In general the south part of the Moluccans are divided in several, or better said:many areas called negris and not really in principalities, or kingdoms.
That was because of the ruling systems in this area.
Also because the former foreign governments in here encouraged and stimulated seperate rule in all these areas.
There was some kind of ruling system, which was a development to more centralised rule, but wishes inside the society and the foreign stimulance of divided rule also didn't really speed up this process.
In general only the Hitu area in the north of Ambon island (covering a big part of that area ), the island of Kisar, some areas on Ceram, the negris of Kilang, Nusanive and Soya( and some more) are considered as a sort of principality.
Hitu exists as a semi-principality in development (so you can describe it at least) already for ca. 500 years. Before the begin of the first fereation head in 1512 there were some rulers, who were also described as the ruler of Hitu, but not of the Hitu as a federation, but of a negri.
In history the federation rule was described as being divided over 4
lines,2 delivered the federationhead, 1 the Raja Hitu(from which are descended a later Raja Hitu line) and another ruler.
The Hitu federation was brought to an end officially with the violent death of the last federationhead, who was the Kapitan Hitu;in 1643.
From a son are descended the later rajas of Hitulama, who are considered as the heirs of the Hitu principality.
There are also the rulers of Hitumessing with the same familyname, who live in the same area, but have a different people to rule as negri rulers.
On 21-3-2007 Upu Latu Sitania,or Raja Salhana Pelu was installed as the 37th raja of an area,which ever carried a Hitu-name and the 19th descendant of the first Hitu ruler (the negri) :Raja Abdul Kadir.
The present raja is born in 1975 and has studied economics and now is working in the businessworld.
He tries to live a clean moral live and even punished his brother, who was temptated by gambling some time ago.
The crownhat of the raja is a copy of the original one,but the objects on it and the design is original.
The Pelu dynasty is known to be pietistic,but not fundamentalistic.
The Hitu federation was formed by several negris, which still recognize the special traditional position of the Raja of Hitulama.
The several hunderds S-Moluccan negris with their rulers are united in a council of upu latu's (rajas) although not all has the right to have according the tradition the title of raja), which is f.i. in 2009 led by Raja Abdullah Malawat of Mamala (also a member of the Hitu federation).
Article and Photo from:
Donald P. Tick
Edited By,
festivi
