Day 4: Makassar People
“But now in Christ Jesus you who once were far away have been brought near by the blood of Christ.”– (Ephesians 2:13)
The Makassar people are a Muslim-majority ethnic group living in South Sulawesi, Indonesia, particularly around the port city of Makassar. Historically, they were known as skilled seafarers and traders, with the Gowa-Tallo Sultanate being a powerful maritime kingdom in the 16th and 17th centuries. Despite Dutch colonial influence, they have maintained a strong cultural identity.
Their maritime heritage continues today, with traditional Phinisi boats still crafted by hand. Ceremonial dances, storytelling, and music are important parts of community life. Religious festivals, mosque attendance, and Islamic education are significant aspects of life. Social life is structured around family, clan, and community honor, with strong values placed on loyalty, respect, and collective responsibility. Traditional music, dance (like the Pakarena), and colorful clothing are part of celebrations and ceremonies.
Islamic traditions are deeply woven into the Makassar people’s daily lives, yet many still hold to folk beliefs and animistic customs, including reverence for ancestral spirits.
“Their maritime heritage continues today, with traditional Phinisi boats still crafted by hand.”
DID YOU KNOW?
- Total population: 2,477,000
- Percentage of evangelical Christians: 1%
- The Makassar live by a social code of respect and honor known as siri.
- Men are responsible for matters outside the house such as farming, working the plows and carrying rice bundles after the harvest.
- Household duties are assigned to women.
- Those who make the pilgrimage to Mecca secure religious and social status.
- Their primary source of income is rice farming; however, they are also well known throughout Indonesia for their skill in trading and as fishermen.
HOW TO PRAY
- Pray that the Makassar people would encounter the love of Jesus through dreams, visions, and faithful local believers.
- Pray that mature Christian believers in other Indonesian tribes will become burdened for their Makassar neighbors. Pray they will act in response to the prompting of the Lord’s Spirit, out of love as well as duty.
- Pray that the faith of the few believers among the Makassar people will be strengthened. Pray that their lives will be a powerful testimony of Christ’s goodness to their families and friends.
- Pray for Bible translation efforts, discipleship tools, and gospel-centered media in the Makassar language.
- Lift up the younger generation, that their hearts would be open and searching for truth beyond religion and tradition.
- Pray for the daily short-wave radio broadcast in the Makassar language to reach many.
- Intercede for spiritual breakthrough among Makassar leaders and families, that entire households may come to faith.