, palms of the hands and soles of the feet are visible. Then, the second is the rimpu mpida, which is a dress worn by women who still have the status of women (unmarried women).[2] The rimpu itself is a typical headscarf of the Dompu people, requiring two pieces of sarong to make it. The meaning of rimpu, apart from being a tradition, is for women to cover their genitals so they can protect themselves and be respected by others. The tradition of using rimpu has been known since the arrival of Islam in Dompu from the Bima Sultanate, brought by religious figures from Makassar. The traditional clothing of Dompu men is katente tembe, namely short trousers made of cloth. This clothing is usually worn when going to the rice fields and to the mountains. However, currently the koko shirt is the second choice often worn by men in Dompu.

Traditional games

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One of the traditional games of the Dompu people is mpa'a tutu kalikuma,[12] yang dimainkan sambil menyanyikan lagu dengan lirik sebagai berikut:

Tutu kalikuma ma
Sa anggo ngo
Wai lele le
La jami mpako
Kadui ma mpiki
La hasa nggero
Ma doho di nggaro
Kapela sara goa gopa
Ina na’e gepu

Mpa'a tutu kalikuma can be played by women or men with 5 to 8 players.[12] First position, participants sit cross-legged and lift slightly, palms hanging in a fully upright position. One person holding the top handle reaches out and taps the top of their friend's hand. At the end of each song, the bottom handle opens. Likewise, there's a dialogue between players in the form of questions and answers. This traditional game is similar to the Sundanese game of paciwit-ciwit lutung. Apart from the traditional game mpa'a tutu kalikuma, there are several other traditional games that are usually played by Dompu children, including:[13]

  • Mpa'a kawongga
  • Mpa'a gopa
  • Mpa'a ngepa
  • Mpa'a kaleli
  • Mpa'a kajuji
  • Mpa'a geta
  • Mpa'a kaneke
  • Mpa'a tapa gala
  • Mpa'a wele
  • Mpa'a bedi
  • Mpa'a janga
  • Mpa'a kasi'i
  • Mpa'a taji isi mangge
  • Mpa'a oro sampa
  • Mpa'a kole

Traditional dances

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The types of traditional dances of the Dompu people are:[2]

  1. Sampela ma rimpu,[14] tells the story of a girl from Dompu who is going to a lake and wearing a colorful rimpu cloth.
  2. Mama ra isi,[14] is a welcoming dance dedicated to guests.
  3. Muna ra medi,[14] tells the story of the process of making cloth that is transformed into a dance.

Traditional foods

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The following are traditional foods typical of Dompu:

  1. Samba doco,[15] made from thin slices of young mango, tomatoes, and basil leaves, it has a sour taste.
  2. Uta palumara,[15] consists of a sour, sweet, and spicy fish sauce with a distinctive aroma.
  3. Uta londe puruh,[15] a dish often mixed with young coconut. The meat has a sweet and savory flavor.
  4. Uta mbeca parongge,[15] a clear soup made from bay leaves, a typical food of the Bimanese and Dompu people.

See also

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References

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  1. ^ a b Gymnastiar, Raihan F. (2022), Sejarah Kebudayan dan Adat Istiadat Suku Dompu (in Indonesian) – via Scribd.
  2. ^ a b c d e f g "'Suku Dompu' Sejarah & (Lingkungan Alam – Bahasa – Mata Pencaharian – Agama – Kepercayaan)". GuruPendidikan.Com (in Indonesian). 2019-01-05. Archived from the original on 2019-06-13. Retrieved 25 January 2023.
  3. ^ "Mengenal Sejarah dan Budaya Masyarakat Dompu". www.vibesntb.com (in Indonesian). Vibes NTB. 23 October 2023. Retrieved 27 November 2025.
  4. ^ a b "Kampung-kampung Asli di Dompu pada Tahun 1916 Menurut Peta Alexander van Loon". kambalidompumantoi.wordpress.com (in Indonesian). Kambali Dompu Mantoi. 5 September 2025. Retrieved 27 November 2025.
  5. ^ "Orang Bima di Selatan Dompu". serikatnasional.id (in Indonesian). Serikat Nasional. 14 May 2025. Retrieved 27 November 2025.
  6. ^ Mawa'ataho, Faisal (11 July 2020). "Ketika Sanggar Melepaskan Diri dari Dompo". www.koranlensapos.com (in Indonesian). Koran Lensa Pos. Retrieved 27 November 2025.
  7. ^ Rasyad, Rukyatil (14 October 2024). "Mengapa Dou Dompu, bukan Dou Mbojo". koranpagidompu.id (in Indonesian). Koran Pagi Dompu. Retrieved 27 November 2025.
  8. ^ Ngarsih, Wakhyuning; Ariani, Ni Luh; Sumerta, I Made (2019). Gunung Tambora Dalam Sejarah dan Mitologi Masyarakat Dompu Provinsi Nusa Tenggara Barat (in Indonesian). Denpasar: Balai Pelestarian Nilai Budaya Provinsi Bali. ISBN 978-602-356-263-3.
  9. ^ "Agama, Suku, dan Bahasa Masyarakat Dompu". kambalidompumantoi.wordpress.com (in Indonesian). Kambali Dompu Mantoi. 6 May 2015. Retrieved 27 November 2025.
  10. ^ a b c "Upacara Peta Kapanca » Perpustakaan Digital Budaya Indonesia". budaya-indonesia.org (in Indonesian). Perpustakaan Digital Budaya Indonesia. Retrieved 18 January 2023.
  11. ^ Baharun, Alif. "Rumah Adat Dompu". alif25baharun.student.umm.ac.id (in Indonesian). Archived from the original on 2019-03-30. Retrieved 18 January 2023.
  12. ^ a b "Mpa'a Tutu Kalikuma Untuk Pembelajaran di Sekolah Dasar". pendidikan.kampung-media.com (in Indonesian). Pendidikan Kampung Media. 2018-12-08. Archived from the original on 2019-03-30. Retrieved 18 January 2023.
  13. ^ Samadha, Furkan. "Permainan-Permainan Di Dompu". Furkan Dompu Info (in Indonesian). Archived from the original on 2019-03-30. Retrieved 18 January 2023.
  14. ^ a b c Susanti, Desty Indah (2015-12-16). "Dompu (NTB)". destyindahsusanti.student.umm.ac.id (in Indonesian). Archived from the original on 2019-03-30. Retrieved 18 January 2023.
  15. ^ a b c d "Budaya, Makanan, dan Ciri Khas Kota Bima" (in Indonesian). 2016-08-25. Archived from the original on 2019-03-30. Retrieved 18 January 2023.