Sasak
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2008-07-06T11:51:02Z
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{{Refimprove|date=February 2008}}
{{ethnic group|
|image=[[Image:Sasak1.jpg|220px]]
|group=Sasak
|poptime=2.6 million (2000 census)
|popplace=[[West Nusa Tenggara]] ([[Indonesia]]): 2.6 million
|langs=[[Sasak language|Sasak]], [[Indonesian language|Indonesian]]
|rels=Predominantly [[Muslim]] ([[Wektu Telu]]), with minorities of [[Buddhism]] and [[animism]]
|related=[[Balinese]], people of [[Sumbawa]]
}}
The '''Sasak''' live mainly on the island of [[Lombok]], [[Indonesia]], numbering around 2.6 million (85% of Lombok's population). They are related to the [[Balinese]] in language and race, although the Sasak are predominantly Muslim while the Balinese are Hindu.
== Language ==
The [[Sasak language]] is closely related to the languages of [[Bali]] and [[Sumbawa]], and to most other languages of Indonesia more distantly.
==History==
Little is known about Sasak history except that Lombok was placed under direct rule of the [[Majapahit]] prime Minister, patih [[Gajah Mada]]. The Sasaks converted to [[Islam]] between the late 16th century to early 17th century under the influence of Sunan Giri and the Muslim Makassarese, frequently mixing basic Islamic beliefs alongside with Hindu-Buddhist beliefs, thus creating the [[Wektu Telu]] religion. Lombok was conquered by the [[Gelgel]] Balinese kingdom in the early 18th century, thus bringing a large population of Balinese to [[Lombok]]. The Balinese population of Lombok today is about 300,000, 10-15% of Lombok's population. The Balinese have also strongly influenced the [[Wektu Telu]] religion of Lombok.
==Religion==
Most of the Sasaks today are adherents of the Wektu Lima version of [[Islam]]. Wektu Lima or Five Times signifies the five daily prayers which Muslims are required to do.
The term Wektu Lima is used to distinguish them from the Sasaks who are practitioners of Wektu Telu or Three Times who only pray three times a day. Orthodox Islamic teachers generally instruct adherents to pray five times a day.
Large numbers of people adhering to the Wektu Telu faith can be still found throughout the island, especially in the village of Bayan, where the religion originated. Large [[Wektu Telu]] communities can be still found in Mataram, Pujung, Sengkol, Rambitan, Sade, Tetebatu, Bumbung, Sembalun, Senaru, Loyok and Pasugulan. A small minority of Sasaks called the Bodha (estimated population: 8000) are mainly found in the village of Bentek and on the slopes of [[Mount Rinjani|Gunung Rinjani]]. They are totally untouched by Islamic influence and worship animistic gods, incorporating some Hindu and Buddhist influences in their rituals and religious vocabulary. This group of Sasak, due in part to the name of their tribe, are recognized as [[Buddhist]]s by the Indonesian government.
The Bodha have the same magico-religious officials and institutions as the [[Wektu Telu]] (with the exception of course of the Kiyai, the Wektu Telu religious official dealing with all aspects of the Wektu Telu religion which mixes Islam and animism). The Bodhas recognize the existence of five main gods, the highest of which is Batara Guru, followed by Batara Sakti and Batara Jeneng with their wives Idadari Sakti and Idadari Jeneng, though they also believe in Spirits and Ghosts. The Bodha religion is also to some extent influenced by both [[Hindu]] and [[Buddhist]] concepts. Of late, they have come under the influence of mainstream Buddhism from Buddhist missionaries.[http://community.webshots.com/album/528286640msCUen]
== External links ==
* [http://www.abo.fi/comprel/temenos/temeno32/ceder.htm Sasak religion]
* [http://www.times.com/fodors/top/features/travel/destinations/asia/indonesia/bali/fdrs_feat_19_5.html?n=Top%2FFeatures%2FTravel%2FDestinations%2FAsia%2FIndonesia%2FBali Sidetrip to Lombok by the New York Times]
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[[Category:Ethnic groups in Indonesia]]
[[Category:Muslim communities]]
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