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MALAYO-POLYNESIAN-SPEAKING PEOPLES 475
five regencies, or kabupaten: 1) East Flores, which includes the islands of Solor,
Adonara and Lembara, 2) Alor, which includes the island of Pantar, 3) Ende
on the south central coast of the island of Flores, 4) Manggarai on the western
end of Flores and 5) Kupang, the regency at the western end of Timor which
incorporates the present provincial capital. These regencies are precisely the
areas with the oldest links to Islam.
Islam reached these islands from various directions in the sixteenth and seventeenth
centuries at a time when the Muslim community consisted of peoples
of many ethnic groups whose specific origins were less important than their
adherence to Islam. Historical evidence suggests that one of the earliest sources
of contact with Islam was with Muslim traders from the north coast of Java,
particularly Gresik. A second source of contact was with Muslims from the
sultanate of Ternate in the northern Moluccas (see Ternatan-Tidorese). A third
source was with Muslims from the sultanate of Bima on the island of Sumbawa.
Since both Ternate and Bima looked to the north coast of Java for their religious
traditions, these three sources of contact represent a similar tradition. The Sultan
of Ternate claimed sovereignty over Timor and the islands to the east of Flores,
whereas the Sultan of Bima claimed Flores and the island of Sumba. Later, in
the seventeenth century, Islamic influence emanating from Makassar came to
predominate as Makassarese, Bugis and Butonese sailors, accompanied by groups
of Bajau, began to penetrate the area and occasionally settle in or near established
Muslim communities (see Bajau; Bugis; Butonese; Makassarese).
The Portuguese reached these islands by the middle of the sixteenth century,
just as Islam was beginning to become established in various coastal settlements.
The Portuguese established Christian settlements in opposition to Islam, and this
resulted in clashes involving the local population, particularly on the islands of
Solor and Adonara and on the south coast of Flores and Ende (see Endenese).
The Dutch arrived early in the seventeenth century and immediately aligned
themselves with the Muslims in opposition to their trading rivals, the Portuguese.
They signed contracts of trade and alliance with the Sultans of Ternate and Bima
as well as with the Muslim rulers of Solor and Adonara, but eventually they
were able to compel the sultans of Ternate and Bima to relinquish their claims
to these islands, and thereafter the Dutch dealt exclusively with local Muslim
rulers. When, in the middle of the seventeenth century, they founded their
principal settlement at Kupang on Timor, they ceded a portion of beach near
their fort to their Muslim allies. This beach, known as Pantai Solor with its
associated settlement, Kampung Solor, has remained an Islamic residence to this
day.
The complicated history of Dutch, Portuguese and Islamic relations accounts
for the location and distribution of the Muslim peoples of NTT as well as the
occurrence of Christian and Muslim members of the same ethnic group. Furthermore,
the scattering of Muslim communities throughout the islands has facilitated
the historical migration of Bugis and Makassarese, which has increased
considerably in recent years. The traditional and still predominant occupations