Tobelo
However, violence in December 1999, which emanated from Tobelo as a result of initial killing of Christians in North Maluku by the Makian community vitiated peace in the town and surrounding areas. Christians of Galela and Tobelo asserted their rights by attacking the Muslims in Tobelo as a counter to the alleged atrocities committed on them in Ambon City. Unfortunately, there is little or no evidence that Muslim leaders had planned to attack Christians in Tobelo. According to Duncan (2001), the roots of the conflict "focused on plans by the regional government to create a new sub-district (kecamatan) of Makian Daratan from the southern half of the Kao sub-district." Initial reconciliation efforts at the sub district level worked for some time in preventing any clashes and assuage hurt feelings. The religious violence, which simmered in January 1999 in Ambon culminated in rioting in Tobelo by end of December 1999. This rioting was further triggered by the fleeing of several thousand Christians from Central Halmahera, and Tobelo had turned into a refugee camp. Though the rioting has been quelled, the mistrust between the two communities prevails. Galela subdistrict with its own language is another place where remnants of strife (burnt out churches and mosques) between the religious groups are still seen with military checkposts established to prevent any further disturbances in the region. In the ultimate analysis, it is reported that the sectarian violence in 1999â€"2000 had resulted in 2000 Muslim deaths in Maluku and a population displacement of 200,000 Muslim people in the region. Tobelo was the worst affected as over 100,000 Muslim people were from Tobelo and villages to its south, who fled to the island of Ternate and Morotai during early 2000. Nearly 70% of them returned subsequently as the situation was controlled. However, as a result of violence in 1999â€"2000, the area is clearly demarcated into Muslim and Christian villages. Tobelo is now almost entirely Christian; while Muslims have fled to nearby villages. Remnants of devastation are still evident. There is a discerned process of peace building emerging between the two communities now.
In Tobelo Suanggi manifested herself in the form of a beautiful woman that enticed young men, particularly teachers. The victim was lured by her charms and then she would attack him and devour his genitals. The presence of this malevolent spirit resulted in a general psychosis of fear among people that also spread throughout North Maluku. Villagers, particularly children, were forbidden to go outside their homes in the night.
Some people claimed that Suanggi was the vengeful spirit of the murdered daughter of the Tobelo village leader and that she had been motivated by trauma. She was a Muslim young woman that had been brutally raped and killed by a group of young rioters during the 1999â€"2000 conflict in the town. For six months her whereabouts remained unknown, but one day a local diviner had a dream where he saw the location of the girl's body in a ravine. After her mortal remains were found at that location, they were exhumed and a formal burial ceremony was performed.
It was believed that the Suanggi appearing in Tobelo was the spirit of this Muslim girl which had assumed a revengeful form, a bloodthirsty ghost seeking retribution against her attackers. Strangely, the evil spirit had appeared 1st near the Protestant Church in the town. In 2004, during the 1st national election in Eastern Indonesia, a local Christian farmer had heard loud wailing cries of a woman near his plantation. He claimed that they came from the bloodthirsty spirit "as if she was crying into a megaphone" similar to the loud speakers widely used in Tobelo during the election campaign. The place where the cries were heard was the precise location where large massacres had taken place during the 1999â€"2000 riots between the Christians and the Muslims in which more than 800 people were killed. Thus, this event provided a link between the bloodthirsty spirit and the political climate of the time.
Inhabitants of Tobelo are non-Austronesianâ€"speaking people. Tobelo's predominant Christian character is expressed colourfully at Christmas with bamboo poles arching over the side of the roads hung with lights and multi-coloured flags. At Easter, local church congregations hold a competition to see who can create the best Easter garden. The Christians of Tobelo are traditionally said to live a peaceful co-existence with Muslims in surrounding villages, although violence broke out between the two religious groups in December 1999. One festival of note is the annual North Halmahera Cultural Festival, when the Tobelorese wear full traditional ceremonial dress.
Traditional Tobelorese weddings are also said to be among the most colourful and the Christians follow traditions during their wedding ceremonies, with traditional music and dance. A wedding is typically accompanied by traditional Tobelorese music, played with gongs and drums and a Cakalele dance is usually performed in front of the bride as she approaches the groom. Around the time of New Year, Tobelo attracts a number of Yangere groups from all over North Halmahera and perform music and dances.
The main language of Tobelo, the Tobelo language, is spoken across North Halmahera, by approximately 15,000 people.
Each year, in April, after the harvest season there is a practice of offering of plates of rice and certain items of basketry by the married women to the Church, duly observing conventional social norms. The offerings are then sold or auctioned during the Sunday services in the premises of the church. The returns from such sales go to the Church funds, which are used by the church for providing public services. It is more of ritual than an economic transaction.
The other ritual observed in Tobelo is on the 1st Sunday of January when prayers are offered in the Church for the dead. On this occasion, each family decorates the graves of its deceased with flowers. This is also an occasion when women dressed in military uniform hold a parade through the village and enter houses demanding food and sweets.
The rituals observed conform to both pre-Christian Tobelo customs and the post-Christian era culture conforming to the Gregorian calendar. However, marriages are conducted under the Tobelo customs, rituals and practices. The family units are patrilineal.
Tobelo boasts large swathes of locally owned coconut plantations, supplying hundreds of tonnes of copra every month to the ports of Bitung (North Sulawesi) and Surabaya (East Java). The city, as the main centre for the North Halmahera has thus become the export hub for copra and other commodities.
UNDP launched development project under the Galea â€" Tobelo â€" South Tobelo Area Recovery projects in 2002â€"2003, involved several projects for rural electrification, health facilities, transportation, labour intensive projects of roads and drainage, social activities of cross community collaboration projects of culture and sports empowerment, construction of bridges, markets, improvement of drainage systems and bus terminals. Economy is picking up and there are clear signs of recovery. However, education facilities are still at the basic level. Tobelo and its neighbourhood are still considered a danger zone for foreigners.
Luari beach, the ethnic Galelarese village of Luari to the north of Tobelo, is on the Pacific Ocean. It has clear and calm waters and is safe for swimming and canoeing. Snorkelling is also done on the cape to the north, from where sunset views, over Mount Tarakani and the coast of Galela, are impressive.
Kumo beach on the Kumo island is the nearest to Tabelo town â€" a few minutes of motorised canoeing â€" is the busiest beach in North Halmahera. Its natural surroundings are scenic. Swimming is safe here.
Tobotobo Sea Garden in the Toboto village, which is ideal for snorkelling and diving. Thousands of bats are seen here clinging to the mangrove trees. White and blue pigeons take bath here.
Telaga Paca is a small crater lake close to Tobelo town to the south â€" a few km off the main road. The lake is set in a backdrop of thickly forested hills. There is also a small village by the same name Talaga Paca near the lake, which has a lookout area erected over stilts in the water to view the lake. A canoe could be hired to paddle in the lake. It is the source of drinking water to the village. Villagers do fishing in the lake.
Related Sites for Tobelo
- Kabupaten Halmahera Utara - Wikipedia bahasa Indonesia ... read Tobelo
- www.alibaba.com - Tobelo Cup Mini Chocolate - Buy Mini Cup ... read Tobelo
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