THE URBAN GORAP ETHNIC GROUP'S CONCERNS ABOUT THE FATE OF THEIR LANGUAGE AND ETHNIC IDENTITY AMIDST THE RAPID SOCIO-CULTURAL CHANGES

Abstract

In 19^th century colonial writers noted the existence of a minority ethnic group called Gorap people in Halmahera, North Maluku. This group, however, does not get much attention since then among scholars who study communities in North Maluku. By analyzing the few existing documents and doing ethnography, this study investigates the existence of this ethnic group, its diaspora, and the concerns and struggles of its members who live in urban Ternate about the future of their ethnic identity among some dominant ethnic groups in North Maluku. This study found the origins of Gorap community and their spread across some villages in Halmahera. It was also found that the urban Gorap community has deep concerns about the fate of their ethnic identity due to the continued threat of the Gorap language amidst the current rapid socio-cultural changes.