Badui

a people living in mountainous regions in western Java, in Indonesia. In the opinion of some scholars, the Badui are descendants of the ancient settlers of the Malay Archipelago (the proto-Malays). The Badui number about 4,000 (1965 estimate). Their language is a dialect of Sundanese. In the religion of the Badui, traditional beliefs mix with elements of Hinduism and Buddhism, but the Badui call themselves Buddhists. At the beginning of the 16th century, the ancestors of the Badui, not wishing to accept Islam, fled into the mountains. Their chief occupation is raising rice, vegetables, and fruits. They retain a communal form of life. The Badui are gradually becoming Muslim and are merging with the Sundans.