| Total population | |
|---|---|
| 4,800 [1] | |
| Regions with significant populations | |
Indonesia (
South Papua) | |
| Languages | |
| Sawi language, Indonesian language | |
| Religion | |
| Christianity (predominantly), Animism | |
| Related ethnic groups | |
| Awyu, Wambon, Kombai, Korowai |
The Sawi or Sawuy are an ethnic group of South Papua, Indonesia. They were known to be cannibalistic headhunters as recently as the 1950s. [2] They speak the Sawi language, which belongs to the Awyu language family.
Since then, many of Sawi have converted to Christianity and the world's largest circular building made strictly from un-milled poles was constructed in 1972 as a Christian meeting place by the Sawi. [3] Christian missionary Don Richardson who lived among the Sawi wrote a book about the experience called Peace Child.
See also
References
- ^ "Sawuy in Indonesia". Joshua Project. Retrieved 2014-09-18.
- ^ Tucker (1983), p. 476
- ^ Tucker (1983), p. 478
Further reading
- Peace Child (1974) ISBN 1-57658-289-2
- Tucker, Ruth (1983). From Jerusalem to Irian Jaya: A Biographical History of Christian Missions. Grand Rapids, Michigan: Zondervan. ISBN 0-310-23937-0.
External links
- Never the Same Documentary about visit to the Sawi in 2012
| Sumatra | |
|---|---|
| Java | |
| Kalimantan | |
| Sulawesi | |
| Papua | |
|
Lesser Sunda Islands | |
| Maluku Islands | |
| Non-indigenous | |
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