Affinity Bloc: Malay Peoples

Overview: The Maluku or Molucca Islands of Indonesia are located east of Sulawesi, west of New Guinea, and north and east of Timor. Most of the islands are mountainous, some with active volcanoes. The islands were historically known as the "Spice Islands" by the Chinese and Europeans. North Maluku is a province of northeastern Indonesia that covers the northern part of the Maluku Islands. Most of the peoples assigned to the Maluku-Northern people cluster trace their cultural roots to one of four sultanates that once ruled these islands: Ternate, Tidore, Bacan, and Jailolo. Most of these people groups are smaller than 25,000 in population. Sunni Islam and folk religion are widely practiced.

Peoples within this cluster: Buli; Galela; Gamkonora; Gane; Gebe; Gorap; Ibu; Kadai; Kau; Loloda; Makian Timur; Makian, West; Mangole; Pago; Patani-Maba; Sahu; Sawai; Tabaru; Taliabo; Ternate; Tidore; Tobelo; Tugutil; Waioli

Countries where they are found: Indonesia