5 TRIBES FAMOUS AS SAILORS
By: Hamly Hadi
History Observer
1. BANJAR TRIBE
The Banjar people are the most far-reaching seafarers. In the 7th century, they sailed to Sumatra and established the Sriwijaya Empire, known as the largest maritime empire in the Indonesian archipelago. In the 7th century, they also sailed to Madagascar and the Comoros in Africa.
In the 17th and 18th centuries, Banjar people sailed again to Sumatra and the Malay Peninsula, establishing Banjar villages in Tembilahan, Riau, Kuala Tungkal, Jambi, Langkat, Deli, and Serdang in North Sumatra, as well as Banjar villages in Perak, Johor, Pahang, Selangor, and Kedah.
2. BUGIS TRIBE
The Bugis are also renowned as seafarers. Their livelihoods are not far from the coast, as most Bugis people work as fishermen and traders. The Bugis people have sailed to the islands of Kalimantan, Java, and Sumatra, as well as the Malay Peninsula since the time of the Bone Sultanate.
3. Makassar Tribe
Like the Bugis, the Makassar people are also a seafaring people whose lives are close to the coast. The Makassar people have sailed to the islands of Kalimantan, Java, and Sumatra, as well as the Malay Peninsula since the time of the Gowa Sultanate.
4. Javanese Tribe
From the time of the Medang, Singasari, Majapahit, and Demak kingdoms, the Javanese have sailed throughout the Indonesian archipelago, carrying out political expansion, conquering various regions.
5. Bajau Tribe
The Bajau people are the most totally maritime people, establishing villages on the sea, subsisting solely on fishing.**
Banjarmasin, January 21, 2026
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