The Seko Tengah (often called Pewanean or Pewaneang) are an indigenous Austronesian-speaking people of the Seko highlands in central Sulawesi, Indonesia. Their language (commonly referred to as Seko Tengah / Pewanean) is part of the Seko branch of the South Sulawesi subgroup and has been documented by field linguists and language surveys.
The Seko highland area has long been relatively remote and organized around upland river valleys and plateau settlements; Seko Tengah communities share linguistic, cultural and historical ties with neighboring Seko groups (for example Seko Padang and Panasuan).
Seko Tengah people live primarily in small villages in the Seko highlands (a mountainous/plateau zone spanning parts of a tri-provincial area in central Sulawesi). Their economy is largely subsistence-oriented: wet-rice terraces and dry garden crops such as corn and cassava are cultivated, and hunting, fishing and foraged forest products supplement the diet.
Village life is organized around kinship and customary land use; local roads and infrastructure are limited compared with lowland areas, so many communities remain geographically and socially peripheral to regional towns. Formal schooling and Bahasa Indonesia are increasingly present, and younger people sometimes move for education or seasonal labor, but daily life remains closely tied to upland agriculture and forest resources.
Religious identification in the Seko region is mixed: Christian faith (introduced by missions and now present in many communities) exists alongside Islam and continuing customary beliefs in some areas. Local religious life often reflects the hybrid reality of formal religion (church or mosque) and customary ritual, local moral norms, and adat (customary law) that govern land, lineage and social responsibilities. The precise balance of these influences varies by village and by family.
The Seko Tengah people need Scripture and discipleship materials presented in Seko Tengah (Pewanean) or in culturally appropriate forms so that Christian teaching can be understood and applied in the heart language of the community. They need training and equipping for indigenous church leaders—pastors, catechists and lay teachers—so that any church growth becomes locally led, sustainable and culturally contextualized.
They also need support for education, literacy and language-maintenance programs so that their language and oral traditions are preserved even as children study in Bahasa Indonesia and some youth move away for work or schooling. The Seko Tengah people need community and livelihood development that respects upland ecology—such as sustainable agriculture, secure customary land rights and appropriate infrastructure—so their social wellbeing and cultural continuity are maintained alongside spiritual growth.
Pray that the Seko Tengah people would have clear access to God's word and discipleship materials in Seko Tengah so the gospel can be understood in the heart language.
Pray for the raising up of indigenous Seko Tengah Christian leaders who can teach, disciple, and lead churches with cultural wisdom and biblical faithfulness.
Pray for the faithful translation, production, and distribution of discipleship and evangelism materials in the Seko Tengah language.
Pray that the Seko Tengah Christians would wholeheartedly embrace the great commission and spread the gospel to Indonesian Muslims.
Scripture Prayers for the Seko Tengah, Pewanean in Indonesia.
Seko Tengah language — Wikipedia. Classification and basic language data.
Survei Bahasa Daerah Seko — SIL (language survey and notes on dialect relations among Seko languages).
"Languages of South Sulawesi" — ANU / Grimes & Friberg (overview of Seko subgroup and locations). (Linguistic classification, maps and historical notes).
Glottolog — Seko Tengah entry. (Catalogue entry with classification and references).
Local reporting and regional notes on the Seko highlands (Seko plateau context and livelihoods). (background on upland Seko agricultural life and connectivity).
| Profile Source: Joshua Project |
