Mandar people are one of the largest ethnic groups inhabiting West Sulawesi. They were once part of the main tribes of South Sulawesi, such as the Bugis, Makassar, and Toraja, until West Sulawesi was established as a province in 2004.

Mandar people have been known as skilled sailors since ancient times. Maritime knowledge of the Mandar people, such as boat-building technology, maritime knowledge, and navigation, has been documented in ancient literary sources.