North Sulawesi is a land of magnificent coral reefs protecting virginwhite beaches, mountains and active volcanos, reminding the

islanders and the world of the potential power of one of the earth's most awesome forces. It is a land of vast coconut plantations fringed along the coastline, which is why the area is also known as "Bumi Nyiur Melambai" or "The Land of Waving Coconut Palms." The name Sulawesi is said to be derived from the two words sula (island) and besi (iron), referring to the rich sources of iron on the island Culture & Arts. In the Minahasa area alone there are 8 indigenous languages spoken: Tonsea, Tondano, Tombulu, Tontemboan and Tonsawang, Bantik, Ratahan and Ponosakan. The first five languages form a genetic group called proto-Minahasan. The other three languages have their closest links with languages spoken outside Minahasa. Ponosakan is closely related to Mangondow, spoken in the Bolaang Mangondow Regency. Ratahan, also referred as Bentenan, and Bantik have their closest links with Sangir, spoken on the islands of the Sangihe Talaud Archipelago and in the north of Minahasa District.

Music People of North Sulawesi love music, and they are famed throughout the country for their vocal skills, displayed to best advantage during their rituals, celebrations and gatherings. The Kolintang music instrument originated from Minahasa. It is similar to a wooden xylophone and is popular nationwide. One version of local folklore states that the name Kolintang came from its sounds: TING (high pitch note), TANG (moderate pitch note) and TONG (low pitch note). In the local language, the invitation "Let us do some TING TANG TONG"

is: "mangemo kumolintang", hence the name of the instrument, Kolintang.

Bamboo Music: Bamboo trumpets were made and played for hundreds of years in North Sulawesi, particularly in Sangihe Talaud. High-quality, very old bamboo is shaped into elegant trumpets which produce a melodious sound. Bia music instruments, consisting of a sea shells, are less popular but still employed in some areas of North Sulawesi, usually at holiday celebrations.

Maengket is a dance drama from Minahasa. The dance is often performed on important occasions welcoming prominent visitors, as a prelude to competitions, or during local festivals.

Tari Lengso is a dance derived from Maengket where the dancers use handkerchiefs in the dance routine. It slightly resembles dances from the Vietnamese and Kampuchean cultures, where Toar and Lumimuut, the descendants of the Minahasans came from. Kabala is a traditional welcome dance performance in Bolaang Mongondow.

Tempurung is the local name for coconut shell. The dance reflects the appreciation of the farmer's family for the harvest of kopra (copra). It is usually performed by pairs of men and women.

Katrili is an imported dance introduced by the Spaniards in the time of colonialism. The dance is performed by pairs of men and women and a leader. The commands are given in Spanish. The costumes are similar to those of the flamenco dance.

Polineis is a modification of the Polonaise. Polineis is an imported dance originally introduced by the Dutch people in the colonial era. Pisok is the local name for sparrow, also known as Burung Gereja (church bird). This bird is considered holy in Minahasa. The Minahasan people believe that the Pisok bird always brings good luck. The Pisok dance is performed by an odd number of girls. The indigenous dance repertoire of Sangihe Talaud includes the : 1. 2. 3. 4. Gunde (worship dance) Salo (war dances) Bengko (war dance using spears) Upase (to accompany the Saalo dance, perfumed by the king's guards).

Others are Alabadiri (illustrating the cooperative spirit in work between the government and the people), and Ransa Sahabe (similar to the Alabadiri dance). Relatively new dances are Kakalumpang (illustrating cooperation among the people during the coconut harvest), the fisherman's dance Madunde (dance of the nine goddesses), Empat Wayer (youth dance), Toumatiti and Petik Pala (nutmeg picking dance). Food Like for most of Indonesia the staple food in North Sulawesi is rice, except for Sangihe Talaud where it is Sago. However, rice is becoming more popular and affordable there as well. Fish features prominently in the diet: fresh, salted, dried, smoked or paste. It is abundant and of great variety: lobster, oyster, prawns, shrimp, squid, crab, etc. Coconut is found everywhere and besides being processed for cooking oil, its milk and meat is an ingredient for many dishes. Spices and hot chili peppers are the essence of most cooking, and in North Sulawesi they are used generously.
Flora & Fauna From the botanical standpoint the Wallace Line is less apparent, Sulawesi plants appear to be more closely related to those of other dry parts of the archipelago. Amongst the distinctive endemic animal species in the island are the rare anoa, tailless monkey and the inexplicable babirusa, literally meaning "pig deer" (babiroussa babiroussa). The latter are considered the most peculiar mammals of Sulawesi and are protected by law. There are 2 species of anoa (dwarf buffalo). One with smooth conical horns is living in the mountains while the lowland anoa has rough horns. Despite their dog-sized body, their physical appearances are like the placid water buffalo. Contrasting to the domesticated water buffalo, these species are unpredictable, aggressive and sensibly feared by locals.

There are 7 species of Sulawesi black macaques, 3 of which occur in the province of North Sulawesi. They may be seen at Tangkoko Batuangas Dua Saudara Reserve on the northern tip of the island.

Geography The province of North Sulawesi with an area of 1,533,698 ha is located at 030"- 4 3" North Latitude and 121127" East Longitude. To the north the region borders on the Republic of the Philippines, Sulawesi Sea and the Pacific Ocean. The Eastern part is on the Maluku Sea and the Southern side is the Tomini Gulf. The western part borders Gorontalo Province, which until the end of 2000 was a part of North Sulawesi and then became an own province.

Climate Like other regions in Indonesia, North Sulawesi has a typical equatorial climate with two seasons: rainy and dry. Starting in September, cool Northwesterly winds pick up moisture while crossing the South China Sea and arrive in the Sulawesi Sea about November. The wet season lasts from about November to March, but it is usually less pronounced than in many other parts of Southeast Asia and thus not really a serious concern in North Sulawesi. Mean temperatures at sea level are uniform, varying by only a few degrees throughout the region, and throughout the year 78- 82F (25- 28C). However, temperatures are decreasing 2F (1C) for every 656 feet (200m) of altitude, which provides a cool pleasant climate in upland communities.

Okay so we know about Bunaken and its startling biodiversity. But what else does the capital city Manado have to offer? As Wallace pointed out, it is a "pretty" city with some of the most spectacular sunsets over the perfect cone of Manado Tua island to be seen anywhere in the country. The city itself boasts a Provincial Museum. For a nominal entry fee you can stroll around the museums three floors of exhibits, which display traditional costumes, and modes of transport like the bendi a small horse trap which is still in use in many places. There is a good collection of ceramics, from China, Japan and Europe as well as some furniture that was used by national heroes during the independence struggle. Manado has also become the focal point of Minahasan culture. The most engaging is certainly the Cakalele or war dance.

North Sulawesi is the only part of this strangely sprawling island that has volcanoes, and they are magnificent smokey beasts to behold. The fertile soils of the Minahasa highlands have made them some of the most productive for agriculture, and it seems everywhere you look up here are neat rows of cabbages, carrots, spring onions and other vegetables that eventually find their way to the Tomohon market, and later onto dining tables around the region.

Being volcanic highlands you might also expect to see some highland lakes, and you wont be disappointed. Lake Tondano is the largest and most well known, with its colourful restaurants built on stilts over the water for a fresh seafood lunch. Then theres the

remarkable Lake Linow fed by a steaming volcanic spring, on a hot day it is famed for its colour changes from deep blue to turquoise, green and sulfur yellow. Kali waterfall is nearby from there. Just a short drive from Tomohon, from the carpark its a moderately energetic walk along a narrow path which winds through some luxuriant rainforest. The waterfall itself has a charming fairy tale quality to it with an arched bridge having been put in place and the rock walls around are covered with beard moss blowing in the breeze and spray from the powerful falls.

Bolaang Mongondow Before Gorontalo became a separate province, it was the westernmost regency of North Sulawesi. However, that honour now goes to Bolaang Mongondow. It takes around five hours to drive from Manado to Kotamobagu the administrative capital. You can take the coastal road via Inobonto or the winding mountain road via Modoinding, either way the scenery is fantastic.

Sangihe & Talaud The islands off the very north coast of Manado, which seem to form a kind of bridge with the very southernmost islands of the Philippines, are the group known as Sangihe & Talaud. An archipelago of 77 islands, Sangihe & Talaud like most unspoiled areas is not easy to get to. A speedboat makes the journey from Manado in around six hours, stay overnight and go back the next day. If you have an extra energy you could climb Gunung Awu the spectacular volcanic peak.

Bitung & Lembeh Strait The port town of Bitung with its fine natural harbour protected by the adjacent island of Lembeh is the centre for shipbuilding and maintenance as well as commercial fishing. Also, since the harbour in Manado silted up, large ships now all call into Bitung, including some of the magnificent passenger cruise-liners. The town itself has a quaint provincial charm and is distinguished by its 12m replica of the Eiffel Tower at one of the roundabout intersections leading into town. Apparently the unusual monument was built by a previous mayor who had studied in Paris in his earlier years, and was built as a testament of his love for the "City of Lights". Take a boat ride across and down the Lembeh Strait and youll come across an equally odd and intriguing monument; the Trikora Monument. Constructed in the 70s this mammoth structure towering some 100 meters into the sky was built to celebrate the success of the Indonesian militarys campaign in Irian Jaya. With an enormous Monaslike tower flanked by two annexes which look something like robotic flowers in bloom, the inside wall which encircles the base of the monument shows scenes of recruiting soldiers and then sending them off to war.

Bunaken National Park The Bunaken National Marine Park was formally established in 1991 and is among the first of Indonesia's growing system of marine parks. The park covers a total surface area of 89,065 hectares, 97% of which is overlain by sparkling clear, warm tropical water. The remaining 3% of the park is terrestrial, including the five islands of Bunaken, Manado Tua, Mantehage, Nain and Siladen. Although each of these islands has a special character, it is the aquatic ecosystem that attracts most naturalists. The waters of Bunaken National Marine Park are extremely deep (1566 m in Manado Bay), clear (up to 35-40 m visibility), refreshing in temperature (27-29 C) and harbor some of the highest levels of biodiversity in the world. Pick any of group of interest - corals, fish, echinoderms or sponges - and the number of families, genera or species is bound to be astonishingly high.

A snorkler or diver in the vicinity of Lekuan or Fukui may spot over 33 species of butterfly fish and numerous types of groupers, damsels, wrasses and gobies. The gobies, smallish fish with bulging eyes and modified fins that allow them to attach to hard surfaces, are the most diverse but least known group of fish in the park.

Events 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. After New Year: MENULUDE (Sangihe Talaud) March 22: ANNIVERSARY OF BOLAANG MONGONDOW July 14: ANNIVERSARY OF MANADO September 23: ANNIVERSARY OF NORTH SULAWESI October 10: ANNIVERSARY OF BITUNG November 5: ANNIVERSARY OF MINAHASA REGENCY

How to get to North Sulawesi 1. Air

2. Boat

3. Bus

Local Transportation 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. Mikrolet Buses Taxis Car Rental Ojek Bendi Boats

Photo Galery