Sakai people

For the "Sakai people" (Orang Sakai) of the Malay Peninsula Orang Asli people, see Semang.

Sakai people
Orang Sakai

Total population
(4,995)
Regions with significant populations
Riau, Indonesia
Languages
Sakai language
Religion
Animism, Islam, Christian
Related ethnic groups
Malay people, Minangkabau people, Talang Mamak people, Akit people, Orang Asli

Sakai is one of the tribal communities in Indonesia traditionally living in the interior of Riau, Sumatra. Some of them still leading the nomadic and Hunter-gatherer lifestyle in the remote interior of Sumatra, while most settled into major cities and towns in Sumatra with the rise of industrialisation.

There are various theory pertaining to the origin of Sakai people, one of the theories include that they are the descendant of the Proto-Malay and Negrito tribes that had been pushed inland due to the arrival of the Malay people to Sumatra. While some of them claimed that they are Minangkabau origin who migrated to the edge of Gasib River, upstream of Rokan River, Riau hinterland in the 14th century.

Most of the Sakai community living today involved in the agricultural sector. There are no definite data about the number of Sakai. Population data issued by the Ministry of Social Affairs Republic of Indonesia stated that the number of Sakai in Bengkalis Regency of 4,995 inhabitants.