The Continuity of Gandong Bond as Reflection of Maluku Identity
Post Human Tragedy in Maluku 1999
Fricean Tutuarima, Falantino Eryk Latupapua and Elfilina Kissya
Universitas Pattimura, Maluku, Indonesia
Keywords: Molucas conflict, continuity, gandong, Molucas Indentity.
Abstract: This study is directed to the effort in remapping gandong bond in Maluku particularly in Ambon island, as
part of Maluku ethnic civilization. This study with phenomenology approach result in scientific analysis
about the continuity of gandong bond as community harmonization and its vitality after suffering from human
conflict in Maluku 1999. The human value which is alive in gandong bound is still existed and become
civilization symbol which is timeless and will not extinct as consequence of conflict. Therefore, it is expected
that the result of study is made to become basic in formulating policy and road map for regional and national
development, particularly in the effort to preserve gandong culture as safeguard for its community who
support it and to create nation integration and social harmonization which are rooted in local culture wisdom.
1 INTRODUCTION
The research with this theme is interesting to be
studied in depth because of some basic reasons. First,
human tragedy in Maluku is a paradox reality, bearing
in mind that the philosophy of pela and gandong bond
with jargon potong di kuku rasa di daging (if the nail
is cut off, it is felt in the flesh) which has been for a
long time become the binding factor of strong
plurality and advocate tolerance values in community
with different religion in Maluku. Since long time,
diversity in Maluku has been inclusive and pluralist.
It is in viewpoint of pela and gandong philosophy
which is mono dualistic that Maluku people ancestors
with lofty common sense lay the civilization base
which is quite high but modern namely by making
social contract such as pela and gandong. That
cultural system become social glue between Islam
and Christian, even the social cultural identity of this
society give spirit for human bonding among
religions and among brothers.
Speaking about pela cannot be separated from the
word gandong. The custom and tradition of pela and
gandong is cultural heritage of Central Maluku
people, particularly indigenous people of Seram
Island, Ambon and 36 Lease Islands (Haruku,
Saparua and Nusalaut). Pela gandong are traditional
and old social institution if it is seen from historical
perspective. Its function is to regulate society life in
social relations. The meaning of pela as the meaning
from many another word cannot be known exactly.
There are some people who argue that its meaning
should be searched in tribal languages in Seram
Island, but there are some who give meaning
separately in accord with the forms of pela. But in
general, Central Maluku community consider it as
brotherhood relation or union among two or more
negeri or villages, whether in Muslim villages and
Christian villages. This brotherhood relation is
known also as gandong relation or siblings’ relation
because these two-village people admit that they
belong to one common ancestor/datuk.
The word gandong in Ambonese language can be
compared to the word kandung in Indonesian
language. Gandong or kandung is womb or lap, a
central and origin of living things. So, it means that
siblings, little brother and big brother make a treaty
ties to love each other because they are sibling or look
like sibling. Therefore, gandong has territorial and
genealogical meaning. From territorial aspect,
gandong is a union among villages whereas from
genealogical aspect, gandong is true sibling
brotherhood.
Second, Maluku conflict had destroyed the
essence of pela and gandong culture which become
part of Moluccan identity. Conflict is inherent part of
a community development. There is no community
who are fully free from conflict and clashes as a result
of interaction. One of massive social conflict which is
supposed to give significant influence toward
376
Tutuarima, F., Latupapua, F. and Kissya, E.
The Continuity of Gandong Bond as Reflection of Maluku Identity Post Human Tragedy in Maluku 1999.
In Proceedings of the 2nd International Conference on Sociology Education (ICSE 2017) - Volume 1, pages 376-381
ISBN: 978-989-758-316-2
Copyright © 2018 by SCITEPRESS – Science and Technology Publications, Lda. All rights reserved

stability of country is human conflict occurred in
Maluku and North Maluku since 1999. Pieris for
example, mentioned that human conflict in Maluku is
civilization crisis (Pieris, 2005).
Third, there are some earlier studies about pela
and gandong such as a study conducted by Hehanusa,
which address the meaningfulness of pela and
gandong from religion plurality aspect by making
dichotomy between religion and custom. Bakri view
pela gandong as conflict resolution approach in
Maluku and there is some another study about pela
gandong (Bakri, 2015). There is tendency that pela
gandong is seen just for its existence as local wisdom
and its usefulness. On the other side, there is threat
toward the existence of pela and gandong in reality of
modern generation post conflict in Maluku. This part
which become the focus of this study is which
differentiate it from earlier studies about pela and
gandong. This study is focused on continuity of
gandong relation among villages with the same and
different religion in Ambon Island and its
surrounding post human tragedy in Maluku.
Maluku community since long time had
recognized gandong as identity which describe
tolerance or respect to community pluralism.
Gandong is the bond weaved among villages which
have differences in religion and socio-cultural
condition in Maluku, generally in Central Maluku
region, such as in Ambon Island, Lease Island and
Seram Island. The gandong bond can be weaved
based on consensus among those villages, with its
own history and origin. As for law and another
consensus such as Pancasila and 1945 Constitution of
Republic of Indonesian, the power of gandong had
been since long time believed and understood as socio
cultural relations in community. Until the beginning
of 1999, Maluku people had never recognized the
word conflict with SARA nuance and another conflict
because they feel bounded by gandong ideology.
It is in this conflict event that ideology difference
can be seen to become social friction and turned into
real social conflict. Gandong which contain lofty
values cannot serve its vital function as customary
institution which bind community who have
difference in religion in togetherness. In the other
word, that conflict had changed drastically the
community order including philosophical values of
gandong culture which since long time believed as
the glue which maintain social harmonization. After
the security condition in Maluku is condusive and
slowly but sure all aspects of community life are
improved, the existence of gandong as the glue of
brotherhood relation which become identity of
Maluku people is questioned.
The result of this study contributes to give
description about the continuity of gandong in its
relation to resolution of human tragedy in Maluku
1999 in the period of post conflict. It is intended to
obtain data and fact about relevance and the existence
of gandong itself as social-cultural bonding among
Maluku people as its owner in the present time. Peace
needs the effort to continuously do identification and
elimination toward the potential of structural violence
to occurs in a community.
Therefore, this study will be around some stages,
namely: first, to describe the reality of gandong bond
in current situation (post conflict), second, to find out
the community’s perception about the continuity of
gandong bond in relation to the effort in minimizing
the potential of conflict in the future. Therefore, the
result of study is expected to become mindset to
formulate the policy of regional and national
development, to create nation integration and social
harmonization rooted in local culture wisdom.
Besides, this study offers the reflective room for all
stakeholders who so far play role in conflict
resolution about the extent of that conflict resolution
reach whole people who are involved directly in that
conflict. This become important because nowadays
custom values tend to be eroded by community life
which is increasingly developed and experience very
significant dynamics so it can potentially trigger
conflict which is finally resulted in disintegration and
disharmonization in its community. Social-cultural
and custom bond in Maluku community had been
rooted; gandong, since long time has been regarded
as a bond which tie the community pluralism which
is very strong. Gandong as a glue and maintain
relation harmonization among villages become
concrete solution as the effort to maintain diversity in
Maluku.
The problem studied in this study are: (1) How is
the reality of gandong bond among customary
villages in North Maluku and Ambon City and the
completeness of recovery discourse and the effort of
conflict resolution which touch all aspects and
dimensions of community life post Human Tragedy
in Maluku? (2) How is the continuity of gandong
bond as local wisdom which reflect Moluccan
identity? The aim of this study is to show the reality
of gandong bond post Human Tragedy in Maluku and
to find out people perception about the continuity of
gandong bond which reflect Maluku ethnic
civilization as cultural heritage.
2 METHODS
The design of this study is qualitative descriptive
study by using phenomenology approach. The main
concept in phenomenology is meaning as important
content occurred from human awareness experience
to identity the essential quality from awareness
The Continuity of Gandong Bond as Reflection of Maluku Identity Post Human Tragedy in Maluku 1999
377

experience in depth and thoroughly (Smith et al.,
2009). Phenomenology let the reality to reveal itself
naturally which aims to raise deepest awareness of
one’s experience. Phenomenology believe that reality
is a result of social construction and reality also is a
result of sharing experience in interacting between
one person with another person. Data was obtained in
field or site of study from in- depth interview with
informant and direct observation.
The subject of this study are people in customary
villages or Negeri which have gandong bond, among
others are, Negeri Laha- Negeri Amahusu and Negeri
Tial, Negeri Lima-Negeri Hattu, Negeri Rumah Tiga-
Negeri Wakal- Negeri Hituesting. The location of
study from those eight gandong villages, comprise
two regions of central government in Maluku
Province, namely Ambon City (Negeri Laha, Rumah
Tiga and Amahusu) and North Maluku Regency
(Negeri Tial, Wakal, Hitumessing, Negeri Lima and
Hatu) in which all those five gandong villages are
located in Ambon island.
This study use conceptual induction approach
which based on fact or empirical information to make
interpretation in the form of impression, opinion or
theoretical view in the form of data. Data which is
obtained through data collection instrument then
analyzed qualitative descriptively.
3 DISCUSSION
3.1 The Reality of Pela Gandong Bond
and Completeness of Recovery
Discourse and the Effort to Resolve
the Conflict Root
Ambon island itself has two regions or peninsula
coverage, in which its regional division was done
based on governmental region of two big kingdoms
in the ancient time in Ambon island, namely Leitimur
peninsula under the kingdom government/Negeri
Soya and Leihitu peninsula under the kingdom
government/Negeri Hitu. The study which was
conducted in Leitimur peninsula, comprise the
governmental region of Negeri Amasuhu and Tial,
whereas in Leihitu peninsula comprise the
governmental region of Negeri Wakal, Hitumessing,
Negeri Lima, Hatu, Laha and Rumah Tiga. Based on
data of study result obtained through interview with
customary leaders from those gandong villages, then
there is explanation about that gandong relation, as
explained as follow:
3.1.1 Negeri Wakal – Negeri Hitumessing –
Negeri Rumah Tiga
Negeri Wakal, Hitumessing and Rumah Tiga are
three villages which are located in Ambon city, which
were formed originally from sibling relation. In
kinship relation, Negeri Wakal is the oldest sibling
(the oldest brother), followed by Hitumessing as
second oldest brother, and Rumah Tiga as the
youngest sibling (the youngest brother). Negeri
Wakal and Hitumessing then become Muslim
villages and Rumah Tiga become Christian village
until now.
3.1.2 Negeri Lima – Negeri Hatu
Negeri Lima and Hatu as two sibling villages, which
are formed due to blood ties or sibling. This gendong
relation is formed from three siblings who were
separated and formed new village in the ancient time,
namely one brother form Negeri Lima and another
brother go up and go down the mountain toward
Negeri Hatu, whereas the youngest sister goes to
Negeri Alang, but she was disappeared, according to
historical explanation from local custom leader.
Today, Negeri Lima is Muslim custom village,
whereas Negeri Hatu is Christian custom village.
3.1.3 Negeri Laha – Tial – Hualoy –
Amasuhu
Negeri Laha, Tial, Hualoy and Amasuhu are four
sibling villages which are formed due to sibling ties.
These three villages are formed originally from the
separation of these three villages, in which the oldest
brother go to Laha, the second brother go to Tial, the
third brother go to Hualoy (Seram Island) and the
youngest brother go to Amasuhu. As the religion
entered the villages, then the religion believed by
those four villages until now are Negeri Laha, Tial
and Hualoy are Muslim, whereas Negeri Amasuhu is
Christian.
Gandong relation among villages or negeri in
Maluku is not new phenomena created by Maluku
community today, but it is cultural heritage incised by
their ancestors and inherited for generations in
centuries. The gandong relation which is maintained
among Muslim village and Christian village give an
explanation that almost all respondents know about
that gandong relation, and all respondents agree that
gandong bond still maintained well. This reality
proves that social conflict which raise SARA issue in
Maluku in 1999 not entirely destroy gandong relation
among the villages which have different beliefs.
The result of study shows a cause-effect pattern
of the problem occurred during human tragedy. This
problem cause gandong relation among villages
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which have different religion, Muslim and Christian
become loose and rather disturbed. This disturbed
relation is not caused by indigenous people of
gandong villages, but caused by the immigrant people
who are not indigenous people of Maluku. This
disturbed relation result in less intensity of meeting
frequency among the people of gandong villages due
to security. The power of gandong essence become
filter to resist various kind of provocations which are
potentially result in new conflict in the future. The
basic things which become threat and challenge
which should be faced by this gandong bond is
incitement and provocation which raise ethnicity,
religion, race and inter-group relation issue from
some people come from outside (external factor),
who do not want peace and want to destroy the life
pillars of Maluku community. The brotherhood
relation formed caused by blood ties or sibling is the
power for Maluku community to be able to reawake
and improve themselves post human tragedy.
Therefore, Maluku community today are not easily
provoked by various incitements which aimed to
disturb brotherhood relation which has been built so
far.
Raharyono explained that gandong bond as a local
wisdom is human intelligence owned by certain
ethnic group acquired through community experience
(. The tradition values which reflect the entity of
Maluku community civilization had been inculcated
and form custom and politeness, because that value
had been processed through long journey in the
history of Maluku community. Furthermore,
Marwing, 2015) said that gandong had fulfilled six
significances and function of local wisdom if it is
utilized in conflict resolution (Marwing, 2015). First,
as identity marker of a community. Second, glue
element (cohesive aspect) of cross-citizen, cross-
religion, and cross-belief. Third, local wisdom is not
coercive but inner consciousness. Forth, local
wisdom gives the color of togetherness in a
community. Fifth, the capacity of local wisdom in
changing mindset and reciprocal relation of
individual and group and put it above common
ground. Sixth, local wisdom can drive appreciation
process, participation and also minimize the analyzer
who destruct solidarity and integration of community.
The indigenous people of villages which have
gandong relation between Muslim and Christian
entirely desire to preserve that gandong relation, so its
relation become tightened and continued for next
generation. This need is urgent due to the rapid of era
development which is potentially produce instant
generation who do not understand anymore and care
about the forms of gandong relation inherited by their
ancestor as part of local wisdom.
3.2 The Continuity of Gandong Bond
as Local Wisdom which Reflect
Moluccan Identity
Indeed, gandong bond is full of positive values which
reflect the natural custom of Maluku community.
Ruhulesin (2005) said that, the notion of gandong and
orang basudara in pela bond is key definition to
understand that traditionally, Muslim and Christian
people in Maluku believe that in the context of
Nunusaku religion and also in kakehang tradition,
they are gandong or siblings which is literally means
come from the same womb (Ruhulesin, 2005).
Maluku community develop civilization as a
community in all activities of cross-individuals,
cross-religions and cross-villages which are framed in
a religious customary order which aims to realize
cosmos harmonization as the goal of Mollucan.
Moluccan identity can be seen from human values
which live in social relation among gandong villages.
Kinship values by using clan or marga as marker,
form a life pattern which respect each other in a
collective community. Equality value which treat the
other people equal with themselves. Respect the
dignity which is described through treatment in social
relation. The value of peaceful life as brothers is
important thing which should be maintained as basis
to effected on nation security. The value of mutual
cooperation is seen from spontaneous treatment
without expecting the reward when another gandong
need help in building worship places and baileo
(traditional house) (Hehanusa, 2017).
Based on data of interview result with custom
leaders in gandong villages, and data obtained
through questionnaire, it is obtained that, gandong
relation among villages in Maluku not a new
phenomenon created by Maluku community today,
but culture heritage incised by their ancestors and
inherited for generations in centuries. The gandong
relation which is maintained among Muslim village
and Christian village give an explanation that almost
all respondents know about that gandong relation, and
all respondents agree that gandong bond still
maintained well. This reality proves that social
conflict which raise SARA issue in Maluku in 1999
not entirely destroy gandong relation among the
villages which have different beliefs.
The result of interview of King of Hattu Village
revealed that community knowledge of gandong
relation, and the intimacy of that relation of course
not detached from the king, the role of local custom
leader and the older people who understand about
gandong to capable to continue that cultural heritage.
Subsequently, the result of study shows a cause-effect
pattern of the problem occurred during human
tragedy. This problem cause gandong relation among
The Continuity of Gandong Bond as Reflection of Maluku Identity Post Human Tragedy in Maluku 1999
379

villages which have different religion, Muslim and
Christian become loose and rather disturbed. This
disturbed relation is not caused by indigenous people
of gandong villages, but caused by the immigrant
people who are not indigenous people of Maluku.
This disturbed relation result in less intensity of
meeting frequency among the people of gandong
villages due to security. The entire village
communities who have gandong relation between
Muslim and Christian desire that gandong relation is
preserved, so the relation is increasingly tighter and
continued for next generation. This need is urgent
bearing in mind the rapid of era development which
is potentially produce instant generation who do not
understand and care about the forms of gandong
relation which is inherited by its ancestor as part of
local wisdom.
In customary law jurisprudence, the term used to
describe the nature of four customary law which is the
same with supernatural is religious-magic. It means
that the community who support customary law
including gandong villages believe that what is
bounded in the world, also bounded in front of God
so the violence of customary treaty will deal with
God, tete nene moyang (ancestor) as one cosmos
unity. That men and women from same gandong are
forbidden to marry each other reflect the natural life
regularity because they are genealogically bounded.
Based on the study result obtained, it is described
that continuity of gandong bound post human tragedy
in Maluku give opportunity to more strengthened
kinship relation among Muslim and Christian villages
particularly in Ambon Island. Conflict make
community of gandong in Ambon Island aware that
they are brothers and need not to fight each other, in
contrary they should protect each other. Besides,
gandong bond is still potentially to become filter in
the effort to maintain peace in Maluku provided the
government pay serious attention to preserve
gandong relation. The concrete action which can be
done is by realizing the desire of community from the
villages which have gandong relation to hold the
custom ceremony of panas gandong, as media to
refresh and preserve gandong culture.
One important thing which become weakness in
gandong relation is the lack of understanding of
community from gandong villages today, particularly
young generation about the story and historical story
of how those gandong villages are formed. This lack
of understanding is caused by some custom leaders
and old people thinking that it is a family secret for
generations which should not be known by
community in large, so it cannot be told and should
be kept until dead.
This external factor is the source of weakness, so
it is the reason why historical story about that
gandong bound only known by some people in
community. Another factor is the present of outsider
who do not understand the meaning of story about
gandong relation so they are lack of bounding as
brothers who should love and protect each other. The
development of era in globalization and reformation
era today with various science and technology
advances raise various problems which can erode life
pillars in nation and state including life as nation and
state in this land of a thousand islands (Maluku),
particularly concerning the existence and continuity
of gandong bound which has been formed for
centuries.
4 CONCLUSIONS
The researcher finds that cultural social bounds in
Maluku community which had been known since
long time as a holder and upholder of cultural and
social values which tend to fade away, and begin to
be ignored by the community who indeed own these
values are caused by various factors. Those factors
among others are: (1) stagnation of effort in
preserving cultural social values, as a result of
disparity among generations; (2) dislocation in the
function of customary institutions; (3) by various
components of community, cultural social bound
based on custom values which only viewed as
historical fact.
The mapping of gandong relation in Ambon
island which is done in this study then can become
theoretical and conceptual base to conduct follow-up
studies or researches about pela and gandong and also
the cultural social situation post conflict in Maluku.
For example, the study of discourse about people
relocation post conflict, conflict resolution,
economic, cultural and social gap of community post
conflict, relation among religion, custom, and culture,
etc. Post human tragedy in Maluku, gandong relation
in Ambon island is still existed. The community
from villages which have gandong relation are
strongly aware of the importance of this customary
institution as relation glue among brothers in plural
social community. The community need contribution
from government to refresh and preserve again
gandong relation in panas gandong ritual as the
vehicle of cultural value inheritance.
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