Sulawesi
Sulawesi (formerly
Celebes ) is a large island in
Indonesia.
The first Europeans to visit the island were Portuguese sailors, in 1512. The island was part of the colonial
Dutch East Indies until Indonesian independence in 1945.
It is the
world's eleventh-largest island, covering an area of 174,600 km². The island is surrounded in the west by
Borneo, the north by the
Philippines, east by
Maluku, and to the south by
Flores and
Timor. The island has a distinctive shape, dominated by four large peninsulas (see
Sulawesi peninsulas). The central part of the island is ruggedly mountainous, such that the island's peninsulas have traditionally been remote from each other, with better connections by sea than by road.
The island is subdivided into six provinces:
Gorontalo,
West Sulawesi,
South Sulawesi,
Central Sulawesi,
Southeast Sulawesi, and
North Sulawesi. The largest cities on the island are
Makassar, on the southwestern coast of the island, and
Manado, on the northern tip.
The island of Sulawesi straddles
Wallace's Line, meaning that there are a mix of both Asian and Austronesian species. However, the majority of Sulawesi's wildlife belongs to the Australasia region. 2,290 km² of the island is devoted to
Lore Lindu National Park.
There are 127 known mammal species in Sulawesi. A large percentage of these mammals, 62% (79 species) are endemic, meaning that they are found nowhere else in Indonesia or the world. The largest native mammal in Sulawesi is the dwarf buffalo, locally known as the
anoa.
By contrast, bird species tend to be found on other nearby islands, such as
Borneo - 34% of Sulawesi's birds are found nowhere else.
The people of Sulawesi are famous for their dedication to their diverse art abilities, which include pottery, weaving, and dancing. Their pottery was originally made specifically for the purpose of storing rice and water, but when the Dutch arrived, the pottery was used for commercial exporting and sale. The pottery is noted for its extensive detail. The Sulawesian people have intricated weaving, and repeat the same pattern at least once in every project they do. Although the women are predominantely weavers, both genders dance. The male dance is rigid, mechanical and robotic, while the female's dances are fluid and smooth. They combine these aspects to tell a story.
Islam is the majority religion in Sulawesi. The conversion of much of the island to Islam occurred in the
15th,
16th, and
17th centuries. Southern Sulawesi, around the city of
Makassar, was the first major area of the island to accept Islam. However, the
Gorontalo and the
Mongondow peoples of the northern peninsula largely converted to Islam only in the 19th Century. Most Muslims are Sunnis. Muslims can be found in all parts of Sulawesi.
Though Islam is the religion of the majority of Sulawesi's people, large regions of the island observe other religions as well.
Christians form a substantial minority. According to
Toby Alice Volkman, 17% of Sulawesi's population is Protestant and 2% is Roman Catholic. Christians are concentrated on the tip of the northern peninsula around the city of
Manado, which is inhabited by the
Minahasa, a predominantly Protestant people, and the northernmost
Sangihe and
Talaud islands. The famous
Toraja people of
Tana Toraja in Central Sulawesi have largely converted to Christianity since Indonesia's independence. There are also substantial numbers of Christians around
Lake Poso in Central Sulawesi and among the
Pamona speaking peoples of Central Sulawesi. There has also been growth in the Christian population of the
Banggai Islands and the Eastern Peninsula in Central Sulawesi, traditionally thought of as Muslim areas (which in the past were controlled by Muslim sultanates in
Tidore and
Ternate). Christians can be found in every major Sulawesi city.
Though most people identify themselves as Muslims or Christians, they often subscribe to local beliefs and deities as well. It is not unusual (and fully acceptable) for Muslims and Christians to make offerings to local gods, goddesses, and spirits.
Smaller communities of
Buddhists and
Hindus are also found on Sulawesi, usual among the Chinese, Balinese and Indian communities.
