Kaili people
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
To Kaili | |
|---|---|
 Photo of a Kaili man (c. 1913), Wereldmuseum Amsterdam collection. | |
| Total population | |
| 566,256 (2015) | |
| Regions with significant populations | |
 Indonesia (Central Sulawesi) | |
| Languages | |
| Kaili languages, Indonesian | |
| Religion | |
 Islam ChristianityAnimism | |
| Related ethnic groups | |
| Kulawi, Pamona, Mori |
The Kaili people (Kaili: To Kaili) are an ethnic group primarily inhabiting Central Sulawesi, Indonesia, especially the regencies of Donggala, Sigi, and the city of Palu. They live in the valleys around Mount Gawalise, Mount Nokilalaki, Kulawi, and Mount Raranggonau, and also inhabit the eastern coastal regions of Central Sulawesi, including the regencies of Parigi-Moutong, Tojo Una-Una, and Poso. Kaili have settled in villages in Parigi, Sausu, Ampana, Tojo, and Una-Una; in Poso, they live in Mapane, Uekuli, and the Poso coastal areas.[1]
Some sources suggest that the name "Kaili" comes from a tree called "kaili" and its fruit, commonly found in forests in this region, particularly along the Palu River and Palu Bay. Historically, the coastline of Palu Bay was about 34 kilometres (21 mi) further out than it is today, near Kampung Bangga. Evidence from Bobo to Bangga shows many coral and beach remnants, some of which are still affected by tidal changes.[1]
The Kaili belongs to a larger Kaili ethnolinguistic group, which includes more than thirty subgroups, such as Kaili Rai, Kaili Ledo, Kaili Ija, Kaili Moma, Kaili Da'a, Kaili Unde, Kaili Inde, Kaili Tara, Kaili Bare'e, Kaili Doi, Kaili Torai, and others.[1]
The Kaili people speak over twenty living languages in daily conversation. Remarkably, even villages only 2 kilometres (1.2 mi) apart may speak different languages.[2]
The Kaili have a lingua franca called Ledo Kaili, which means "easy"; Ledo is used to communicate with speakers of other Kaili languages. The original form of Ledo (unaffected by incoming languages) is still spoken in Raranggonau and Tompu. In urban areas like Palu and Biromaru, Ledo has assimilated elements from other languages, particularly Mandar and Malay.[2]
