There are the only language used in Jambi's Province, it is Malay with some of traditional dialect, it is like Kerinci's dialect, Bungo/Tebo, Sarolangun, Bangko, east Malay (west Tanjung Jabung and east Tanjung Jabung), Batanghari, across Jambi, Inland Kid and Mixed. Especially for Kerinci people, they have their own letter that is known by Encong letter that is met and used by people group there.

This province is multiethnic, the most of ethnics is Melayu Jambi and other is tribe and ethnic from all around Indonesia. Dominant ethnic are Minang, Bugis, Java, Sunda, Batak, china, Arab and India. In this province, Malay costume and tradition is very dominant. These traditions arrange all of activity and behavior of citizen who is Islam follower. Adage which is very common are "adapt bersendikan sara","sara bersendikan Kitabullah", or "sara mengato adapt memakai" a lot of Islam law up holder color Jambi people in their daily life.

Many of theory and Islam influence are applied, one of them are Tahlilan for the death, Yasinan and any kind of ceremony which follow cycle of human life, as agrarian’s people, Jambi people also have customs and tradition which is relations with agriculture. For example: "serentak turun ke umo." In field to make appropriate with the weather that is guide by climate rotation, it is called "piamo". In the plant safety in order that it cannot be destroyed by livestock it is valid a traditional aphorism "Umo bekandang siang, kerbo bekandang malam". It means if the livestock disturb the plant on the afternoon, so the responsible is on the owner of field or garden, opposite if the livestock is enter the field or garden in the night, so the responsible is on the owner of livestock. Making the customs and tradition strong and protect. So there are activities of art and culture social which is often doing, such as:

1. Tari Asik, it is celebrated by a group of people to chase the disease;
2. Tari Bardah, celebrating when the disaster is happened for rejection the disaster;
3. Kendri Seko, the purpose is cleaning the heirlooms such as Creased, spear, the Bible in the form of old Ranji-ranji;
4. Mandi Safar, celebrating at Wednesday on the last of month of safar reject disaster;
5. Mandi Belimau Gedang, is celebrating when Ramadhan will come. The purpose is to clean and aromatize our self; and
6. Ziarah Kubur, is celebrating when Ramadhan will come. This is for praying for our ancestors.
   

Jambi province has a lot of tradition handicraft, one of traditional handicraft is cane work that is growing in various form. Cane work is made from pandan leaf, rasau leaf, seaweed; fern cluster stem, rattan, coconuts leaf, Nipa palm leaf, and sago palm leaf. The product of this plaited mats are Bakul, chopsticks, Ambung, Katang-katang, plaited mats, kajang, roof, ketupat, movable cone and fishing equipment named sempirai, pangilo, lukah and soon. Other handicrafts are weaving affairs that are very famous with woven cloth and Batik with flora motive.

Source: Indonesia Tanah Airku (2007).