The history of coffee wars that happened on Tana Toraja in the ancient times

News24xx.com - Coffee war in South Sulawesi is not only between two local kingdoms. Coffee was also used as an ‘ammunition' because it became a weapon of barter tool. Two kingdoms, namely the Kingdom of Luwuk and the Kingdom of Sindenreng, struggle to fight for black gold seeds in Tana Toraja. Because of coffee, these two kingdoms also attacked each other.

Around 1800, Luwuk's royal soldiers prepared to attack kingdom of Sindereng. Luwuk kingdom officials at that time were upset because the coffee trade route in the East region was quiet and the buyers moved to the West which was belonging to the Sidenreng kingdom, precisely in the Mandandang area.

Coffee maker and owner of Toraja Coffee Shop, Sulaeman Miting tells that the attack was failed. Luwuk's royal forces were successfully repelled. However, to strengthen the mastery of coffee, the Luwuk kingdom was associated with the Kingdom of Bone. "There is a marriage relationship between the kingdom of Luwuk and Bone. And usually this marriage has already involved tribute, including coffee in it" said Sulaeman.

Because of marriage by two members of the kingdom, Luwuk kingdom asked for help from the army to invade the kingdom of Sindereng. The request was agreed by sending Passongko Barong troops (red hat troops) in the late 1800s.

Apart from the classic war, the war related to coffee also appeared in the Pongtiku era in early 1900. Pongtiku was one of Indonesia's national heroes and came from Tana Toraja. He was said to use the price of coffee to trade weapons to fight the Dutch Indies government. He is said to be able to survive because he controls the coffee trade route.

 

 

 

 

News24xx.com/fik/red