VIEWPOINT MAGAZINE Volume 5.1 October 2016 | Page 19

“Johnny
Smith:
Belonging”
by
Sarah Lee

UPG

“Worthy of
Worth?”

by
Josiah Watanabe

The Campalagian
People

-Pg. 17

-Pg. 16

By Heejung Byun

VIEWPOINT

“The Campalagian, also called the Tasing or the Tulumpanueae, is a group of approximately 72,000 people that

live only in South Sulawesi, about an hour away from the city of Majene. Their language and culture are heavily
Volume
5.1 October
influenced by the more known and popular neighboring people groups like the Toraja
and especially
the Bugis.
Their language, Campalagian, is a part of a bigger language group called the Bugis family.
Most of the people are pallaung-ruma, farmers who raise water buffaloes, chicken, goats, and cattle. Since the
people live in a fertile lowland, many people also grow different kinds of crop for a living as well. Some people
are pakkaja, fishermen who use three different methods of fishing to distinguish among themselves. They trade
fish in the city of Campalagian, which is located along the coast of the Makassar Strait.
Most of the Campalagian people are Islam. The social and behaviorial patterns of the people there are heavily
affected by the Islamic beleifs. In fact it is so deeply embedded in the Campalagians culture that is it is hard to
distinguish between Campalagian culture and traditional Islamic culture, so much, that it is hard to imagine a
Campalagian who is not Muslim. However, the people combine animistic belief with Islam, believing in animism
along with Islam. They believe in invisible spirits that have power to heal sickness and cast out demons along with
other things.
99% of Campalagians people are Muslim while only 1% are protestant Christians, there is no other religion
among them. No part of the Bible has been translated yet into their native language, nor are there any other
Biblical documents such as videos or radio podcasts. They are currently on level 1 of the progress scale, which
means that they are one of the least reached people groups in the world, also they are also ranked number 43 in
persecution.
We should pray for the Campalagian along with the rest of Indonesia, which has the largest number of Muslims
in this world. Many of these people groups have not even gotten the chance to hear about the good news of
salvation. We can make a change in the community around us and I encourage everyone go out there and spread
the word of salvation. Even if one person changes his way and accepts the Lord, that is something we should
rejoice about.

“Italy:

Rising
From the
Rubble”
by
Gen Ha Park

-Pg. 10

“A

New Friend”

by
Amanda Angeles

-Pg. 6
Layout by JiHyun Ahn

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