Enggano Island

Enggano Island, also called Pulau Enggano, is a small island about 114 kilometres (71 miles) southwest of Sumatra, Indonesia. It is one of the 92 officially listed outlying islands of Indonesia. Though small, it has its own special language, called the Enggano language, which makes it an interesting place for scientists and historians to study.

The island is mostly a quiet, natural place with forests and beaches. Because it is far from big cities, Enggano Island remains a peaceful spot where nature can thrive. People who live there have a strong connection to their land and traditions, adding to the island’s unique character.

Geography

Enggano Island is about 29 kilometres (18 miles) long and 14 kilometres (8.7 miles) wide. It covers an area of 400.6 square kilometres (154.7 square miles), including four small nearby islands. The island sits about 100 metres (330 feet) above sea level on average, with its highest point reaching 281 metres (922 feet).

There are six villages on Enggano Island, all situated along the main road that runs along the island's north-east coast. These villages are Kayaapu, Kaana, Malakoni, Apoho, Meok, and Banjarsari. Some villages, like Malakoni, Apoho, and Meok, have more local Enggano people, while others have more people from other places. Ferries travel from Kahayapu and Malakoni to Bengkulu. Nearby, a small island called 'Pulau Dua' has just one place to stay overnight.

Demography

Enggano Island is part of the North Bengkulu Regency in Indonesia. The three biggest villages on the island are Barhau, Kabuwe, and Kayaapu. In 1989, about 1,420 people lived there. By 1994, the number grew to 1,635. Over the years, many people from Java and Sumatra moved to the island. By 2010, the population was 2,691, and by 2020, it had grown to 4,035. In mid-2023, the estimated population was around 4,502.

History

The name of Enggano Island may have come from early meetings with Portuguese traders, as "engano" means "mistake" in Portuguese. The first known written record of the island comes from Cornelis de Houtman in 1596, who tried but failed to land there.

In 1771, Charles Miller managed to land and meet the local people. He described a challenging journey to reach a safe harbor and noted the unique culture of the islanders, who shared property and had women in important roles.

The island's population dropped sharply in the 1870s, possibly due to disease. The 1883 eruption of nearby Krakatoa likely affected the island because of its low elevation. Today, the island is used for rehabilitation programs, and its population has grown.

In 2011, there were plans to build a spaceport on the island because of its remote location and closeness to the equator, but these plans raised environmental concerns.

Enggano language

The Enggano language, also called Engganese, is a special language found on Enggano Island. We are not sure if it belongs to the large Austronesian language family — which includes many languages like Malayo-Polynesian — or if it stands alone as a unique language isolate. However, it does have some words borrowed from Austronesian languages.

Flora and fauna

Enggano Island is home to many special plants and animals that are found only there. Some of these include the Enggano scops owl, Enggano imperial pigeon, Enggano thrush, Enggano hill myna, and Enggano white-eye. Because of these unique birds, the island has been named an Important Bird Area by BirdLife International.