ASIATODAY.ID, SEMARANG – The existence of followers of Indigenous Beliefs in One Almighty God in Indonesia has once again drawn academic attention.
Indonesia’s National Research and Innovation Agency (BRIN), in collaboration with Universitas Tujuh Belas Agustus (UNTAG) Semarang, has discussed a joint research initiative that places indigenous belief communities as a central object of scientific study.
The discussion was held by BRIN’s Research Group on Beliefs and Religious Minorities under the Center for Research on Religion and Belief (PR AK), part of the Social Sciences and Humanities Research Organization, together with the Faculty of Language and Culture and the Study Program of Education for Indigenous Beliefs in One Almighty God at UNTAG Semarang, on Wednesday, January 8, 2026.
BRIN researcher Joko Tri Haryanto emphasized the urgency of conducting research on public perceptions of indigenous belief followers, noting that these communities remain largely marginalized within mainstream religious discourse.
“Surveys can be conducted in regions with significant populations of indigenous belief followers, such as Cilacap in Central Java, East Java, the Special Region of Yogyakarta, West Java, South Sulawesi, Kalimantan, and East Nusa Tenggara,” he said.
During the forum, an indigenous belief leader who also serves as a lecturer at UNTAG Semarang revealed that the number of followers of Indigenous Beliefs in One Almighty God in Indonesia is estimated at around 12 million people.
This figure indicates that, demographically, indigenous belief followers constitute a significant segment of the population, despite their limited visibility in dominant religious narratives.
“This number shows that local belief traditions remain alive and continue to develop within society, forming an essential part of Indonesia’s unique spiritual diversity,” Joko added.
Meanwhile, another BRIN researcher, Mustolehudin, highlighted the importance of qualitative research to examine relations between formal religions and indigenous belief communities, particularly in Central Java and Indonesia more broadly.
“Other collaborative research themes may include internal relations among indigenous belief groups, interfaith kinship networks, and studies related to indigenous religions,” he explained.
According to Mustolehudin, the research is intended not only for academic purposes but also to inform public policy. The studies could be conducted under the Indonesia Advanced Innovation Research (RIIM) scheme to ensure national-scale impact and contribute to the sustainable development of indigenous belief systems.
“Legally and formally, these beliefs have been recognized by the state through Constitutional Court Decision No. 97/PUU-XIV/2016 dated October 18, 2017. However, legal recognition must be accompanied by broader social understanding and acceptance,” he stressed.
The meeting also served as a follow-up to plans for a webinar series focusing on indigenous belief communities in Central Java.
Novita Al Ihyak Dieni, Head of the Study Program for Education in Indigenous Beliefs in One Almighty God at UNTAG Semarang, noted that the program is the only one of its kind in Indonesia and represents a concrete form of state service to indigenous belief followers.
“We warmly welcome this collaboration and hope it can be followed up promptly, particularly through joint research and academic forums on indigenous belief communities,” she concluded. (AT Network)
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