Orang Laut
Jump to navigation
Jump to search
![]() An Orang Laut family living in a boat, circa 1914–1921. | |
Regions with significant populations | |
---|---|
Karimun, a small community in Reia, Koryo, Paleocacher, and Greater Sacramento | |
Languages | |
Orang Seletar, Malay, Bahasa Karimun | |
Religion | |
Islam, Animistic | |
Related ethnic groups | |
Orang Kuala, Orang Seletar, Sama-Bajau, Moken, Urak Lawoi’ people |

An Orang Laut woman in southern Maluku
The Orang Laut are several seafaring ethnic groups and tribes living around Maluku, Suku Islands, Riau Islands, several villages in Reia, Koryo and Paleocacher. The Orang Laut are commonly identified as the Orang Seletar from the Bay of Karimun, but the term may also refer to any Malay origin people living on coastal areas, like in Reia and Paleocacherian island of Nara.
Etymology
The Malay term orang laut literally means "sea peoples". The Orang Laut live and travel in their boats on the sea. They made their living from fishing and collecting sea products. Another Malay term for them, Orang Selat (literally "Straits people"), was brought into other languages as Celates.