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Pong Tiku
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Pong Tiku
Pong Tiku (also spelled Pontiku and Pongtiku; c. 1846 – 10 July 1907), known among his Buginese allies as Ne' Baso, was a Torajan leader and guerrilla fighter who operated in southern Sulawesi, part of modern-day Indonesia.
The son of the lord of Pangala', after Tiku captured the neighbouring kingdom Baruppu' he became its leader, later ruling Pangala' after his father's death. By exploiting the coffee trade and allying with the lowlands Buginese, Tiku was able to obtain large amounts of wealth, land, and power. During the Coffee War (1889–1890), his capital at Tondon was razed by another lord, but retaken the same day. When the Dutch colonials, based in Java, invaded Sulawesi in the early 1900s, Tiku and his soldiers utilised fortresses to withstand and launch attacks. Captured in October 1906, in January 1907 he escaped and remained at large until June. He was executed several days later.
Tiku was the longest lasting resistance leader in Sulawesi, such that Governor-General J. B. van Heutsz considered him damaging the stability of Dutch control over the region and dispatched the Governor of Sulawesi to oversee his capture. Since his death, Tiku has been used as a symbol of Torajan resistance. Long commemorated in Sulawesi, he was officially declared a National Hero of Indonesia in 2002.
Tiku was born near Rantepao in the highlands of Sulawesi (now part of North Toraja Regency, South Sulawesi) in 1846. At the time, southern Sulawesi was home to a booming coffee trade and controlled by numerous warlords. Tiku was the last of six children born one of these warlords; he was born to Siambo' Karaeng, lord of Pangala', and his wife Leb'ok. An athletic youth, Tiku was friendly with coffee traders who visited his village.
In 1880, a war broke out between Pangala' and Baruppu', a neighbouring state led by Pasusu. Tiku took an active role in a successful campaign against the neighbouring state, and when Pasusu was defeated Tiku took his place as ruler of Baruppu'. The newly annexed kingdom was rich in rice fields and easily defensible, giving Tiku great power. Although the Torajans traditionally valued manpower and did not kill more people than necessary, Baruppu' oral history describes Tiku as killing men, women, and children with abandon.
When, not long afterwards, Tiku's father died, Tiku became leader of Pangala'. As a leader, Tiku worked to strengthen the economy with an increase in the coffee trade and strategic alliances with predominantly Buginese lowlands groups. The economic success this brought led nearby rulers to respect and envy Tiku.
Fearing competition from the kingdoms of Luwu and Bone to the north and Sidareng and Sawitto to the south, Tiku worked on reinforcing his country's defences. The kingdoms eventually reached several trade agreements. However, Buginese encroaches led to renewed tensions between the states, climaxing in the Coffee War (Perang Kopi) in 1889. Tiku sided with the Buginese-influenced southern kingdoms.
The Bone military leader Petta Panggawae and his Songko' Borrong soldiers invaded Pangala' and sided with Pong Maramba', a minor lord. Panggawae overtook Tiku's capital at Tondon and razed the city, leading Tiku and the civilian population to abandon the area. Tiku, having sided with the Sidenreng leader Andi Guru, was able to retake the remains of the capital that night. The war ended in 1890, after Dutch scouts – representing the colonial government on Java – reached Bone. However, the remaining states soon began another series of struggles over the arms and slave trade, where states would exchange weapons for slaves; Tiku also participated in the trade.
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Pong Tiku
Pong Tiku (also spelled Pontiku and Pongtiku; c. 1846 – 10 July 1907), known among his Buginese allies as Ne' Baso, was a Torajan leader and guerrilla fighter who operated in southern Sulawesi, part of modern-day Indonesia.
The son of the lord of Pangala', after Tiku captured the neighbouring kingdom Baruppu' he became its leader, later ruling Pangala' after his father's death. By exploiting the coffee trade and allying with the lowlands Buginese, Tiku was able to obtain large amounts of wealth, land, and power. During the Coffee War (1889–1890), his capital at Tondon was razed by another lord, but retaken the same day. When the Dutch colonials, based in Java, invaded Sulawesi in the early 1900s, Tiku and his soldiers utilised fortresses to withstand and launch attacks. Captured in October 1906, in January 1907 he escaped and remained at large until June. He was executed several days later.
Tiku was the longest lasting resistance leader in Sulawesi, such that Governor-General J. B. van Heutsz considered him damaging the stability of Dutch control over the region and dispatched the Governor of Sulawesi to oversee his capture. Since his death, Tiku has been used as a symbol of Torajan resistance. Long commemorated in Sulawesi, he was officially declared a National Hero of Indonesia in 2002.
Tiku was born near Rantepao in the highlands of Sulawesi (now part of North Toraja Regency, South Sulawesi) in 1846. At the time, southern Sulawesi was home to a booming coffee trade and controlled by numerous warlords. Tiku was the last of six children born one of these warlords; he was born to Siambo' Karaeng, lord of Pangala', and his wife Leb'ok. An athletic youth, Tiku was friendly with coffee traders who visited his village.
In 1880, a war broke out between Pangala' and Baruppu', a neighbouring state led by Pasusu. Tiku took an active role in a successful campaign against the neighbouring state, and when Pasusu was defeated Tiku took his place as ruler of Baruppu'. The newly annexed kingdom was rich in rice fields and easily defensible, giving Tiku great power. Although the Torajans traditionally valued manpower and did not kill more people than necessary, Baruppu' oral history describes Tiku as killing men, women, and children with abandon.
When, not long afterwards, Tiku's father died, Tiku became leader of Pangala'. As a leader, Tiku worked to strengthen the economy with an increase in the coffee trade and strategic alliances with predominantly Buginese lowlands groups. The economic success this brought led nearby rulers to respect and envy Tiku.
Fearing competition from the kingdoms of Luwu and Bone to the north and Sidareng and Sawitto to the south, Tiku worked on reinforcing his country's defences. The kingdoms eventually reached several trade agreements. However, Buginese encroaches led to renewed tensions between the states, climaxing in the Coffee War (Perang Kopi) in 1889. Tiku sided with the Buginese-influenced southern kingdoms.
The Bone military leader Petta Panggawae and his Songko' Borrong soldiers invaded Pangala' and sided with Pong Maramba', a minor lord. Panggawae overtook Tiku's capital at Tondon and razed the city, leading Tiku and the civilian population to abandon the area. Tiku, having sided with the Sidenreng leader Andi Guru, was able to retake the remains of the capital that night. The war ended in 1890, after Dutch scouts – representing the colonial government on Java – reached Bone. However, the remaining states soon began another series of struggles over the arms and slave trade, where states would exchange weapons for slaves; Tiku also participated in the trade.
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