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TERNATE 73 TOPOGRAPHY AND TRAVEL DESCRIPTIONS
Gamkonorah. The main kampong is situated on the creek of the same name,
which is only navigable at high tide. The kampong is divided into two quarters, Soahsio
and Pasroro, inhabited by Moslems with a Sangaji as head of the district. The Alfurus,
known as Waioli, live in small huts scattered along the coast as far as Sawu and are said to
belong to five kampongs, namely Tuguai, Tigiling, Tosoah, Balamanyirah, and Tomaitu.
The Utusan is entitled to have two helpers in the kitchen and the Sangaji is given rice and
sago. The rock Tua ma-Soselo forms the boundary with Sawu and is situated at the foot of
the mountain Oon ma-Kie, opposite a ravine, half of which belongs to Gamkonorah and the
other half to Sawu.
On the mountain Oon ma-Kie live the Alfurus from Tubaru. [p. 110] Their Sangaji
is subordinate to the Utusan of Gamkonorah and is assisted by a Ternatese Kalaudi. These
Alfurus are divided into two groups, the Tubaru Toma Nyeku to the north and the Tubaru
Toma Adu to the south. 4 We have already mentioned that these tribes will move from one
settlement to another easily and often. 5
The village Ibu, which forms a part of Gamkonorah, used to consist of the kampongs
Iboo, Ligua, Tobaol, Tewa-Tewa and Tobae. At present there are only two Islamic
kampongs: Gam Ici, the original Tobaol, and Gam Lamo, the former Iboo. These are
situated opposite each other on the banks of the river Ibu, approximately half an hour’s
rowing time from the coast. The local government is in the hands of two Ngofamanyirahs,
who receive almost no income. The Sangaji of Gamkonorah receives a certain amount of
paddy and also the tax levy on plantations, when people from Makian or elsewhere come
here to open up new gardens. The amount of the tax is f 3.- annually. Near the mouth of
the river mentioned above, a few Makassarese from Ternate have settled; they grow a little
bit of paddy, coffee, and cocoa in the surrounding area.
The only eruption of the mountain has been described by Valentijn; no further
eruptions have occurred since. From time to time, however, pillars of smoke which are
clearly visible on Ternate still rise from the top. 6
Tolofuo. There are only two Alfuru kampongs here, Fatala and Toguis [as
corrected in Errata —Trans.], inhabited at the most by ninety able-bodied men who earn
their living by pounding sago.
During the west monsoon this place is inaccessible because of the high wash of the
waves. At such times there is no anchorage ground and the beach dwellers are obliged to
live in their gardens, since houses on the beach are often washed away.
4 [p. 110, n. 1] Cf. “Word-List.”
5 [p. 110, n. 2] See pp. 31-32.
6 [p. 110, n. 3] See below, “Short Chronicle,” [as corrected in Errata —Trans.], under the year
1673.
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