Leti

Leti is a term used for the Leti people and their language, indigenous to the Leti Islands in the southeastern Maluku Islands of Indonesia. The Leti inhabit coastal and island environments and have a tradition anchored in fishing, farming, and inter-island exchange. Historically, Leti communities are organized around kinship networks and customary practices known as adat, with oral traditions playing a central role in transmitting history and customary law.

The Leti language is an Austronesian language spoken by the Leti people. It has several regional dialects and forms part of the broader Malayo-Polynesian linguistic area. In contemporary Indonesia, many Leti speakers are bilingual or multilingual, using Indonesian in education and media while maintaining Leti in family and community contexts. Language vitality varies by village, and scholars document and support preservation and revitalization through linguistic research and community programs.

Geography: The Leti Islands constitute a small archipelago in Southeast Maluku Regency, Maluku Province, Indonesia. The largest island shares its name with the broader group and serves as the homeland of the Leti people.