Abaut Suku Lembak - Sindang kelingi - Sindang Merdeke

The Lembak people live in the boundary
area of the provinces of Bengkulu and
South Sumatra. In Bengkulu, they are
located in the regencies of Rejang
Lebong and North Bengkulu as well
as in the city Bengkulu. In Bengkulu
Province, they call themselves “Sindang
Kelingi” or “Lembak Sindang Merdeka”
(meaning “Free”).

The Lembak may have originated
from the valley of the Musi-Rawas
River in South Sumatra to the east of the city of
Lubuklinggau. This area is currently occupied by the Lakitan people.
The Lembak moved in the 16th century to secure freedom from their
Palembang rulers. Outsiders often call them the Bulang (turban) people.
The Lembak language is part of the Melayu (Malay) language cluster.
The Lembak people have an indigenous script, called Surat Ulu (Letter of
Beginning), which is similar to Rejang and Serawai scripts.

Lembak homes are raised on stilts and have
large rooms. Most homes have a stairway on
the side. They typically have more furnishings
than the homes of the neighboring Lintang
and Rawas peoples. Electricity is available
throughout the area, but their cooking fuel is
kerosene or wood.
The Lembak societal system resembles those
of the Rejang and Serawai peoples. Villages
join together to form a clan, which is lead by
a pasirah (village chief).
An offi cial (mangku) and his deputy
(penggawa) supervise kepemangkuan (clan
districts). They are supported by religious experts, such as imam
(Muslim prayer & ceremonial priests) and khatib (mosque preachers).
Elements of the Lembak culture include: (among others) the Tari Piring
(Plate Dance) and the Tari Pisau (Knife Dance). In addition, there is
Dangdut music, which often combines a strong beat with Arabic rhythms
and Islamic teachings. The young people are trained in singing, dancing,
and Indonesian martial arts.

LIFE
The Lembak people’s main livelihood
is cultivating rice in irrigated and
unirrigated fields. Quite a few men
work as rubber tappers on the many
rubber plantations in the area. Others
run small-scale brick-making factories
in rural areas. The women help in the
fields and manage the households.
The Lembak family system is
patriarchal, and the lineage of
descent is bilateral (traced through
both parents). There are three
post-marriage patterns for newlyweds. The first is
to set up a new, separate household. The second is the bejojoh custom
of living with the groom’s relatives. The third is the semendo custom of
living with the bride’s relatives

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