Palu Valley

Palu, which is officially known as the City of Palu (Indonesian: ''Kota Palu''), is the capital and largest city of Central Sulawesi. Palu is located on the northwestern coast of Sulawesi and borders Donggala Regency to the north and west, Parigi Moutong Regency to the east, and Sigi Regency to the south. The city boundaries encompass a land area of . According to the 2020 Indonesian census, Palu has a population of 373,218, making it the third-most populous city on the island after Makassar and Manado; the official estimate as at mid 2021 was 377,030. Palu is the center of finance, government, and education in Central Sulawesi, as well as one of several major cities on the island. The city hosts the province's main port, its biggest airport, and most of its public universities.

Palu is located in Palu Bay; it was initially a small agricultural town until it was selected to become the capital of the newly created province of Central Sulawesi in 1953. Palu is sited on the Palu-Koro Fault and is frequently struck by earthquakes, the most notable being a magnitude 7.5 event in 2018. According to Indonesia's National Disaster Management Agency, the 2018 earthquake caused "the largest natural soil liquefaction phenomenon in the world". Much of the city's infrastructure was destroyed and large swathes of land were rendered uninhabitable, prompting the local government to plan to relocate the city to a safer location instead of rebuilding in the same place.

History

Palu city is relatively new. It was founded as an agricultural town and had been less significant than the then-bigger town of Donggala around away. The creation of Palu was initiated by people from several villages around Ulayo Mountain. There are different accounts of the origin of the city's name; according to one explanation, it came from the word ''topalu'e'', which means "raised land"; another version states it was derived from the word ''volo'', the name of local bamboo plants.

Early history

The early history of Palu and its surroundings can be divided into the Tomalanggai Era, the Tomanuru Era, and the Independent Era.

During the Tomalanggai Era, the earliest period in region's traditional history, most of the inhabitants were hunter-gatherers and relatively violent. Due to scarce resources, many tribal groups waged war against each other, and the losing group would need to settle with the winner and work for them. The leaders of these early settlers were called ''Tomalanggai''. The power structure was not yet formalized; the ''Tomalanggai'' were essentially absolute rulers with no limits of power, which caused frequent wars and rebellions. The following Tomanuru Era, in which power was consolidated and village structures became formalized, several reforms were made and life was relatively peaceful. According to local legend, during this era, villages were ruled by descendants of gods from heaven. It was said a ''Tomalanggai'' one day wanted golden bamboos, which grew around the region, for his water container and commanded his troops to chop all of them. After the bamboo were chopped down, a storm suddenly came but soon stopped; after the storm, a beautiful women appeared where the bamboo was. The ''Tomalanggai'' took her to his village and married her, and their descendant was wiser and stronger than his father. The name of the period roughly means "the one that brings blessing". This period lasted until about the 16th century. During this era, an aristocratic class called the ''madika'' appeared within Kaili society.

After the Tomanuru Era, the region experienced another historical period Indonesian historians called "''zaman Merdeka''" or the Independent Era. During this time, kingdoms in the region started to have trade contacts with the outside world and several signs of an early form of democratic government. Kingdoms in the region were no longer lead by single power entity; power was devolved to several representative bodies and councils. The power structure was divided into ''magau'' (kings) who lead the kingdoms, ''madika'' were nobles who led districts, and ''kapala'' who led villages. Kingdoms had structures such as ''patanggota'' (four officials), ''pitunggota'' (seven officials), and ''walunggota'' (nine officials), referring to the number of ministries beside the king who managed the kingdom. Kingdoms around the region also developed military structures with full-time officers and commanders. This era lasted roughly until the arrival of the Dutch in the region.

Kingdoms in the region during this period included Bangga Kingdom and Pakawa Kingdom, which were located around from the modern-day location of the city. Other kingdoms in the region, particularly in the Palu Valley, were Palu Kingdom, Tawaeli, Bora, and Sigi. Bangga and Sigi Kingdoms were among the biggest and most powerful, acting as regional powers.

Colonial era

Contact with Europeans, particularly Portuguese, occurred since the late 16th century, mainly for trading and rights to use ports. Portuguese influence is evident in several communities of Kaili people, particularly in the region that used to be under the Kulawi Kingdom, around from Palu, where dress that resembles that of the Portuguese is worn. Contact with the Dutch began in the 19th century when the Portuguese influence in the region had waned. The first kingdom to sign a contract with the Dutch was the Sigi Kingdom, which signed a ''Large Kontrack'' in 1863 and ''Karte Verklaring'' in 1917. The kingdom of Banawa also signed ''Large Kontrack'' in 1888 and ''Kartte Verklaring'' in 1904. Other smaller kingdoms soon followed by signing the same contracts and agreements. Between 1863 and 1908, practically all kingdoms in the region were under the influence of the Dutch and were soon incorporated into the Dutch East Indies. There was some local resistance, such as the Donggala War in 1902, which was led by King Tombolotutu; the Sigi War between 1905 and 1908 led by King Toi Dompu; and the Kulawi War between 1904 and 1908. The native kingdoms were mostly defeated in the war and there would be no further significant resistance from the natives until 1942.

World War II and National Revolution

In 1942, influenced by World War II and the rising Indonesian nationalism movement, an uprising referred to as ''Merah Putih Movement'' (lit: Red and White Movement) appeared in the region. The uprising in this region started on 25 January 1942 when a local Dutch colonial police chief was killed and several officials were taken hostage by the movement. In Central Sulawesi, the movement was closely connected to the one organized by Nani Wartabone in Gorontalo about the same time. The movement controlled the region of the former Kulawi Kingdom and was supported by ex-nobles from the region. The Kingdom of Kulawi was revived and royal troops were mobilized to support the nationalist cause. The movement's stronghold was in Momi Mountain, across the Miu River. As the result of the movement, Toi Torengke the King of Kulawi was arrested. On 1 February 1942, the movement raised the Indonesian flag at Tolitoli and played Indonesia Raya, resulting in an assault by the Dutch military and the killing of several nationalist figures in the region. The movement soon spread to other regions such as Luwuk and Poso. The Red and White Movement pledged its allegiance to the National Government, a provisional Indonesian government set up by Nani Wartabone in Gorontalo. Following the Dutch East Indies' conquest by the Empire of Japan, the Red and White Movement collapsed as result of the arrest of Nani Wartabone by Japanese forces. The nationalist movement in Sulawesi was suppressed and seen with suspicion by Imperial Japanese Navy, which occupied the region, unlike other regions such as Java and Sumatra, which were under control of the Japanese army.Kahin (1952), p. 355

Following the surrender of Japan and Proclamation of Indonesian Independence in Jakarta, a paramilitary organization named Laskar Tanjumbulu was formed by surviving fighters of the previous Merah Putih Movement. The paramilitaries took over several Japanese military facilities and weapons while distributing news about Indonesian Independence. The remaining Japanese officials transferred governance to several native kings in the region including Palu before leaving. Some of these kings later supported an Indonesian republic and created difficulties for the returning Dutch administration. The King of Palu and Parigi accepted the return of the Dutch administration, which landed in Palu in late 1945. On 31 January 1946, a widespread repression of the nationalist movement occurred. The region, including the city, later became part of State of East Indonesia until the Dutch–Indonesian Round Table Conference, at which the Dutch acknowledged Indonesian sovereignty and the State of East Indonesia was disbanded one year later. In Palu, the dissolution of the State of East Indonesia and return to a unitary republic occurred in a building today called Gedung Juang.

Modern history

While the city had a Dutch official seat during the colonial era, Palu was still by this time a small agriculture town with little significance, while Central Sulawesi region's economic and political activities were centered around Poso and Donggala. The center of economic activity in the region shifted when the larger Pantoloan Port was built in Palu Bay, and an airport which today become Mutiara SIS Al-Jufrie Airport

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