Ternate - Smithsonian Institution Libraries

TERNATE 147
THE TERNATESE LANGUAGE
At three o’clock the tremors became three times more severe with the sound like
that of a storm, but they were still not too bad. Then the tremors became shocks and the
roaring continued, as if a storm were raging. About five o’clock, at dawn, at the time of the
morning prayers, the lebes said their prayers in the mosque. A true-born Arab from Mecca,
Mohamad Said, son [p. 204] of Ahmaduljami Almaki Assalah, 11 led the prayers and recited
the chapter of the Koran called “Alama Tanjil.” The genuflections were not yet finished
and he was still standing when a severe jolt occurred and the ground moved as if someone
had moved it up and down; and at the top of the mountain a noise like thunder was heard.
The people living on this side of the mountain thought it was lava streaming down, but it
was really an earthfall and stones rolling down. The lebes were praying and had said the
salam when another jolt was felt. It was just as severe. The imams, khatibis, and modins
in the mosque jumped to their feet, frightened, and ran outside through the back door. A
few came back inside to finish their prayers; others did not. Only the Sekh of Mecca and
the Imam-Secretary Haji Abdulhaib stayed inside; they went outside afterwards. The Kali
of Bangsa was not feeling well and did not participate in the prayers in the mosque. When
it was past five o’clock the Sultan ordered the clerk Haya to go to the Resident and ask him
to fetch a woman named Buniu who lived in the kampong of Mangkasar, because she had
committed adultery with her own father-in-law, a son of the Sultan of Palembang, 12 called
Prabu Jain. Throughout the whole day and night the Sultan and the Resident sent people
up and down to inform each other of what was happening. When the clerk Abdul Haya
went to inform the Resident, as said, about Buniu, [p. 205] it was past six o’clock, and the
Sultan of Palembang sent two of his sons up to pay their respects to the Sultan; but since
they had not first asked the permission of the Resident, the Sultan did not receive them
and they were told to go down to ask permission. Once down they did not return.
At the same time the Commander of the fort went up on horseback to the big gate
and asked: “Where is the Sultan?” The officers on guard duty answered: “Up in the palace.”
After that he went to the guard’s gate, gave a few orders to the bodyguard and went down
again.
About the same time, at six o’clock, the Sultan ordered the Sekh of Mecca and the
Imam-Secretary to be brought to him. They came to the palace, but the Sultan was no
longer there: all living souls had moved into the houses on poles in the square in front of
the palace near the sea. 13 He gave alms and instructed the Khatibis of Bangsa, Tosi, and
Ali, the Imam of Takome, Abdul Aman, the Khatibi-Jurtulis, Haji Abdul Fatha, and the
Khatibi of Moyau, Sidik, to all go and worship at the holy graves and places of sacrifice of
the Sultans.
11 [p. 204, n. 1] In the spelling of names derived from Arabic, the local pronunciation has been
conserved.
12 [p. 204, n. 2] In the text is written: kolano Palembang mangofa nonau. Actually this should be
ingofa, but such variations often occur in the spoken language.
There is presumed to be a reason for each earthquake, and forbidden love relationships are
thought to play a big role in this. By taking away the guilty woman, the Sultan hoped to remove the
source of the problem⎯a sentiment shared by everyone born on Ternate.
13 [p. 205, n. 1] Because the palace of the Sultan has high brick walls more than one meter thick,
there is much less fear of possible accidents in the gabah dwellings set on poles.
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