Orang Kuala

The Duano' people, also called Desin Dolak or Desin Duano' are an indigenous people of Malaysia and Indonesia (where they are also referred to as Orang Kuala, meaning "People of the Estuary") and can be found in islands along the northeastern region of Sumatra, Indonesia where most Duano' people have traditionally lived. They are one of the Proto-Malay group of cultures. Due to their nomadic boat lifestyle, based almost exclusively on fishing and collecting shellfish and crustaceans by using mud-boards, Duano' people are often categorized as Orang Laut (lit. Sea People), a group that includes the Urak Lawoi’ people and Moken people of the northern region of the Malacca Strait and the Andaman Sea. Although there are similarities in their way of life, they are a separate ethnic group. Citing their own language, culture, identity, and economic complexities, they deny being Orang Laut.

Their population is difficult to estimate and their geographical location and concentration is not easily defined. Despite living in a rather developed region and easily coming into contact with outsiders, the Duano’ remain little known to the outside world. Their settlements are scattered along the coast of the Strait of Malacca, where individual settlements form local groups that are loosely interconnected.

The Orang Kuala numbered about 2,000 people in 2000. They speak a Para-Malay language called Duano', which is currently endangered.