Singkil people
Ukhang Singkil | |
|---|---|
The Singkil circumcision ceremony. | |
| Total population | |
| 75,000 | |
| Regions with significant populations | |
| Indonesia (Aceh) | |
| Languages | |
| Singkil, Indonesian | |
| Religion | |
| Islam | |
| Related ethnic groups | |
| Pakpak, Karo, Gayo, Minangkabau, Acehnese |
The Singkil people are a sub-group of the Batak people found in Aceh Singkil Regency and Subulussalam, as well as in the Trumon districts of neighbouring South Aceh Regency, all part of the province of Aceh, Indonesia. Sometimes the Singkil people are misunderstood as being Boang people, a sub-group of the Pakpak people, especially because of their shared religion of Islam and because they live side by side.
Their closest linguistic relationship is with the Pakpak people, but the customs and culture of the Singkil people are very different from those of the Pakpak people. This is because majority of the Singkil people practices Islam, whereas the majority of the Pakpak people practices Christianity. Apart from that the Singkil people have intermarried with the neighbouring ethnic group of people like Acehnese people and Minangkabau people.