Tulungan

Groot-Majoor Dotulong, leader of the Tulungan troops. Tulungan () is the term for the assistance troops consisting of the Minahasan ethnic group, which was formed to assist the colonial troops of the Dutch East Indies (known by its acronym KNIL) in their various wars. This troops was a contractual agreement between the Minahasan party represented by Abraham Dotulong and J. Kawilarang with the Dutch Colonial Government on 23 December 1827. In the contract, this force is provided with 1,421 personnel.

Etymology

In Dutch, the Tulungan troops were called Hulptroepen or in Indonesian they were often called Serdadu Manado (). The name Tulungan is taken from the Manado Malay word tulung which means 'help' with the suffix -an which when translated into English, Tulungan means 'help' and Pasukan Tulungan means 'help/assistance troops'.

History

In the previous (1808–1809), the last resistance of the Minahasan people at Moraya Fort, who refused to send troops to the Dutch Colonial Government, was successfully defeated. Thus the status of the Minahasan leaders changed, from having independent power to being under the orders of the Dutch Colonial Government.

Furthermore, the Tulungan troops were formed at the request of the Resident of Manado, Daniel Francois Willem Pietermaat to the Minahasan leaders, to assist the Dutch Colonial Government in the war in Java.

The Tulungan troops then became part of the other colonial troops of the Dutch East Indies, who were deployed to fight Prince Diponegoro and his allies in the Java War. Since then, the Dutch Colonial Government gave the title of majoor to the Minahasan district heads (walak) who led the assistance troops, and after that the title became an honorary title.

Famous figures

One of the famous figures of this troop was , who was the highest leader (groot-majoor) of the Tulungan troops during the Java War (1825–1830). He came from and was born in on 12 January 1795. When he led the troops he was only 34 years old. Apart from that, he was the nephew of the walak or head of the district who always helped the Dutch in facing the . Other Tulungan leaders include Hendrik Werias Supit (from Tondano), Benjamin Thomas Sigar (from ), Johanis Inkiriwang (from ), Daniel Rotinsulu (from Tonsea), Sondag Saul Palar (from Sonder), Kapiten Mandagi (from ), Kapiten Mangangantung (from Tomohon), and Lao Runtuwene (from ).

See also

  • Belanda Hitam
  • Korps Marechaussee te voet
  • Mardijkers