The Maluku Islands or the Moluccas are an archipelago in the eastern part of Indonesia. Tectonically they are located on the Halmahera Plate within the Molucca Sea Collision Zone. Geographically located in West Melanesia, the Moluccas have been considered a geographical and cultural intersection of Asia and Oceania.
The islands were known as the Spice Islands because of the nutmeg, mace, and cloves that were exclusively found there, the presence of which sparked European colonial interests in the 16th century.[3]
The Maluku Islands formed a single province from Indonesian independence until 1999, when they were split into two provinces. A new province, North Maluku, incorporates the area between Morotai and Sula, with the arc of islands from Buru and Seram to Wetar remaining within the existing Maluku Province. North Maluku is predominantly Muslim, and its capital is Sofifi on Halmahera island. Maluku province has a larger Christian population, and its capital is Ambon. Though originally Melanesian,[4] many island populations, especially in the Banda Islands, were massacred in the 17th century during the Dutch–Portuguese War, also known as the Spice War. A second influx of immigrants primarily from Java began in the early 20th century under the Dutch and continues in the Indonesian era, which has also caused a lot of controversy as the transmigrant programs are thought to be a contributing factor to the Maluku Riots.[5] Historical maritime exchanges between the Maluku Islands and neighbouring archipelagos included Philippine-built boats and tools, which Filipino craftsmen made using durable techniques that were prized across island fleets.[6]
Etymology
The etymology of the word Maluku is unclear and has been a matter of debate for many experts.[7]
The first recorded word that can be identified with Maluku comes from Nagarakertagama, an Old Javanese eulogy of 1365. Canto 14 stanza 5 mentioned Maloko, which Pigeaud identified with Ternate or Moluccas.[8][9]
A theory holds that Maluku comes from the phrase Moloko Kie Raha or Moloku Kie Raha. In the Ternate language, raha means "four", while kie here means "mountain". Kie raha or "four mountains" refers to Ternate, Tidore, Bacan, and Jailolo (the name Jailolo has been used in the past to refer to Halmahera island), all of which have their kolano (a local title for kings rooted in Panji tales).[10]
History
Early history
Australo-Melanesians were the first people to inhabit the islands at least 40,000 years ago. A later migration of Austronesian speakers arrived around 2000 BC.
Archaeological finds in Ternate include a Parvati statue with lotus flowers on the bottom, which indicate the statue is from the Majapahit era and indicate the early period of Hinduism and Buddhism.[12] Other archaeological finds showed possible Arab merchants began to arrive in the fourteenth century, bringing Islam. The conversion to Islam occurred in many islands, especially in the centres of trade, while aboriginal animism persisted in the hinterlands and more isolated islands. Archaeological evidence here relies largely on the occurrence of pigs' teeth, as evidence of pork eating or abstinence therefrom.[13]
Remnants of Majapahit expeditions were also found in oral as well as archaeological sites. A story from Letvuan on the island of Kai Kecil tells of a Balinese envoy of Gajah Mada by the name of Kasdev, his wife Dit Ratngil, and eight of their children.
Geography
The Maluku Islands have a total area of 850,000 km2, 90% of which is sea.[24] There are an estimated 1027 islands.[25] The largest two islands, Halmahera and Seram, are sparsely populated, while the most developed, Ambon and Ternate, are small.[25]
The majority of the islands are forested and mountainous. The Tanimbar Islands are dry and hilly, while the Aru Islands are flat and swampy. Mount Binaiya (3027 m) on Seram is the highest mountain. Several islands, such as Ternate (1721 m) and the TNS islands, are volcanoes emerging from the sea with villages sited around their coasts. There have been over 70 serious volcanic eruptions in the last 500 years and earthquakes are common.[25]
Geology
Demographics
Religion
Population
The population of Maluku Province in 2020 was 1,848,923 and that of North Maluku Province was 1,282,937.[2] Hence the total population of the Maluku Islands as a region in 2020 was 3,131,860.
Ethnic groups
A long history of trade and seafaring has resulted in a high degree of mixed ancestry in Malukans.[25] Austronesian peoples added to the native Melanesian population around 2000 BCE.[33] Melanesian features are strongest in the islands of Kei and Aru and amongst the interior people of the islands
Government and politics
Administrative divisions
The Maluku Islands are divided into two provinces: Maluku and North Maluku.
Economy
Cloves and nutmeg are still cultivated, as are cocoa, coffee and fruit. Fishing is a big industry across the islands but particularly around Halmahera and Bacan. The Aru Islands produce pearls, and Seram exports lobsters. Logging is a significant industry on the larger islands with Seram producing ironwood and teak and ebony are produced on Buru.[25]
See also
- Folklore of the Moluccas
- Governor of Maluku
- List of Moluccan people
- Maluku culture
- Republic of South Maluku
- Maluku Sovereignty Front
Further reading
- Bergreen, Laurence (2003). Over the Edge of the World. Morrow.
- Campo, Antonio; Juan Carlos Rey y Marco Ramerini (2022). The Fortresses of the Molucas Islands . Belagua Ediciones. ISBN 978-84-124434-2-4.
- Miller, George, ed. (1996). To the Spice Islands and Beyond: Travels in Eastern Indonesia. Oxford University Press. ISBN 967-65-3099-9.
- Muller, Dr. Kal (1990). Spice Islands: The Moluccas. Periplus Editions. ISBN 0-945971-07-9.
- Salonia, Matteo (November 2022). "Encompassing the Earth: Magellan's Voyage from Its Political Context to Its Expansion of Knowledge". International Journal of Maritime History 34(4)..
- Severin, Tim (1997). The Spice Island Voyage: In Search of Wallace. Abacus. ISBN 0-349-11040-9.
External links
- Deforestation in the Moluccas (archived 3 March 2016)
- The Spanish presence in the Moluccas: Ternate and Tidore (archived 3 March 2016)
- Trajectories of the early-modern kingdoms in eastern Indonesia
- "Spices of Life, Death and History"—An interesting article linking British possession of Run, a Banda Island, with the history of New York]
- Documentary About Moluccas: The Spice Odyssey – The Moluccas Islands—An interesting article about the Iberian presence in the Moluccas with a documentary
- Map of a Part of China, the Philippine Islands, the Isles of Sunda, the Moluccas, the Papuans from 1760
References
- Moluccas Encyclopædia Britannica, retrieved 2022-10-04^
- Jumlah Penduduk Hasil SP2020 menurut Wilayah dan Jenis Kelamin (Orang), 2020 Badan Pusat Statistik, retrieved 2022-01-28^
- Welcome to Maluku Lonely Planet, retrieved 11 April 2017