Findings by Group 3

Marita, Siv, Vigdis and Morten wearing traditional sarongs

Most of the religious leaders we spoke with, said that religions live together in harmony, despite the Muslim dominance in most communities. But it was easy to see that the other religions did not get the same support from the government as the Muslims. For instance, we saw numerous churches that were still not rebuilt after the riots in 2000.

Through our interviews and observations we got the impression that pre-Islamic traditions are quite strong, especially in the northern parts of Lombok, despite the strong Muslim dominance. But traditions in the form of Wetu Telu are not an integrated part of the Muslim community. Being a Wetu Telu follower is not something to be stated in public, although everyone seems to know who are Wetu Telu and who are not not.
Read more about Wetu Telu

The Catholic Church in some areas plays a role in the society, in addition to covering religious needs of its few followers. For instance, it operates private schools and hospitals. There is an ongoing discussion on sharing of responsibilities between government and private institutions in education and health. Private schools are built to cover the lack of public school alternatives many places. And the government will not build new schools as long as the private schools represent an alternative.
More about the Church

More about Private Muslim Schools

More about Hindu and Buddhist Temples

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