Kendari

Not to be confused with Kandari.

Kendari Kota Kendari
City
Clockwise, from top: Kendari at night, Kendari Bay Bridge, a road section in Kendari, Al-Alam Mosque, and MTQ Unity Monument
Flag Seal
Location within Southeast Sulawesi
Kendari Location in Sulawesi and Indonesia Kendari Kendari (Indonesia)
Coordinates: 3°58′2.96″S 122°35′40.92″E
Country	Indonesia
Province	Southeast Sulawesi
Incorporated	1 July 1978
City Status	27 September 1995
Government
• Mayor	Sulkarnain Kadir
• Vice Mayor	Siska Karina Imran
Area
• Total	271.76 km2 (104.93 sq mi)
Population  (2020 Census)
• Total	345,107
Time zone	UTC+8 (Indonesia Central Time)
Area code	(+62) 401
HDI	0.828 (Very high)
Website	kendarikota.go.id

Kendari is a city and the capital of Southeast Sulawesi, a province in Indonesia. With a population of 345,107 according to the 2020 census, it is the most populous city in the province, and the fourth most on Sulawesi. The city covers an area of 271.76 square kilometers (104.93 sq mi), or about 0.7% of Southeast Sulawesi's land area.

The city was historically the center of the Tolaki people, who make up a majority of both the city's and the province's population. Located on Kendari Bay, it continues to be an important trade center hosting the province's main port and airport. It is the economic and educational center of the province, and is home to various universities and colleges. Kendari has the highest Human Development Index (HDI) in Sulawesi.

History

Etymology

The word "Kendari" is thought to come from a version of the word "Kandai", meaning a tool made of bamboo and wooden planks to push boats away from a dock. Over time, the pronunciation changed, and the city is now officially known as Kendari.

Early history

The Bay of Kendari has been known since the 15th century and appears on Portuguese chartered maps, marked with the name "Citta dela Baia" ("City of the Bay"). The bay was known as "Baia du Tivora" ("Tivora Bay"). The Kingdom of Konawe, founded in the fifth century by the Tolaki people, ruled the settlement. Its early government structure was simple and resembled those of tribal societies. The kingdom had several historical periods.^:42

Its first king was Mokole Roro, who ruled the kingdom between 428 and 447, in a period known as Ancient Konawe. The kingdom was still small and did not yet rule all of today's Konawe region or Kendari city.^:42 The kingdom's capital was in Rahambuu, a town known today as Unaaha, around 60 kilometers (37 mi) from Kendari. The kingdom included three smaller kingdoms loyal to Unaaha.^:42

The Old Konawe period followed the Ancient Konawe period. It was marked by the unification and consolidation of the kingdom's power over the region. There was a huge unknown disaster, which is thought to have almost eliminated all the people in the region.^:42 According to local legend, Onggodo, a holy man, is thought to have arrived in the kingdom from the Maluku Islands.^:43 He is believed to have saved the kingdom from disaster, and later married one of the kingdom's princesses.^:43 Konawe society was divided into three classes. Anakia were nobles and the upper classes; Tononggapa were the commoners and peasants, and Oata were slaves.^:43 People in the region were tied to a religious symbol called the Kalo Sara, which symbolized harmony, peace, and kinship.^:45 Kalo Sara means "circle of tribal laws", and is symbolized in the form of a large bracelet made of three rattan pieces that are tied together and a white napkin on which to put the bracelet. The rattan bracelet symbolized unity and the white napkin symbolized good deeds. The three pieces of rattan have various meanings and interpretations, such as father, mother, and children, or government, religion, and tradition.

Islamic period

Islam has been present in the kingdom since early the 15th century, especially after the foundation of the neighbouring Sultanate of Buton, just south of Konawe. It was brought by Buginese merchants from Makassar, who mostly settled in coastal regions and through trade. The kingdom officially embraced Islam during the reign of King Lakidende (1724–1786). Lakidende embraced Islam after traveling around Western parts of Sulawesi and studying Islam in the Bone kingdom around today's South Sulawesi.⁴⁵ During Lakidende's reign, the kingdom banned things that were considered un-Islamic, such as eating pork. He promoted the construction of mosques in each village, and marriage in accordance with Islamic tradition.^:46 However, despite Islamisation, the kingdom's governance structure did not change significantly, and many animist traditions were incorporated with Islamic beliefs by the people.^:46 The Kalo Sara symbol was interpreted differently in accordance with Islamic beliefs instead of being abandoned altogether.^:47 During this period, Konawe became a multicultural society, with merchants from Java, Makassar, and Maluku settling on the island.^:48

Colonial period

A house in Kendari, 1920

In 1828, the governor of the Dutch East Indies tasked a sailor named Jacques Nicholas Vosmaer with mapping the eastern coast of Sulawesi to find a suitable location for a trading post. The first detailed map of Kendari Bay was published on 9 May 1831, and named Vosmaer Bay in his honor. During this time, Konawe was in a weakened state following a succession of crises.^:39 In 1858, La Mangu signed a treaty with the Dutch as he wished to create a separate kingdom, Laiwoi, independent from Konawe.^:40 The kingdom would be located in Ranome Eto, and its founding was kept secret from Konawe royal council members.^:40 Laiwoi existed legally, but did not control any territory, as Konawe maintained its hold on the area. The Dutch promised armed help to create the kingdom on the condition that the treaty would be kept secret from the people of Konawe until their other wars in which the Dutch were involved in South Sulawesi ended.^:41

In 1905, following the end of their war against the Gowa Sultanate, the Dutch turned their attention to the eastern coast of Sulawesi. La Mangu had died by now, but the Dutch maintained their plans to establish Laiwoi, approaching nobles from Ranome Eto with the treaty, and finally, naming Saosao as king, increasing tensions with the Konawe. To avoid armed conflict, the Dutch government mediated an agreement.^:44 However, Konawe secretly mobilised its troops and established an arms store in Puwilalo. In response, the Dutch attempted, and failed, to negotiate with their leader, Watukila. Finally, the Dutch decided to attack Watukila's troops and invaded the kingdom.^:46 In 1908, Dutch troops besieged Puundombi Fort, leading to Konawe's fall.^:49 Laiwoi would move it's capital to Kendari, and armed resistance to it and the Dutch continued into 1937.^:59

Japanese occupation & independence

File:Dutch Guerrilla Area in Kendari, 1942.jpg

Dutch guerrilla area in Kendari, 1942

See also: Battle of Kendari and Kolaka incident

Japanese troops occupied the city after the Battle of Kendari in 1942. The Dutch garrison opted for guerilla warfare, but following increased Indonesian nationalist sentiment, and the lack of resistance that followed, Dutch command ultimately pressed for surrender. This occurred officially on 27 March 1942. As in other regions, Japanese troops provided opportunities for Indonesian nationalism to spread in the region, and gave nationalist groups military training.^:60

One month after the Proclamation of Indonesian Independence, youth in the region created a militia headquartered in Kolaka. The PRI (Indonesian Republican Youth) controlled the militia and spread its influence to cities and towns in Southeast Sulawesi, including Kendari. Lasandara, a local administrator for the Dutch, officially supported independence.^:61 However, in October, Australian troops entered the region with the Netherlands Indies Civil Administration. On the 19th of November, a Republican militia clashed with Dutch troops in an event known as the Kolaka incident. In February 1946, Dutch troops occupied the large cities in the region,^:64 however, guerilla resistance by the Republicans continued until 1948.^:64 The city and the surrounding region became part of the State of East Indonesia, which was incorporated into the newly recognised Indonesian Republic a year later. The city was heavily affected by the Darul Islam rebellion, which started in South Sulawesi but spread to the eastern coast. Because of of the conflict, there were several refugee camps around the city. In 1964, the new province of Southeast Sulawesi was created with Kendari as its capital city. In 1978, Kendari gained city status as an administrative city and in 1995 as a kotamadya—medium-sized city.

Geography

Kendari borders the Konawe Regency in the north, South Konawe Regency in the south and west, and Kendari Bay in the east. The city is on the southeastern part of mainland Sulawesi island, and includes several smaller islands around the bay. The city's topography varies from flat to hilly. Coastal areas tend to be flatter, while the northern part of the city is part of the Nipa-Nipa mountain formation, which has an altitude of around 450 metres (1,480 ft). In general, the city's slopes are less than 25% except those in the north, which sometimes exceed 40%.

Soil formation in the city is relatively young, dominated by cambisol and gleisolacic soils, which make up around 30% of the city's soil. Other soil formations also exist with less frequency, such as alluvium and pozols, which account for less than eight percent overall. Rivers and coastal areas contain the most abundant alluvium sediments.

Climate

Kendari has a tropical rainforest climate (Köppen Af) with heavy rainfall from December to July and moderate rainfall from August to November. The city's average temperature is 31 °C (88 °F).

The lowest average temperature is usually recorded in August and can be 21 °C (70 °F), while the highest average temperature is observed during November reaching 32 °C (90 °F). The average humidity level is between 81 and 87% regardless of the month, and wind speed on average sits between 6.8 knots (12.6 km/h; 7.8 mph) and 7.5 knots (13.9 km/h; 8.6 mph) with stronger winds observed in December.

Climate data for Kendari
Month	Jan	Feb	Mar	Apr	May	Jun	Jul	Aug	Sep	Oct	Nov	Dec	Year
Mean daily maximum °C (°F)	31.5 (88.7)	31.4 (88.5)	31.4 (88.5)	31.2 (88.2)	30.6 (87.1)	29.8 (85.6)	29.4 (84.9)	30.2 (86.4)	31.2 (88.2)	32.4 (90.3)	32.6 (90.7)	31.9 (89.4)	31.1 (88.0)
Daily mean °C (°F)	27.5 (81.5)	27.5 (81.5)	27.5 (81.5)	27.4 (81.3)	27.2 (81.0)	26.5 (79.7)	25.9 (78.6)	26.2 (79.2)	26.8 (80.2)	27.6 (81.7)	28.2 (82.8)	27.8 (82.0)	27.2 (80.9)
Mean daily minimum °C (°F)	23.6 (74.5)	23.6 (74.5)	23.6 (74.5)	23.7 (74.7)	23.8 (74.8)	23.2 (73.8)	22.5 (72.5)	22.3 (72.1)	22.5 (72.5)	22.9 (73.2)	23.8 (74.8)	23.8 (74.8)	23.3 (73.9)
Average rainfall mm (inches)	196 (7.7)	207 (8.1)	242 (9.5)	225 (8.9)	241 (9.5)	224 (8.8)	144 (5.7)	91 (3.6)	103 (4.1)	80 (3.1)	98 (3.9)	181 (7.1)	2,032 (80)
Source:

Governance

Administrative districts

The city is divided into 11 districts (kecamatan), listed below.

• Mandonga District
• Baruga District
• Puuwatu District
• Kadia District
• Wua-wua District
• Poasia District
• Abeli District
• Kambua District
• Nambo District
• Kendari District
• West Kendari District

Government and Politics

As with all Indonesian cities, Kendari is a second-level administrative division, equal in power to a regency, that is run by an elected mayor and vice mayor, who hold executive power, as well as a legislative city parliament. Legislative duties are vested in the local parliament. Heads of districts are appointed by the mayor on the recommendation of the city secretary.

The city is part of the 1st Southeast Sulawesi electoral district, which sends six of the 45 representatives to the provincial parliament. On the city level, it is divided into five electoral districts, which has 35 representatives.

Electoral district	Region	Representatives
Kendari 1st	Mandonga and Puuwatu District	8
Kendari 2nd	Kendari and West Kendari District	7
Kendari 3rd	Abeli and Poasia District	6
Kendari 4th	Baruga and Kambu District	6
Kendari 5th	Kadia and Wua-Wua District	8
Total		35

Economy

Entrance gate to Samudera Fishery Port

The city's economy largely consists of service-related sectors, consisting of 77% of city's workforce. The construction sector, retail, agriculture and fisheries, processing and manufacturing, education, logistics and the financial and insurance industry are also major industries, listed here in order of percentage of gross regional product.

The city is mainly industrial, with the manufacturing sector employing 21.04% of city's workforce, while agriculture employs 1.34% of the city. Overall GRP growth of the city was 6.48% in 2019, but decreased to -1.30% on 2020 due to the economic effects of the COVID-19 pandemic. The poverty rate in 2020 was 4.34%.

The city is located near the Konawe Industrial Area, which mainly produces nickel and lithium batteries. The city is home to Kendari New Port, a large industrial container port which is located in the city; as well as Samudera Fishery Port, which hosts a total of 27 fish processing companies as of 2016 and is among the largest fish processing centers in Eastern Indonesia. Fish catch numbered around 37,000 tons in 2018, largely consisting of skipjack tuna. There are a total of 142 hotels registered in the city. 28 large industrial companies operate in Kendari, in addition to 446 registered small and medium-sized enterprises employing more than 1,500 people. Agricultural exports include: frozen shrimps, processed cashew nuts, cocoa butter, and raw octopus; most of these products are exported to Japan and India.

Demographics

Around 90% of city's population are members of native groups from the region such as Tolaki, Muna, Buton, and Moronene, though a small migrant population from other parts of Indonesia also exist. There are 173,987 males and 171,120 females in the city. The population grew by 1.7% in 2020, with Baruga district growing the most (5.38%) while the Kambu district with decreased the most, losing 0.9% of it's population. The most densely populated district is the Kadia district with 5,650 people per square kilometer, while the least was Nambo. The most populated district was West Kendari with 42,230 people while the least populated is Nambo, which has a population of 11,170 people. There are total 189,534 people according to Statistics Indonesia that are considered part of workforce as of 2020. The majority of population in the city are Muslims, with considerable Christian, Buddhist, and Hindu minorities.

Education

A school in Kendari

There are 133 kindergartens, 141 elementary schools, 58 junior high schools, and 32 senior high schools. In addition, there are 20 vocational high schools in the city as of 2020. The city is home to various institutions of higher education, most notably Haluoleo University, which is the oldest of two public universities in the province. The university has over 40,000 active students and was 6th most populous school based on undergraduate population. Kendari State Islamic Institution is the largest Islamic college in the province. It has over 6,000 active students, primarily undergraduate, mainly in Islamic Education and Sharia Economics.

The Kendari Modern Library, in Kadia District, finished construction in 2021. The library is managed by the provincial government and was modeled after Harvard Library. The library has seven floors, a cinema room, meeting spaces, an area for local artifacts, and a cafe.

Kendari Modern Library, completed in late 2021

School participation rate is relatively high, 99.44% for ages 7 to 12 years old, and 94.76% for ages 13-15. The city reports a literacy rate of 97.94%.

Healthcare

Bahteramas Regional Hospital

The city has 15 hospitals including one maternity hospital, six polyclinics, 30 puskesmas (five of which provide inpatient care), and 40 pharmacies as of 2020. Other than that, there are 38 primary clinics and 216 healthcare centers. There are also 55 family planning clinics in the city. Out of 15 hospitals, five are public hospitals while 10 hospitals are private. There are two psychiatric hospitals, one public and one private.

A hospital specializing in cardiology is being constructed by the provincial government; construction was started in 2019 and is expected to be finished in 2022. It is claimed to be the first cardiological hospital in Eastern Indonesia.

Transportation

There are 614.35 total kilometers of road within the city boundaries, of which 472.53 kilometers have been paved and sealed with asphalt. A majority of the roads are owned by the city government; the remainder are either state-owned national roads or provincial roads. The city has both inner and outer ringroads; as of 2021 both are under construction.

The city is served by Haluoleo Airport, formerly known as Wolter Monginsidi Airport. The airport has regular flights to Jakarta and Makassar as well as smaller regions around it. The airport is being developed to become an international airport and be able to assist the already congested Sultan Hasanuddin International Airport. Kendari New Port, located in the city, is an international seaport managed by Pelindo IV which is used for export and import of goods from the region. It is one of two international container ports in Sulawesi island that is currently being developed alongside with Makassar New Port in city of Makassar. Other than that, there are smaller ports used mostly for ferries to smaller islands surrounding the city such as Wawonii Port and Nusantara Port. The city was visited by total 4,756 ships in 2020.

Media

Multiple online and print media companies are based in the city, largely serving Southeastern Sulawesi. One major company in the city is the Fajar Group, a media conglomeration which owns several television channels, printed media, and online news websites in the city as well as the province. There are numerous private television channels in Kendari; such as Net.Kendari, GlobalTV Kendari, as well as local channels including Sigma TV. The Indonesian state-owned television channel TVRI and state-owned radio broadcaster Radio Republik Indonesia also have branches in the city.

References

• De Jong, Loe. (1984). Het Koninkrijk der Nederlanden in de Tweede Wereldoorlog: Deel 11a – Nederlands-Indië I. Leiden: Martinus Nijhoff. ISBN 9789024780440.
• Koninklijke Nederlands Indisch Leger (1948). "De Strijd Op Celebes Gedurende Januari, Februari en Maart 1942". Militaire Spectator, 117.
• Nortier, J.J. (1988). De Japanse Aanval op Nederlands-Indie. Rotterdam: Donker. ISBN 9061003024.

External links

• Media related to Kendari at Wikimedia Commons