Hibualamo Philosophy:

An Effort to Build Reconciliation in North Halmahera

M. Guntur Alting

Universitas Islam Negeri Syarif Hidayatullah Jakarta, Indonesia

Keywords: Hibualamo, Peace, Reconciliation

Abstract: The constantly top-down conflict reconciliation brings the people to their position as an object without the

ability to build reconciliation awareness deriving from the potential social capital of the people themselves.

This paper intends to explain the social capital-based reconciliation of the people in North Halmahera,

North Maluku Province. The fact in the field shows that the collective post-conflict reconciliation in North

Halmahera has not been performed maximally due to the failure of people’s reconciliation resulting in the

occurrence of disharmony. This study uses the qualitative approach particularly case study method, with

data collecting technique uses in-depth interview and observation. The result of this study finds that the

social capital-based post-conflict reconciliation of the people in North Halmahera uses the potential

Hibualamo philosophy, which contains the values of life in the form of: (1). Odora namely preserving

affection by growing the desire of each inhabitant to associate and to develop cooperation among

community groups (2). Odiari namely the importance of upholding the truth value and promoting honesty

and implanting loyalty as a form of anyone's dedication to people's interest. (3). Oadili namely the principle

of equity in social life.

1 INTRODUCTION

Christian – Moslem relationship in North Halmahera

is a relationship that has a complex background to be

understood as a reality merely limited to a formal

relationship among religious followers. In fact, such

relationship is built in two important bonds, namely,

first, kinship in direct line of descent, and second,

the solidarity of the members of a single tribe and

the same village.

In Halmahera up to 1979, there had been a

significant increase in the number of Christians.

Two things caused this increase according to Haire,

namely, first, the mission continuously implemented

by the church and second, the influence of the New

Order government's political policy requiring the

people to follow one of the official religions

acknowledged by the government. Haire sees that

the Halmahera people’s choice to follow the

Christianity religion was caused more by the

rejection of the Halmahera people towards the

domination of the Muslim North Maluku regional

government.

The increasing number of Christians in North

Halmahera (Halut) and the issuance of Joint Decree

(SKB) raised particular suspicion of the Muslims

towards all actions of the Christians including those

in the daily community life. This suspicion has

affected the attitude of the Muslims in Halut who

has started to keep their distance from the Christians.

Even the habit to visit relatives celebrating their

religious feast days has slowly disappeared.

According to L. P. Duan, in older generations,

visiting one another in religious feast days is not

only for expressing felicitation, but more than that,

in such occasion parents will introduce their children

to the relatives they are visiting. In such process,

shall occur the inheritance of family values with the

effort of knowing one another as part of the family

overpassing spiritual bond. Unfortunately, this no

longer happens.

In situation and condition like this, reconciliation

is required. In the Halmahera context, when

Christianity and Islam religions, directly and

indirectly, are considered involved in a riot, cultural

values shall be once again routed out and searched

for as means for implementing reconciliation

process (Crim, 1984). The cultural values

consistently held as the prevailing philosophy of the

Halmahera people in general and North Halmahera

Alting, M.

Hibualamo Philosophy: An Effort to Build Reconciliation in North Halmahera.

DOI: 10.5220/0009933616751682

In Proceedings of the 1st International Conference on Recent Innovations (ICRI 2018), pages 1675-1682

ISBN: 978-989-758-458-9

1675

people, in particular, are those of the Hibualmo

philosophy.

A question that can be raised in this script is

“how far can the Hibualamo philosophy bind the

unity and togetherness of the Halmahera people

following the riot? Are the values of the Hibualamo

philosophy still meaningful for the reconciliation

process in Halmahera now and in the future?”

2 HIBUALAMO PEOPLE

Among the island cluster of the North Maluku

Province amounting to approximately 352 small and

large islands, Halmahera is a big island. This island

cluster is located on the equator and at 125/129

degree East Longitude and 3 degrees North Latitude

to 3 degrees South Latitudem (Poerwidagdo, 2003).

It is told that the Halmahera people still

originated from only kin as everyone originates from

a single ancestor who lived or stayed in Gura

village. This village is situated on an island located

in the middle of the Lina Lake. This Lina Lake is

located in the hinterland, on the Rau mountainside

and located right in the center of the Northern

Halmahera. By referring to regional borders, the

Lina Lake is located in the South West of Tobelo; in

the south of Galela; in the Southeast of Loloda; and

in the west of Ibu region; whereas there was Jailolo

region on the North and Kao region on the West.

As told from generation to generation, the

inhabitants of this Lina Lake area consisted of four

clans namely, Hoano (clan) Gura, Hoano Lina,

Hoano Huboto and Huano Momulati. Hoano Gura

was a clan inhabiting the Gura Island located in the

middle of the Lina Lake. These Gura Island and

Clan became the Traditional hub and the Spiritual

hub so that Kimalaha (government leader) and O

Gomatere (Spiritual leader) or referred to also as

Ogomanga Yohakai (traditional ceremony leader)

also lived in the Gura island. Hoano Huboto did not

live permanently; instead, they were spread far from

the Lake and live in hinterland forests as hunters.

Whereas Hoano Momulati lived around the Tuguis

creek, a river flowing from the Lina Lake to the Kao

gulf. Hoano Momulati played a significant role as

the mediator of the ‘inner' civilization and the

civilization coming from the ‘outside' including

concerning trading (Hibualamo, 2002).

When this tobelohoka community was increasing

in number, they started spreading and inhabiting

scattered regions in the Halmahera Island. There are

six prominent tribes all of which originated from the

tobelohoka community, namely:

1. Tobelo tribe (now majority inhabitants of

Tobelo region).

2. Tobaru tribe (now inhabitants of Loloda,

Sahu and Ibu regions).

3. Towilako tribe (now inhabitants of Kao

region).

4. Tugutil tribe (more survived in forest

hinterland. They are now called as an isolated

tribe by the modern people).

5. Galela tribe (now inhabitants of Galela

region)

6. Sahu tribe (now inhabitants of Sahu and

Jailolo regions).

Even though inhabitation regions of the clans as

mentioned earlier are spread, they all named

themselves as O Tobelohoka, tobelo community or

Tobelo tribe. Their language was also not the

Halmahera language, but the Tobeloho language and

all of them acknowledge the O Hibualamo in the

Lina Lake as the great shed of all their wongemi

Tingidu (Dilikini or ancestor spirits). Periodically

and at particular times when facing problems, they

gathered at the Hibualamo to perform higaro or

traditional deliberation. When this tobelohoka

community was increasing in number, they started

spreading and inhabiting scattered regions in the

Halmahera Island (Mangunwijaya, 1987). Before the

Islam and Christianity religions entered Halmahera,

the people there had followed a system of religious

believe having faith that the ancestor spirits were the

guardians of life. These spirits were believed

originating from strong people or figures that had

been dead to become guardians and helpers to those

alive. This system of religious belief can be

categorized as animism belief, as they worship

numerous spirits. However, in this belief was also

known the existence of the highest spirit named as O

Gikiri Moi. In about 1250s, there was a change to

the designation of the highest power; from O Gikiri

Moi into O Jou Latala, meaning God the Almighty.

This change was also affected by the Islam religion.

3 THE FALL OF THE

HIBUALAMAO PEOPLE

Speaking of the current existence of the Halmahera

people, they cannot be separated from the riot

incident surging the Halmahera and its surroundings

some time ago. If people wanted to find the root of

the social conflict and social violence (Banawiratma,

2000). Existing in Maluku, social conflict and social

violence are two different things, as explained by

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prior: “social conflict in any community since a long

time ago till now is very normal, common and even

necessary. Without conflict, politics shall become

repressive; without conflict, some conglomerates

shall be free to own State economic network;

without conflict, any religious institutions shall have

the tendency to become feudal reactions; without

conflict, the language and culture of the controlling

community become the only benchmark for the

civilized community (cultural hegemony), whereas

the identity of the outskirt community shall be

eliminated (cultural oppression). Without conflict,

the young generation shall not be able to survive the

cocoon of the old generation. For the sake of

economic advancement and political freedom, for

the sake of identity expansion and human dignity

enforcement, we need social conflict.” Whereas

social violence is, anything enforcing other parties

and injuring other parties’ status as well as freedom.

That is violence.

Violence harasses an individual or group human

rights. Violence is control and subjugation over any

person or the North. We usually refer directly to

government decision namely Government

Regulation No. 42 the year 1999 regarding the

establishment of Malifut district. The Malifut

District intended to be expanded comprised the

people originating from the Makian ethnic group

that used to live in 16 villages in the Makian Island.

Due to the incidence of the explosion of the Kie Besi

Makian Mountain in 1975, the people of the Makian

Island were moved to a new place. They were then

resided in a region now known as Malifut, near the

Bobaneigo isthmus, the most southern part of North

Halmahera. With the issuance of Government

Regulation No. 42 the year 1999, they did not get a

positive response from the five villages in the Kao

district located in Malifut. Feeling unsupported by

the five Kao villages, there was a small conflict

raised by the Makian Malifut inhabitants towards the

two Kao villages, namely: Sosol and Wangeotak

villages.

From this small conflict (social conflict), the first

chapter of social violence took place on August 18,

1999, between the Makian ethnic group and the Kao

ethnic group. In the social violence of a group of

people towards the desire of another party; violence

underestimates the dignity of both the victim and the

oppressor; thereby, violence violates the order of the

creations as determined by God. The more dominant

nuance of the conflict taking place in Halmahera

was social violence.

It appeared that the first chapter of conflict had

not been appropriately settled by the government,

resulting in the outbreak of the second chapter of a

far greater social conflict on October 24, 1999;

resulting in the collapse of the 16 Makian ethnic

villages in Malifut and all the related inhabitants

must be evacuated to Ternate. After that in Ternate,

the Makian ethnic group then undertook preliminary

action by seeking for and damaging only the houses

belonging to the Kao people. However, in its

development, it turned out that not only the Kao

people were searched for, but all the Christians. The

incidence of raids towards the Christians was

initiated with the murder of the Risakotta priest in

Tidore on November 3, 1999. Then on November 4,

1999, the Christians in Ternate became the target of

the rage of the Makian people. The Christians in

Tidore and Ternate were therefore evacuated to

Bitung and Manado. From Ternate, conflicts and

violence continued to Halmahera and its

surroundings.

According to Tamrin Tomagola (Kompas, 2000).

The conflict taking place in Kao-Malifut rooted from

three issues, namely: first, land issue. This was

related to natural resources because the land

included in the Malifut area, mainly the Gosowong

village contains a gold mine, the Sosol, and

Wangeotak village were burnt; due to their near and

even joint location with the Malifut villages. It

appeared that the first chapter of conflict had not

been appropriately settled by the government,

resulting in the outbreak of the second chapter of a

far greater social conflict on October 24, 1999;

resulting in the collapse of the 16 Makian ethnic

villages in Malifut and all the related inhabitants

must be evacuated to Ternate. After that in Ternate,

the Makian ethnic group then undertook preliminary

action by seeking for and damaging only the houses

belonging to the Kao people. However, in its

development, it turned out that not only the Kao

people were searched for, but all the Christians. The

incidence of raids towards the Christians was

initiated with the murder of the Risakotta priest in

Tidore on November 3, 1999. Then on November 4,

1999, the Christians in Ternate became the target of

the rage of the Makian people. The Christians in

Tidore and Ternate were therefore evacuated to

Bitung and Manado. From Ternate, conflicts and

violence continued to Halmahera and its

surroundings.

The Kao-Malifut conflict was a conflict resulting

from the usurpation of area or land between the

Makian and the Kao ethnic groups. However, now,

the conflict has developed and has undergone

metamorphosis into a religious conflict, as in such

conflict, religious symbols are used to justify the act

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of violence. As a result thereof, the conflict is now

managed by PT. Nusa Halmahera Mineral. Second,

the leadership succession at the provincial level,

approaching the governor election. Third, related to

the religious issue, the act of violence has taken

many victims. Based on the data from Kompas, the

extremely fierce horizontal conflict has resulted in

2,364 fatalities, 1,769 severe and minor injuries, as

well as 2,315 inhabitants running and lost in forests;

in addition, thereto, more than ten thousand houses

and public facilities were burnt to ashes. Not to

mention the loss of properties and assets as well as

the degraded social and humanity values that are

difficult to measure and calculate mathematically.

Whether these existing data are correct or not,

the purpose of quoting these current figures is to

show that the result of conflict and act of violence is

costly as many shall become victims. Family

relationship and kinship as well as friendship as

included in the Hibualamo philosophy have now

fallen apart and destroyed. As the result thereof, the

future existence of plural communities and all forms

of cooperation, tolerance, democracy and potential

to live in peaceful co-existence are threatened to

face destruction and extinction. The occurrence of

an incidence of conflict or act of violence has only

left the trace of sufferings and various inner wounds

as the result of prolonged stress and trauma, even

though the conflict and act of violence now no

longer "exist."

4 REBUILDING HIBUALAMO

4.1 Role of Traditional Institutions

The plurality of the Halmahera people with various

tribes, ethnic groups, religions, and cultures is the

wealth of productive people when pluralism is

considered collective consciousness. However, it

may become "fertile land" for the growth of the

seeds of hostility when the ones emerging amidst the

people are hatred and conceit from one to another

(Qodir, 2003). The loss of the sense of unity and

togetherness or in other words the absence of

collective consciousness on the plurality, due to the

culture unification performed by the new order

power. So that as can be predicted, this nation

becomes a small-minded nation having no

productive-creative initiatives in building a civil

society as a social structure reflecting the occurrence

of equity, freedom, and independence. In other

words, this nation fails to become a civilized and

cultured nation. This culture unification is even

strengthened with the resettlement planning

commonly taking place in Maluku in general, where

there are villages with dominant or even majority

Christian inhabitants. The same is the case with the

Muslims. As the result thereof, when conflict occurs,

the used-to-be plural or diverse community has now

been destroyed and divided entirely into two

religion-based exclusive parts, namely: the Christian

community and the Muslim community (Trijono,

2001). The occurrence of segregation because the

traditional institutions initially becoming bond for

the community in Halmahera due to the similarities

of cultural roots and ancestors have now been

gradually losing their position. During the new order

governance, these institutions had been

marginalized, whereas traditional institutions

possessed local wisdom and capability in dealing

without various issues. Traditional institutions had

lost their tusks as the power to bind the people as

members of a community, while religious

institutions had also been much penetrated by other

interests so as able to contribute in creating the

social gap.

4.2 Hibualamo Philosophy

War among brothers has snapped the people of

Maluku, particularly North Maluku (Halmahera) to

rise from adversity and negligence for disastrous war

and death, misery, hatred as well as stupidity. The

people of North Maluku once again were reminded

that we are all brothers (torang samua basudara).

Therefore, what is a war for if it shall then bring

severe and fatal consequences towards the future

generation? The generation of our children and

grandchildren eventually has to bear a hefty

historical burden, namely being stricken by

stupidity, poverty, as well as misery and

underdevelopment (Kompas, 2002). To survive this

problem, various measures to encourage transition

and transformation of conflict towards peaceful

cooperation and co-existence shall become an urgent

principal need. Departing from this consciousness,

on April 19, 2001, at the Hibualamo Court was held

a gathering of the Hibualamo customary community

to generate an agreement to stop the conflict and act

of violence. This peaceful gathering at the

Hibualamo court was not held by accident; instead,

it had ancestral and historical cultural meaning and

value. Hibualamo originates from the syllable

Hibua, having the definition of ‘home’ and Lamo,

having the meaning of ‘large’. Thus, Hibualamo

means a large home. People said the Hibualamo

located in the middle of the Lina Lake was the great

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shed of all Delikini or ancestral spirits. Hibualamo

was also a place of the traditional ceremonies led by

spiritual leaders (O Gumanga Yohakai). It has

symbolic meaning that they, both Christians and

Muslims originate from the same tribe, have the

same traditions and values, and dwell in the same

big home. The Hibualamo philosophy also contains

Odora (preserving affection among men); O diari

(the importance of upholding the value of truth); and

O adili (the application of the equity principle in

social life). The peaceful gathering was intentionally

held at the Hibualamo court not only to confirm their

togetherness ever since the era of their ancestors but

also as bond and protection in anticipating

subsequent social development. Thereby, social gap

or segregation emerging between the two large

religious communities in Halmahera can be slowly

minimized, and the role of the Hibualamo tradition

can be rebuilt. This is expected able to become one

spiritual unity in building community defense in

eliminating any potential conflict. The diminishing

spirits of solidarity, togetherness, and peacefulness

are now starting to grow in Halmahera. Everyone,

people are talking about how living in peace is much

more fun, compared to living in war and controversy

resulting in murders, assassination, and deep hatred.

5 THE PRESENT AND FUTURE

IMPLEMENTATION OF

“HIBUALAMO”

If during all this time or previously (at the time of

riot), we regard fellowmen as “the others” who are

different from us, or as “enemies”, it is about time

that the old paradigm must be changed. And this is

the moment for us to share spiritual experiences in

building a shared life in humanity in our pilgrimage

journey towards everlasting life. As a traditional

institution, Hibualamo can be used as a forum for

dialogue and sharing on diverse life experiences.

Whereas as a philosophy of life, the value and

symbolic meaning of Hibualamo can build deep

spirituality of the Creator, namely: Jou Madutu, Jou

Maduhutu, Juo La ta ala: God the Almighty and

build the spiritual values of humanity by striving for

and upholding the truth, equity, and mutual

assistance, as well as by appreciating differences in

shared life now and in the future. In the context of

Halmahera following the riot, leaving behind

suffering, misery, stress, and trauma, the Hibualamo

philosophy can become extremely valuable and

meaningful social capital in maintaining and

continuing the ongoing reconciliation. Why is the

Hibualamo philosophy the one raised? Answering

this question, there are a number of reasons that can

be taken into consideration, namely: first, the

Hibualamo philosophy is commonly known by the

inhabitants of Halmahera and its surroundings.

Second, Hibualamo is a symbol of unifier that is

consistently preserved and that survives till now.

Third, the value and meaning contained therein are

filled with goodness and benevolence as well as the

wisdom that is not contradictory to universal

humanity values and even have profound spiritual

meaning. These reasons encourage the author to

raise and appreciate this Hibualamo philosophy..

6 ROLE OF HIBUA LAMO IN

TOBELO’S KINSHIP SYSTEM

Based on an observation conducted by the

researcher, it was found that Tobelo society is a

society that has a various social, economic, tradition,

religious and cultural backgrounds and it always has

a different view or understanding. Such differences

do not become an obstacle for Tobelo society to

preserve the culture existing in their life.

Hibua Lamo is a culture that holds together the

differences of tribe and religion in Tobelo. Hibua

Lamo acts as a medium that provides peace in

Tobelo. Tobelo society lives by the norms contained

in that culture. It is a common knowledge that

human is an individual and social being. As an

individual being, human always tries fulfilling their

private interests. As a social being, human also tries

making a social relationship with other humans in

order to fulfill their life desire. That particular

concept shows that human cannot develop perfectly

without making social interaction with other

humans.

According to (an interview with Jesayah Banari

on April 16, 2013), Hibua Lamo is a culture that

glues all ethnicities and religions existing in Tobelo

society. Hibua Lamo has existed since the birth of

Tobelo society. Hibua Lamo or “big house”

becomes a symbol or ideology in Tobelo society’s

myth after the Talaga Lina era. The concept of

Hibua Lamo socially and culturally has important

values, namely: 1. Hibua Lamo acts as a spiritual

value for Tobelo society. It can be seen from the

symbolization of the place of ancestors’ origin from

Talaga Lake. Hibua Lamo or big house is a place of

Tobelo creator that must be sacred or becomes a

spirit that must be held and preserved by the current

Tobelo people. 2. Hibua Lamo that acts as a social

value is a symbol of a place that conducts discussion

or higaro including a place that holds a ceremony.

With this social value, Hibua Lamo becomes a social

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device that has function to glue and unite the

diversity existing in the social structure of Tobelo

society, for example, in an implementation of Babari

Custom (mutual cooperation). 3. Hibua Lamo that

acts as a Material value is a physical building that

becomes the social and cultural identity of Tobelo

society.

Such values act as the standard of every person

live under the roof of Hibua Lamo custom.

According to an informant, the involvement of

people in implementing Hibua Lamo culture is

depicted by a way of mutual cooperation, which is

also known as Babari custom. The implementation

of Hibua Lamo culture is in the form of marriage

ceremony and big ceremony of Hibua Lamo, which

functions to commemorate the agreement of peace

declaration between Muslim and Christian

communities on April 19, 2001. All elements of

Tobelo society are involved in that event by wearing

the traditional clothes of every tribe that exists in

Tobelo. The procedures of the implementation is:

Each tribe prepares a typical dance of such tribe

(an interview with Yowan Pilendatu on April 16,

2013). Eril Y. Leba (an interview on April 17, 2013)

stated that when we talk about a contribution of

Hibua Lamo culture in society, then we talk about

the role of Hibua Lamo culture. A Custom

Institution of Hibua Lamo is a local wisdom of all

custom people of North Halmahera that really hold

the value and have an important role in the

implementation of regional autonomy. The role

played by the Custom Institution of Hibua Lamo is

not merely about the custom role or custom matters,

but also a role that involves other sections such as

government or politic, economic, culture and safety.

Hibua Lamo culture plays an important role in the

society since Hibua Lamo is a key of peace of

Tobelo society.

Meanwhile, according to Muhamad Boba (an

interview on April 17, 2013), people of North

Halmahera in general and Muslim and Christian

community in Tobelo Sub-district in particular are

bound by the validity of Hibua Lamo kinship and

how important that cultural tradition in uniting all

existing elements of society and playing a role in

binding the ethnic unity of Tobelo society in

crossing the line of their religions for a very long

time until the occurrence of horizontal conflict at the

end of 1999 and the early 2000. Tobelo is a place

where the civilization of local tribes are started from

and under the roof/custom institution of “HIBUA

LAMO”, which acts as a community of custom

society that really holds kinship values with a slogan

“ngone o ria dodoto”, which means “we are all

family”.

Hibua Lamo is a place of meeting of various

tribes existing in North Halmahera. Therefore,

Hibua Lamo is called as the roof of custom/custom

institution and it becomes a local wisdom of Tobelo

society. (An interview with Jarot on April 16, 2013),

there are four kinds of custom homes of Hibua Lamo

culture with different philosophical meanings. Black

represents solidarity, red represents fighting spirit of

Canga, yellow represents intelligence, grandeur and

wealth, and white represents holiness of the society

of 10 Hoana, which currently lives in the Tobelo

area. According to Jaina Arahman (an interview on

April 17, 2013), the spirit of Hibua Lamo currently

has the spirit of togetherness and diversity under the

roof of Bhinneka (diversity). It is because the spirit

of archipelago country existing in Tobelo has been

long implemented in the Hibua Lamo custom home.

The concept of cultural preservation with the

government is depicted in the emblem of North

Halmahera that has been used to date. The emblem

of Hibua Lamo placed in the regional logo is a

symbol of unifier. The function of Hibua Lamo is as

a symbol of peace reconciliation in Halmahera land,

which was in a horizontal conflict 12 years ago. By

the symbol, Tobelo people declared to never do riots

anymore and will live side by side.

Hibua Lamo custom home is familiar for custom

event. However, now, it has become a reconciliation

place in Halmahera land. Therefore, this culture

needs to be maintained and preserved. The root of

the horizontal conflict in Tobelo Sub-district is from

an economic factor where a social jealousy occurs as

the cause of a competition of economic actor from

Muslim and Christian community and an elite play

of politic prior to a successive election of Regional

Head. The conflict occurred due to tribe, race and

religion (SARA) matters. According to Dani Titian

(an interview on April 18, 2013), the impact of the

conflict is the occurrence of social discrepancy

between Muslim and Christian community in

Tobelo. It can be clearly seen on any events of a

certain community. Before the horizontal conflict

occurred, both communities visited each other’s

event. But, then, a shift in interaction pattern

occurred whether among individuals, groups, or

societies. Visiting each other’s event in an important

day done by both communities can no longer be

seen, if any, it is only limited to a close family.

Social interaction pattern, which only occurred for

relatives or family can be seen in a family

celebration (marriage and funeral). Because of such

conflict, a shift of values of Hibua Lamo culture

occurred. Tobelo society did no longer put forward

the custom, but they put their respective religion

above it.

According to Rizky Djafar (an interview on

April 18, 2013), at that time, there were some efforts

attempted to be done in order to overcome the

shifting of Hibua Lamo culture. Religious leaders

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and customary figures of both communities in

Tobelo tried to arbitrate them by campaigning peace,

but they failed. Both groups later had to be separated

for a while by evacuation. They lived like they are

enemies by distrusting each other. Exactly on April

19, 2001, the people of Tobelo society and around it

swore to leave the dark period and made a promise

to stop the riot. With cultural belief as the glue of all

beliefs, they held a ceremony of peace declaration.

The meeting in that declaration was informed and

they made the culture to be used as the peace

medium, which subsequently went well and they are

in peace until now. Furthermore, according to Ajun

(an interview on April 18, 2013), the role of the

government towards Hibua Lamo culture comes

from self-customary institution and regional

government.

An inequality or problem related to the

implementation of regional autonomy never occurs

anymore because the strategic positions are held by

the political elites in the area, for example, the

custom leader of North Halmahera is held by the

Regent of North Halmahera, Jiko Makolano, and the

secretary of custom institution of Hibua Lamo is

held by a member of Regional People’s

Representative Assembly (DPRD) of Halut District.

In regard to custom and conflict, Tobelo society also

gives a simple analogy, “in every meetings, if there

is a conflict, a solution should be made and it must

be done customarily.” Hibua Lamo culture is a

medium that provides peace for Tobelo society,

which must be maintained and preserved.

From various information above, it can be

concluded that the main source of the conflict in

North Halmahera in 1999 is a struggle of religious

territorial. However, the religious matter is like

disguised well under various issues, such as the

policy issue of Malifut Sub-district establishment,

the governor election issue, the natural resources

struggle issue, and the election issue of provincial

capital. Many more issues develop so that it

becomes the analysis diagnosis to understand the

root of the cause of such conflict. However, the

struggle of religious territory is the primary issue

and it becomes the final target from such movement.

The eagerness to make North Halmahera as a base of

movement has been built thousands of years ago

where both religions (Islam – Christian) compete

each other to build a hegemony in that land. Such

phenomena becomes a historical heritage in which

the society is always in negative attitude, always in

high emotion, and differs from one another by

religious background. In relation to this factor, a

harmony of both religions is not created. Such

disharmony later becomes the root of the conflict of

religions.

From the research result and discussion above,

the writer assumes that the culture of Hibua Lamo in

Tobelo gives many impacts to the people in Tobelo.

The social reality of Tobelo society is to live side by

side between different tribes and religions,

especially Islam and Christian religions. Both

religions offer a big change for the social life of the

society, especially in putting the basis of the

religious belief that they believe in. It brings a

different attitude in seeing the reality of life in this

world based on their theological doctrine.

Nevertheless, both religions teach people to respect

each other with a hope that it can result in human

welfare.

In order to reach such goal, they conduct the

politics of spreading area of religious influence that

raises conflict. In the reality of daily life, a social

behavior is not always in line with the theological

doctrine. It can even be rejected since the religion is

only placed symbolically. It can occur because the

values of such doctrine are not seen holistically but

only partially. A serious violation of human rights in

Tobelo is not because of a wrong religious doctrine

but it is because of a wrongdoing of a small number

of people that possesses a power to take advantages

of religion in order to gain power legitimation. Such

conflict causes an estrangement between both

religions existing in Tobelo and value shifting of

Hibua Lamo culture in Tobelo. The efforts made in

order to overcome such value shifting done by

religious figures and public figures of both

communities who attempted to make peace.

Eventually, in Ramadan 2001, they made peace.

A peace declaration was done customarily. All

weapons such as spear, machete, and bomb were put

in the middle of a field. Then, a scared event was

conducted. They traded their machetes then ate betel

nuts by putting the betel nuts at the end of their

machetes. After eating the betel nuts, they

apologized each other. All the weapons were

watered with coconut oil and poured with sugar

(coconut oil is a symbol of calmness and purity, and

the sugar as a symbol a peace). Above those sugar

and coconut oil, they swore. If right after this, there

was somebody who planned to make a war, that

person would be the first victim. That particular day,

on April 19, 2001, was the day of peace. It is worth

to be recognized that custom has a sacred dimension

that can unite people. Since then, a cultural home of

Hibua Lamo is made as a monumental place. Hibua

Lamo is place for discussion, settling all strives in

one joint table, and eating and drinking in

togetherness.

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6 CONCLUSION

From the research discussion regarding Hibua Lamo

above, the writer provides conclusions as follows: In

North Halmahera, there is a custom institution

known as Hibua Lamo (big house), which functions

as a roof for all customary societies who live in the

sub-districts and villages in North Halmahera

District. This custom institution implements its task,

function, right and authority in the implementation

of regional autonomy in North Halmahera District in

general and Tobelo Sub-district in particular. This

culture is a medium that glues all ethnicities and

religions existing in Tobelo. The custom institution

of Hibua Lamo is a local wisdom for all customary

societies in North Halmahera that really hold the

cultural values and have an important role in

implementing the regional autonomy. The role held

by the custom institution of Hibua Lamo is not only

the role of custom or matters regarding custom, but

also matters regarding other sections such as section

of government/politics, economic, social, culture

and safety. The role of the custom institution of

Hibua Lamo is to do a reconciliation for two parties

that are in conflict and get involved in every meeting

held by the regional government.

The Hibualamo philosophy offered here as a

social model in the context of building better

Halmahera community still needs to be reviewed

and criticized more deeply and seriously, as this is

only a preliminary effort which is off course

difficult. However, if this effort is accepted as an

element in building "local wisdom" in Halmahera,

this shall become an asset to the cultural

development of Halmahera in the future. We hope

that the Hibualamo philosophy can address the needs

under the Halmahera context, at least to become

bond for the real togetherness and solidarity among

men and nature as well as the environment where

we live and stay.

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