Page 20 - THE MELANESIA DIASPORA FILE CETAK ISI 10022017

Since early 17th century, it could be said that all of Sumbawa island was already under
the influence of Goa-Tallo. The same was with Manggarai, in the Western part of Flores
Island. This area was once also under the influence of Makasar kingdom’s culture and
religion, before eventually—two generations afterwards—succeeded in releasing itself
and embraced Catholics.
In the meantime, other islands had also succeeded in making themselves as the center
of power individually. Ternate, Tidore, Makian, and Bacan had become the producers of
cloves which allegedly were abundant. The same thing could be said with Jailolo, which
was more known as Halmahera Island, a big island which was located in the Eastern part of
small islands, Ternate and Tidore. Mythologically, Ternate and Tidore were in brotherhood
but in reality of history both were always in a competitive competition. Maybe because of
a mythological relationship which was always on guard under a marriage bonding, Ternate
and Tidore expanded its own political influence to different directions. While Tidore
expanded to the Western and Northern parts—the islands in the Eastern parts of Sulawesi—
Tidore directed its attention to the South. So the Northern coast of Papua and the region
or Raja Empat island (the Southern part of Papua island) were under the political influence
of Tidore. Therefore, it could be understood why the inhabitants in both regions became
Islamic followers. Tidore came not only for ruling and gaining economic advantage but
also developing the religion. The same was with the regions under the influence of Ternate.
However—since the 17th century—both kingdoms in the small islands near Halmahera
had had to face the dynamics of conflicts between Portuguese and Spain. The two
European kingdoms with the strength and the power uprising after succeeding in
conquering the Islamic sultanate which had existed in the Iberian Peninsula (the region of
Spain, Portuguese and Catalan) since the 7th century—but their political dynamics would
not come to an end. Therefore it was understandable if various stories imagining heroism
and even romanticism met the historical page of the two small islands. But in this situation
was also the attachment of both islands to Islam became bigger as well.
In such a situation of the growing desire of strengthening faith and knowledge on
religion, Sultan Zainal Abidin of Ternate purposefully came to Makasar and then continued
to the review center of Sunan Giri in Gresik, a city near the center of Majapahit kingdom.
When the story of Sultan Zainal Abidin—may be the third Islam king in Ternate—had been
told, then the role of Sunan Giri in the Islamic process in the Eastern region of Indonesian
islands could not be forgotten.

20 Introduction

MELANESIA BOOK FA LAYOUT 051216.indd 20 2/10/17 2:10 PM