Ambonese

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Scope note
The Ambonese, also known as the South Moluccans or Siwa-Rima, are an ethnic group of mixed Austronesian, Melanesian, Malay, Dutch, and Portuguese heritage, originating from Ambon Island in the Maluku Islands of eastern Indonesia, with a current population of approximately 1.5 million. They speak Ambonese Malay (Malayu Ambong), a Malayo-Polynesian language distinct from standard Indonesian, and are predominantly Protestant Christian, a legacy of Dutch colonial rule that also shaped their European-influenced culture and role in colonial administration. Since the 1950s, a significant exile community of over 50,000 Ambonese has settled in the Netherlands, where they have maintained a distinct cultural identity separate from their homeland.
Ambonese
Accepted term: 09-Mar-2026