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Ternate |
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People Group: |
Ternate |
 |
| Location: |
Indonesia |
| Population: |
46,000 |
| Religion: |
Islam |
| % Christian: |
0.05% |
| % Evangelical: |
0.05% |
| Ministry
Resources: |
Some Believers, No Known Churches |
|
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Total People Group
Population: |
46,000 |
Other countries People
Group Linked to: |
None |
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Additional Information:
Who are the Ternate?
The Ternate of Indonesia live on the small island of Ternate, which is
close to the larger island of Halmahera in the province of North Maluku,
mid-way between northern Sulawesi and the western tip of Papua.
Halmahera and its outlying islands (which includes Ternate), covers
approximately 6,500 square miles. The Maluku Islands, historically
called the Spice Islands, are a string of over one thousand islands
scattered over the eastern portion of Indonesia. They include most of
the islands between Sulawesi and New Guinea and between Timor and the
Philippines. Fifty percent of the Ternate people reside on the island of
Ternate and the other fifty percent have migrated elsewhere, but still
continue to identify themselves as Ternate. Areas of Ternate migration
include the islands of Bacan and Obi, as well as other regions both
inside and outside the province of Maluku. The Ternate people speak the
Ternate language. Experts classify this as a West Papuan language that
is part of the North Halmahera language cluster, and not a part of the
Austronesian language family dominant among Indonesian people groups.
What are their lives like?
 The
main livelihood of the Ternate is farming and fishing. They plant rice,
vegetables, legumes, cassava, and sweet potatoes and cultivate cloves,
coconuts, and nutmeg. Cloves have a long history in Ternate as the main
attraction for the European colonial powers. The Ternate also are known
as reliable sailors. Ternate settlements generally are built along roads
parallel with coastlines. In rural areas, houses are made from woven
grass. In urban areas, various structures of houses are used, many
borrowed from newcomers of other people groups.Before the entrance of
Islam, the Ternate were grouped into family clusters, each of which was
led by a momole. With the entrance of Islam, these momole joined to
become one confederation led by a kolano. Later, after Islam became more
solidly entrenched, the kolano became sultanates. In the kolano
structures, genealogical and territorial structures had unifying roles
in the community. In sultanates, however, the Islamic religion became
the unifying factor. The Ternate sultanate still exists to this day, but
with only symbolic power.
What do they believe?
The majority of the Ternate are Muslims. As followers of Islam, they
believe they will be judged based on their good deeds and knowledge of
the Qur'an (Islamic Holy Book). In the past, the Ternate sultanate,
along with the Tidore sultanate, was one of the main disseminators of
the Islamic religion in the eastern portion of Indonesia.
What are their needs?
The Ternate people need outside help in developing more modern and
efficient farming models, as well as in discovering new natural
resources in their area and more efficiently managing their currently
known natural resources. Three primary fields for greater assistance in
management include forestry, oceanic resource development, and farming.
With the ancient Portuguese fortress, the Ternate Sultan's palace, and
other attractions, Ternate has great potential for tourism.
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