Wemale people
| Total population | |
|---|---|
| 7,500 | |
| Regions with significant populations | |
| Indonesia (Seram Island, Moluccan Islands) | |
| Languages | |
| Wemale language (weo); Classification: Malayo-Polynesian, Indonesian language | |
| Religion | |
| Christianity, Animism | |
| Related ethnic groups | |
| Alune people |
The Wemale people are an ethnic group of Seram Island, Indonesia. They number over 7,500 and live in 39 villages of the central area of the island. Like the Alune people in the west, the Wemale people originate from a common ancestral group called the Patasiwa.
The Wemale language is of Malayo-Polynesian origin and it is divided into a northern and a southern variety, having dialects known as Horale, Kasieh, Uwenpantai, Honitetu and Kawe. Northern Wemale is spoken by about 5,000 people and the Southern Wemale is spoken by about 3,700 people. The Hainuwele legend is an origin myth from the Wemale and Alune folklore. It was recorded by German ethnologist Adolf Ellegard Jensen in a 1937–1938 expedition to the Maluku Islands.