Kemak people
The Kemak (Portuguese: Quémaque, also known as Ema) people are an ethnic group numbering 80,000 in north-central Timor island. They primarily live in the district of Bobonaro, East Timor, while the rest live in the East Nusa Tenggara province of Indonesia.
Kemak people at the market in Atsabe, East Timor, circa 1968–1970. | |
| Total population | |
|---|---|
| 71,000 | |
| Regions with significant populations | |
| Timor: | |
| East Timor | 61,969 (2010) |
| Indonesia (West Timor) | 10,800 |
| Languages | |
| Kemak, Indonesian, Kupang Malay, Tetum, Portuguese | |
| Religion | |
| Christianity (94% in Timor-Leste, 90% in Indonesia), Folk religion (6% in Timor-Leste, 10% in Indonesia) | |
| Related ethnic groups | |
| Mambai people (Timor), Tokodede people, Tetum people, Austronesians, Melanesians | |
They are close to the Tetum people. The Kemak people speak the Kemak language. They are one of the smallest of the 14 Austronesian subgroups in Timor. Most of them are adherents of traditional beliefs, while part of them profess the Catholic faith. Territorial community is headed by a leader, divided into genera. There are three levels of conjunctions. The "private" type of group corresponds to the level of uma or house. It does not only mean housing, but its category includes the exogamous groups of older and younger brothers who share a common ancestor. The "collective" type refers to the Morobe community, which encompasses 7 villages containing mainly 3 houses, and united by a common ritual cycle.