Each tribe was headed by its own hereditary chief and his assistants, who formed an advisory council for assisting the sultan. In the late 1950's, separatist movements against the Indonesian government were led by youth groups throughout the island of Sulawesi. In the Tomini region, this reached a climax with the Permesta Rebellion of the 1960's, and for several years the area produced no marketable products. Since that time, the government has made an effort to integrate the area into a national and international economic system. A number earn their living as merchants, and others are lumberjacks or sailors.
Marriages follow a Muslim pattern and are arranged by mediators, who also negotiate the bride price.
This amount depends on the girl's social status. Cross cousin marriages are preferred, though parallel cousin marriages sometimes occur. Once married, a couple usually lives with their family until the birth of their first child. Islam is the dominant religion in Indonesia today and is practiced by a large segment of the Dampelas population. Hinduism, widespread in the islands before the fourteenth century, is now practiced by only a small number of people.