Manado

• 1. The Far Coast Name

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  A French cartographer drew the island of Manarow on a world map in the late 1500s. This early sketch marked the spot that would become Manado. The name itself comes from the Sangir language word manaro. It means 'on the far coast' or 'in the distance'. Early settlers used this term to describe the further of two islands visible from the mainland. When people moved their settlement to the mainland, they carried the name with them. The original island then became known as Manado Tua, which translates to Old Manado. In the Gorontalo language, the same place is called Moladu. This linguistic shift marks the physical move of the community from sea to land.

• 2. Flags And Fortresses

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  European powers fought for control over North Sulawesi during the 16th century. The Portuguese made the Sultan of Ternate their vassal and established a factory in Wenang. Spanish forces later set up shop in the Philippines and used Minahasa soil to plant coffee. They took over the Portuguese fortress in Amurang in the 1550s with help from native allies. A fort at Manado allowed Spain to control all of the Minahasa region. One of the first Indo-Eurasian communities developed here during the 16th century. Muntu Untu became the first King of Manado in 1630 and was the son of a Spanish Mestizo. Spain eventually renounced its possessions through a treaty that included a payment of 350,000 ducats. The Dutch East India Company built Fort Amsterdam in 1658. HMS Dover captured the city in June 1810. Javanese prince Diponegoro was exiled to Manado by the Dutch government in 1830. Alfred Wallace visited the town in 1859 and praised its beauty. The Japanese captured Manado in January 1942 during the Battle of Manado. Allied bombing heavily damaged the city during World War II.

• 3. A Tapestry Of People

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  The majority of residents in Manado today belong to the Minahasa ethnic group. Indigenous people of the area come from the Tombulu sub-tribe. The Tombulu language is spoken widely in urban villages like Wenang and Tuminting. Other groups include the Bantik people in Malalayang and the Sangir, Gorontalo, Mongondow, Babontehu, Talaud, Tionudese, Siau, and Borgo peoples. A small Jewish community exists near Pasar '45 in the Kampung Arab area. Residents also identify as Javanese, Chinese, Batak, Makassar, and Moluccans. Manado Malay serves as the main creole language for communication. It contains loan words derived from Dutch, Portuguese, and other foreign languages. Protestant Christianity makes up about 62.89 percent of all residents. Islam forms about 30.93 percent while Catholicism accounts for around 5.32 percent. Buddhism, Hinduism, and Confucianism each make up less than 1 percent. About 20 Indonesian Jews live in the city. The slogan Torang samua basudara means We are all family. Dr. Sam Ratulangi once said Man lives to educate others.

• 4. Wings And Reefs

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  Sam Ratulangi International Airport connects Manado with domestic destinations and international routes in East Asia and Southeast Asia. More than 15,000 international passengers entered Indonesia via this airport in 2005. Bunaken National Park stands as one of the city's most famous tourist attractions. Snorkeling and scuba diving take place around the island of Bunaken. Tunan Waterfall in Talawaan village attracts visitors seeking natural beauty. Mount Tumpa offers another popular destination for city tours. The city is divided into eleven districts including Bunaken Kepulauan and Paal Dua established in 2012. These administrative areas cover a total land area of 157.26 square kilometers. The population reached 451,916 according to the 2020 census. Official estimates for mid 2023 showed 458,582 inhabitants distributed across the region. The metropolitan area had a population of 1,377,815 as of mid 2023. Local share taxi services known as mikrolets provide public transport within the city. Perum DAMRI buses serve the route from the airport to Manado.

• 5. Spices And Faith

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  Food typical of Manado includes tinutuan, a porridge made with various kinds of vegetables. Cakalang fufu consists of smoked skipjack fish or roa fish. Kawok uses meat from the forest rodent white rat Maxomys hellwandii. Paniki involves bat meat-based dishes such as Pteropus pumilus. Rinte wuuk refers to dog meat while babi putar features pork mixed with local spices. Saguer serves as a traditional drink derived from the enau tree. It is fermented into wine or palm wine with an average alcohol content of 40 percent. Woku represents a spice mixture containing red ginger, turmeric, candlenut, and red chili pepper. Nasi kuning tastes different because it is spiked with abon of cakalang rica fish. Dabu-dabu sauce combines red chilies, cayenne pepper, sliced red onion, and diced tomatoes. Ban Hin Kiong Temple was established in 1819 and remains the oldest temple in the city. The city holds Indonesia's biggest Christmas celebration annually. Manado is recognized as one of the most tolerant and peaceful cities in Indonesia. Riots in other Indonesian cities around 1999 had little effect on this region.