Solor
Encyclopedia
Solor is a volcanic island located off the eastern tip of Flores
island in the Lesser Sunda Islands
of Indonesia
, in the Solor Archipelago
. The island supports a small population that has been whaling
for hundreds of years. They speak the languages of Adonara
and Lamaholot
. There are at least five volcanos on this island which measures only 40 km (24.9 mi) by 6 km (3.7 mi). The island's area is 222 km2.
In 1520, the Portuguese
established a trading post
in the village of Lamakera on the eastern side of the island as a transit harbor between Maluku
and Malacca
. In 1562, Dominican
priests built a palm-trunk fortress which Javanese Muslim
s burned down the following year. The fort was rebuilt from more durable materials and the Dominicans commenced the Christianisation
of the local population. By 1590 the Portuguese and Christian population numbered about 25,000. There were, however, repeated displays of resistance against both the Portuguese and their religion; in 1598-1599, for example, the Portuguese required an armada of 90 ships to put down a Solorese uprising.
At this time, there was a conflict between the traders and the priests, so the traders left Solor and settled in Larantuka
at Flores
island. When the Dutch
came in 1613, the priests surrendered at the first attack and were brought to Larantuka, too.
The Dutch kept the fort, but did not make a profit close to the Portuguese port. After two commanders defected to the Portuguese they give up Solor. In 1636 the Portuguese were attacked by the Dutch and had to abandon the fort. In 1646 the Dutch occupied the fort again. The first of the new commanders was suspended, because he married an indigenous woman. The second commander challenged the Portuguese commander to a duel and was slain. In 1648 the Dutch left and the Dominican priests returned.
Flores
Flores is one of the Lesser Sunda Islands, an island arc with an estimated area of 14,300 km² extending east from the Java island of Indonesia. The population was 1.831.000 in the 2010 census and the largest town is Maumere. Flores is Portuguese for "flowers".Flores is located east of Sumbawa...
island in the Lesser Sunda Islands
Lesser Sunda Islands
The Lesser Sunda Islands or Nusa Tenggara are a group of islands in the southern Maritime Southeast Asia, north of Australia. Together with the Greater Sunda Islands to the west they make up the Sunda Islands...
of Indonesia
Indonesia
Indonesia , officially the Republic of Indonesia , is a country in Southeast Asia and Oceania. Indonesia is an archipelago comprising approximately 13,000 islands. It has 33 provinces with over 238 million people, and is the world's fourth most populous country. Indonesia is a republic, with an...
, in the Solor Archipelago
Solor Archipelago
The Solor Archipelago is a group of islands in the Lesser Sunda Islands, Indonesia, lying to the east of Flores and to the west of the Alor Strait and the Alor Archipelago. To the north is the west part of the Banda Sea, while to the south across the Savu Sea lies the island of Timor...
. The island supports a small population that has been whaling
Whaling
Whaling is the hunting of whales mainly for meat and oil. Its earliest forms date to at least 3000 BC. Various coastal communities have long histories of sustenance whaling and harvesting beached whales...
for hundreds of years. They speak the languages of Adonara
Adonara
Adonara is an island in the Lesser Sunda Islands of Indonesia, located east of the larger island of Flores in the Solor Archipelago. To the east lies Lembata, formerly known as Lomblen. It is the highest of the islands of the archipelago, reaching an altitude of 1,659 metres, and it has an area of...
and Lamaholot
Lamaholot
The Lamahalot are a traditional tribe located on Flores Island, Indonesia, and some smaller islands around it . Lamaholot people speak the Lamaholot language with different dialects, the number of speakers counts between 150,000 and 200,000...
. There are at least five volcanos on this island which measures only 40 km (24.9 mi) by 6 km (3.7 mi). The island's area is 222 km2.
History
Portugal
Portugal , officially the Portuguese Republic is a country situated in southwestern Europe on the Iberian Peninsula. Portugal is the westernmost country of Europe, and is bordered by the Atlantic Ocean to the West and South and by Spain to the North and East. The Atlantic archipelagos of the...
established a trading post
Trading post
A trading post was a place or establishment in historic Northern America where the trading of goods took place. The preferred travel route to a trading post or between trading posts, was known as a trade route....
in the village of Lamakera on the eastern side of the island as a transit harbor between Maluku
Maluku Islands
The Maluku Islands are an archipelago that is part of Indonesia, and part of the larger Maritime Southeast Asia region. Tectonically they are located on the Halmahera Plate within the Molucca Sea Collision Zone...
and Malacca
Malacca
Malacca , dubbed The Historic State or Negeri Bersejarah among locals) is the third smallest Malaysian state, after Perlis and Penang. It is located in the southern region of the Malay Peninsula, on the Straits of Malacca. It borders Negeri Sembilan to the north and the state of Johor to the south...
. In 1562, Dominican
Dominican Order
The Order of Preachers , after the 15th century more commonly known as the Dominican Order or Dominicans, is a Catholic religious order founded by Saint Dominic and approved by Pope Honorius III on 22 December 1216 in France...
priests built a palm-trunk fortress which Javanese Muslim
Muslim
A Muslim, also spelled Moslem, is an adherent of Islam, a monotheistic, Abrahamic religion based on the Quran, which Muslims consider the verbatim word of God as revealed to prophet Muhammad. "Muslim" is the Arabic term for "submitter" .Muslims believe that God is one and incomparable...
s burned down the following year. The fort was rebuilt from more durable materials and the Dominicans commenced the Christianisation
Christianity
Christianity is a monotheistic religion based on the life and teachings of Jesus as presented in canonical gospels and other New Testament writings...
of the local population. By 1590 the Portuguese and Christian population numbered about 25,000. There were, however, repeated displays of resistance against both the Portuguese and their religion; in 1598-1599, for example, the Portuguese required an armada of 90 ships to put down a Solorese uprising.
At this time, there was a conflict between the traders and the priests, so the traders left Solor and settled in Larantuka
Larantuka
Larantuka is a subdistrict of East Flores Regency, on the eastern end of Flores Island, East Nusa Tenggara, Indonesia. Like much of the region, Larantuka has a strong a colonial Portuguese influence...
at Flores
Flores
Flores is one of the Lesser Sunda Islands, an island arc with an estimated area of 14,300 km² extending east from the Java island of Indonesia. The population was 1.831.000 in the 2010 census and the largest town is Maumere. Flores is Portuguese for "flowers".Flores is located east of Sumbawa...
island. When the Dutch
Netherlands
The Netherlands is a constituent country of the Kingdom of the Netherlands, located mainly in North-West Europe and with several islands in the Caribbean. Mainland Netherlands borders the North Sea to the north and west, Belgium to the south, and Germany to the east, and shares maritime borders...
came in 1613, the priests surrendered at the first attack and were brought to Larantuka, too.
The Dutch kept the fort, but did not make a profit close to the Portuguese port. After two commanders defected to the Portuguese they give up Solor. In 1636 the Portuguese were attacked by the Dutch and had to abandon the fort. In 1646 the Dutch occupied the fort again. The first of the new commanders was suspended, because he married an indigenous woman. The second commander challenged the Portuguese commander to a duel and was slain. In 1648 the Dutch left and the Dominican priests returned.
Towns and villages
- Aplame
- Balawelin
- Kelike
- Kukuwerang
- Lamakera
- Lamawolo
- Lewograran
- Liko