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BAU BAU
BUTON ISLAND SOUTH
EAST SULAWESI

BUTON ISLAND AND THE SULTANATE OF
BUTON
To the southeast of the Sulawesi mainland,
Buton Island remains part of Southeast Sulawesi
Province. Long before the independence of Indonesia and
the unification of Buton with the rest of the country,
Buton was a kingdom. This existed from the 14th to the
16th centuries. After this, and until Indonesia's
independence, it remained a Sultanate.
During the Sultanate period, the residents conducted
trade and communicated with both China and Majapahit
Kingdom, on Java Island. Interestingly, the first ruler
who governed this region was a queen and the last ruler
was a king. It was the last ruler, King Laki Laponto,
who became the first Buton Sultan.
Buton Island is well known for its aspha lt,
called Buton or Butas Asphalt, and for its teak and
ironwood. There is daily boat service from Kendari, with
a stopover in Raha, the capital city of Muna Island.
The most fascinating culture appeal of Buton Island can
be enjoyed when local people conduct ceremonies,
celebrations and folk events, which welcome honored
guest. One such unique event is "Pakande-kandea", when
foods and cakes are offered to visitors and traditional
dances are performed.
Its largest town is Bau-Bau. Major
nearby islands include Wowoni (North), Muna and Kabaena
(West) and Siumpu (Southwest). The Tukangbesi Islands
lie just to the east where Tukang Besi is spoken, and is
separated by the Gulf of Kolowana Watabo (Teluk Kolowana
Watabo). Batuatas Island is to the south.
Baubau is the principal on
Buton Island, the former capital of the Sultan of Wolio,
who ruled Buton and the nearby islands of Muna, Kabaena,
Wowini and Tukangbesi. The people conducted trade
communicated with both China and the Majapahit Kingdom,
on the Island of Java. Interesting ly
enough, the first ruler who governed this region was a
queen, and the last was a king. The most fascinating
cultural appeal of Buton Island can be enjoyed when
local people conduct ceremonies, celebration
celebrations and folk events, which welcome honored
guests. One is the "Pakandekandea", when food and cakes
are offered to visitors and traditional dances are
performed. Buton Island is well known for its asphalt,
called Buton or Butas Asphalt, and for its teak and
ironwood. Nirwana Beach is located 12 km from the
village of Baubau, and is popular for swimming and its
fine white sand beach. The small adjoining island, only
thirty minutes away by sailboat, is a fisherman's
paradise. There is daily boat service from Kendari, with
a over in Raha, the capital city of the island of Muna.
Buton
and its neighboring islands forming the southernmost
extension of Southeast Sulawesi orogenic belt is related
to a westward-dipping tectonic subduction on the east.
This island includes within the non-volcanic Banda Arc,
like Tukang Besi, Buru and Seram. Latest hypothesis
suggests that those islands were originally a submerged
micro-continental fragment which break up from the
Australian mainland and drifted away until they collided
with Southeast Sulawesi in the early Middle Miocene, and
deformed. Figure 1. below interprets the drifting track.
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