Kapitan Pattimura - The Man and The Story

The Statue of Pattimura in Ambon, at
the very spot of his execution

The coming year of 2017 will be the 200^th anniversary of Pattimura Day in Moluccas, Indonesia, which is held annually at May 15, commemorating the massive (and victorious) attack by Kapitan (from Portuguese capitão, means 'captain') Pattimura and his warriors on Dutch fortress Duurstede in Saparua Island in 1817.

In 1816, after the handover of Moluccas from British colonial authority back to the Dutch, several suppressive measures were then applied, such as trade monopoly, land taxing, and relocations of entire villages. Moluccan natives previously serving with British military were forced to serve with the Dutch military, despite the agreement described in Anglo-Dutch Treaty, or London Tractate, signed in August 13, 1814,  that these natives were free to choose either to enter service within the new authority or quit military service. Pattimura himself had served within the British military up to the rank of sergeant-major.

Worrying that the Dutch re-occupation in the Moluccas would only worsen the already bad-shaped economy and social conditions of local communities after two centuries of foreign rule, an uprising broke in 1817, led by Pattimura. Local community leaders agreed to appoint him a leader and warlord, due to his military experience and high skills in war strategies. Beside leading local warriors in battles against the Dutch forces, he also established cooperation with monarchies of Ternate, Tidore, Bali and Java, which took the ‘Pattimura war’ to a wider scale, and in turn forced the Dutch authority to deploy larger military forces to counter the armed rebellion.

Fort Duurstede, which was captured by
Pattimura's warriors in May 15, 1817

One of the most famous battles between Pattimura’s warriors and Dutch forces happened at Duurstede fortress at May 16, 1817, which was successfully overtook by Pattimura and his men after killing all Dutch soldiers including Resident Van Den Berg and his family, and leaving only his five-year old son alive. Other fierce battles also occurred at Waisisil beach, Hatawano cape, Ouw and Ulath villages, Hitu cape and southern Ceram.

All the fierce resistance by Pattimura’s forces could ultimately be quelled by means of trickery by the Dutch. Added to it was betrayal by one of his own confidant, which in the end took Pattimura and some other resistance leaders to the gallows, in December 16, 1817, in front of Fort Nieuw Victoria in Ambon Island.

Who is Pattimura, actually?

There has been heated debate recently on the historically genuine identity of Pattimura, one of the most respected national heroes of Indonesia. According to the government’s official version based on a biography authored by M. Sapija, Pattimura’s original name was Thomas Matulessy, born in June 8, 1783, in Haria, a Christian village in Saparua Island, Moluccas.

Ferry quay at Haria village, the reputedly
birthplace of Pattimura

A different version came from the historian Mansyur Suryanegara, who said that Pattimura was originally named Ahmad Lussy, born in Hualoy, an Islamic village at the southern part of Ceram Island. According to Suryanegara, Pattimura came from a noble household in the Islamic monarchy of Sahulau, ruled by Sultan (king) Abdurrahman. His name was often shortened in local dialect to ‘Mat Lussy’, which is then twisted to sound like ‘Matulessy’.

Another source suggested that Pattimura was born in Latu, a village in western Ceram, based on the assertion that ‘Pattimura’ as a family name is originated from this place. Some others tried to reconcile this controversy by suggesting that Pattimura, Ahmad Lussy, and Thomas Matulessy, were actually three different persons, and all three historically existed.

This debate and controversy doesn’t seem likely to be solved soon, as there are still so many things and facts hidden in history. But one thing is sure: whether this Pattimura is actually a historical figure or just a mythical one, all heroic stories surrounding his name will always be a living inspiration to all generations, present and future.