Palu

The early history of Palu and its surroundings can be divided into the Tomalanggai Era, the Tomanuru Era, and the Independent Era.[6]

During the Tomalanggai Ere which lasted until the founding of Kaili Kingdom in the 15th century,[8] most of the inhabitants were hunter-gatherers and relatively violent. Due to scarce resources, many tribal groups waged war against each other, and the losing group would need to settle with the winner and work for them. The leaders of these early settlers were called Tomalanggai. The power structure was not yet formalized; the Tomalanggai were essentially absolute rulers with no limits of power, which caused frequent wars and rebellions.[6] The following Tomanuru Era, in which power was consolidated and village structures became formalized, several reforms were made and life was relatively peaceful. According to local legend, during this era, villages were ruled by descendants of gods from heaven. It was said a Tomalanggai one day wanted golden bamboos, which grew around the region, for his water container and commanded his troops to chop all of them. After the bamboo were chopped down, a storm suddenly came but soon stopped; after the storm, a beautiful women appeared where the bamboo was. The Tomalanggai took her to his village and married her, and their descendant was wiser and stronger than his father. The name of the period roughly means "the one that brings blessing". This period lasted until about the 16th century. During this era, an aristocratic class called the madika appeared within Kaili society.[6]

After the Tomanuru Era, the region experienced another historical period Indonesian historians called "zaman Merdeka" or the Independent Era. During this time, kingdoms in the region started to have trade contacts with the outside world and several signs of an early form of democratic government. Kingdoms in the region were no longer lead by single power entity; power was devolved to several representative bodies and councils. The power structure was divided into magau (kings) who lead the kingdoms, madika were nobles who led districts, and kapala who led villages. Kingdoms had structures such as patanggota (four officials), pitunggota (seven officials), and walunggota (nine officials), referring to the number of ministries beside the king who managed the kingdom. Kingdoms around the region also developed military structures with full-time officers and commanders. This era lasted roughly until the arrival of the Dutch in the region.[6]

Kingdoms in the region during this period included Bangga Kingdom and Pakawa Kingdom, which were located around 30 km (19 mi) from the modern-day location of the city. Other kingdoms in the region, particularly in the Palu Valley, were Palu Kingdom, Tawaeli, Bora, and Sigi. Bangga and Sigi Kingdoms were among the biggest and most powerful, acting as regional powers.[6]

A couple in Palu, 1920

Map of Palu, 1941

Contact with Europeans, particularly Portuguese, occurred since the late 16th century, mainly for trading and rights to use ports. Portuguese influence is evident in several communities of Kaili people, particularly in the region that used to be under the Kulawi Kingdom, around 80 km (50 mi) from Palu, where dress that resembles that of the Portuguese is worn.[6] Contact with the Dutch began in the 19th century when the Portuguese influence in the region had waned. The first kingdom to sign a contract with the Dutch was the Sigi Kingdom, which signed a Large Kontrack in 1863 and Karte Verklaring in 1917. The kingdom of Banawa also signed Large Kontrack in 1888 and Kartte Verklaring in 1904. Other smaller kingdoms soon followed by signing the same contracts and agreements. Between 1863 and 1908, practically all kingdoms in the region were under the influence of the Dutch and were soon incorporated into the Dutch East Indies.[6] There was some local resistance, such as the Donggala War in 1902, which was led by King Tombolotutu; the Sigi War between 1905 and 1908 led by King Toi Dompu; and the Kulawi War between 1904 and 1908. The native kingdoms were mostly defeated in the war and there would be no further significant resistance from the natives until 1942.[6]

Nani Wartabone, a key figure in Merah Putih Movement

Following the surrender of Japan and Proclamation of Indonesian Independence in Jakarta, a paramilitary organization named Laskar Tanjumbulu was formed by surviving fighters of the previous Merah Putih Movement that was suppresed. The paramilitaries took over several Japanese military facilities and weapons while distributing news about Indonesian Independence. The remaining Japanese officials transferred governance to several native kings in the region including Palu before leaving. Some of these kings later supported an Indonesian republic and created difficulties for the returning Dutch administration. The King of Palu and Parigi accepted the return of the Dutch administration, which landed in Palu in late 1945. On 31 January 1946, a widespread repression of the nationalist movement occurred. The region, including the city, later became part of State of East Indonesia until the Dutch–Indonesian Round Table Conference, at which the Dutch acknowledged Indonesian sovereignty and the State of East Indonesia was disbanded one year later.[6] In Palu, the dissolution of the State of East Indonesia and return to a unitary republic occurred in a building today called Gedung Juang.[9][10][6]

Scene of a traditional market in Palu, 1958

While the city had a Dutch official seat during the colonial era, Palu was still by this time a small agriculture town with little significance, while Central Sulawesi region's economic and political activities were centered around Poso and Donggala.[6] The center of economic activity in the region shifted when the larger Pantoloan Port was built in Palu Bay, and an airport which today become Mutiara SIS Al-Jufrie Airport. The construction of Pantoloan Port which competed with the older Donggala Port initially were met with objections especially from ship owners and officials in Donggala.[6] Palu's population grew dramatically in the 1950s and 60s, while Donggala's population growth stagnated around the 1960s. In 1951, Poso Regency was founded with its capital in Poso and Palu Regency with its capital in Palu. This was met with opposition and conflict between residents of Palu and Donggala, as the Donggala residents believed it would further limit the town's development.[6] To avoid conflict, on 14 September 1951, a motion was sent to Sulawesi governor to rename Palu Regency to Donggala Regency while keeping the capital in Palu as a compromise.[6] Palu continued to outgrow Donggala, and the creation of Palu Administrative City and subsequent creation of Central Sulawesi province in 1964 with Palu as its capital further distanced Donggala from its past status.[6] The province was established on 12 April 1964 due to demand from student groups for its creation to represent the region.[6] The city gained administrative status in 1978 and kotamadya in 1994, separated from nearby regencies for the first time in its history as an independent city.[11]

Aftermath of 2018 earthquake and tsunami in the city

On 28 September 2018, the city was hit by a devastating earthquake and tsunami which affect districts of Mantikulore, West Palu, South Palu, East Palu, and Ulujadi.[12] The city itself also experienced severe soil liquefaction, with Petobo urban village inside South Palu being damaged the most by it.[13][14][15] The liquefaction was the biggest in the world and caused massive destruction in parts of the city.[3] The land where liquefaction happened is currently uninhabitable.[4] In the aftermath of the disaster, several calls by politicians were made to relocate the capital city of Central Sulawesi away from Palu due to its vulnerability to earthquakes.[16][17] The plan for city-wide relocation was made by the city government, dubbed Kota Palu Baru (New Palu City) was predicted to cost between five and six trillion of Rupiah.[5] Affected areas of the earthquake are still being rebuilt, with progress only reaching 45% of the newly constructed house occupied as of May 2022 and relocation effort predicted to last until the end of 2023.[18] Ambiguity of land status outside city boundaries supposedly used for new housing for victims of the earthquake in particular hampered the relocation progress, and as many as 6,000 people still live in temporary housing in 2022.[19]

Palu has a tropical rainforest climate (Köppen Af), although it is relatively dry due to the strong rain shadow of the surrounding mountains.[22]

At the time of the 2010 Indonesian census, Palu was divided into four districts (kecamatan); in 2011 these were re-organized into a new division of eight districts. These are tabulated below with their areas and their population at the 2010 census[24] and the 2020 census,[2] together with the official estimates as of mid 2022.[1]

As is the case with all Indonesian cities, the local government of Palu is a second-level administrative division run by a mayor and vice mayor, and the city parliament; it is of equivalent tier as a regency.[25] Executive power lies in the mayor and vice mayor, and legislation duties are carried by local parliament. The mayor, vice mayor, and parliament members are democratically elected by residents of the city.[26] Heads of districts are directly appointed by the city mayor on recommendations from the city secretary.[27][28]

Palu is part of 1st Central Sulawesi electoral district, which consists of only the city itself, and has 6 representatives of 45 seats in the provincial parliament. The city is divided into four electoral districts. The city parliament has 35 seats. As the capital of Central Sulawesi, Palu is the location of the governor's office and the seat of the provincial parliament. The table below shows the division of electoral districts in the city and the number of representatives they send to city parliament as of 2019.[30][31]

Palu was historically an agricultural town. In 1947, it was estimated 97% of the city's residents were working in agriculture. The biggest agriculture product between the 1940s to 1950s was copra with an output of up to 718,000 tons in 1947.[6]

Despite a large decline, agriculture is still present in Palu. In 2021, agriculture, forestry, and fisheries accounted for 3.83% of the city's GRP. While importance of agriculture to the city's economy is insignificant compared to that in the 1940s and 1950s, agricultural output in terms of tonnage currently is significantly bigger, with rice production as high as 1,492 tons in 2018 compared to 15 tons in 1947; and maize with 3,255 tons in 2021 compared to 10 tons in 1947.[34][6] Other agriculture products from the city include 296.8 tons of groundnuts, 616.6 tons of cassava, 145 tons of chili, 325.4 tons of shallot, 438.5 tons of cayenne pepper, 13.34 tons of spinach, 854.8 tons of tomato, and 49.3 tons of water spinach.[34] Tawaeli district has sizeable herb plants output with 1.9 tons of ginger, 2.6 tons of turmeric, and 3.2 tons of galangal. The city also produces 257.4 tons of mango, 178.8 tons of jackfruit, and 366.3 tons of banana.[34]

The most-populous livestock in the city is chicken with recorded population of 3,449,629 in 2021. The city's fisheries industry includes seafood catches and freshwater aquaculture. The aquaculture industry in the city in 2021 was valued at around 4 billion rupiah, while catches from sea was valued at 45 billion rupiah.[34]

A cocoa processing factory in Palu. Cocoa beans from all around the province are processed in the city.

Palu's manufacturing and processing industry consisted of 1,860 registered large-scale companies that employ 9,339 people in 2020. There were also 1,789 registered smaller-to-medium-sized companies in this sector, which employed 6,140 people in the same year.[33] The city is the location of Palu Special Economic Zone, which hosts companies focusing on processing of agricultural and mineral products.[35] In Palu, raw materials used for industries mostly came from outside of the city; these include nickel from Morowali Regency, materials for asphalt from Buton Regency, and cocoa beans from plantations across the province, of which Central Sulawesi is one of the largest producers in the country.[36][37]

As the capital of Central Sulawesi, Palu has a significant hotel sector. In 2020, there were 116 registered hotels in the city according to Statistics Indonesia. Tourism, however, has been declining; the numbers of foreign and domestic tourists visiting the city decreased from 291,930 domestic visitors and 3,709 foreign visitors in 2017 to 156,733 domestic visitors and 1,110 foreign visitors in 2019. This number further decreased to 70,562 domestic visitors and 194 foreign visitors in 2020.[33] Tourism and the hotel industry in Palu has declined since 2018 due to that year's earthquake and tsunami[38] and the 2020 COVID-19 pandemic.[39] Although there were signs of recovery in 2019 in the aftermath of the earthquake,[40] the pandemic delayed further recovery of hotel industry until late 2021.[41][42]

The city had 128 registered restaurants in 2021, although the number would be significantly higher if unregistered restaurants are included.[34]

Palu is the financial center of Central Sulawesi. Bank Sulteng (Central Sulawesi Bank), the regional development bank of the province, is headquartered in the city.[43] The city has 215 registered cooperatives with combined assets of around 22 billion rupiah. The trading and wholesale sector, totaling almost 4 billion rupiah worth of credits, is the largest sector that received credit from banks in the city. In total, Palu's economy has 16 billion rupiah worth of credits from banks. The city has 27 branches of national and international banks, and several municipally-owned people's credit banks (BPR).[34] The city has several insurance companies and is the location of the Central Sulawesi branch of Indonesia Stock Exchange.[34]

Nosarara Nosabatutu Peace Monument in Palu

Palu has a number of tourist sites and recreational places. Among them is Nosarara Nosabatutu Peace Monument, which contains a three-story building and is located adjacent to Nusantara Gong of Peace. The building's name is from a Kaili language phrase that means "we are siblings, we are united". The monument was built to commemorate the Poso riots, a communal conflict between Christians and Muslims in neighboring Poso Regency.[61] The monument functions as a museum containing messages about the importance of peace from different religions, and portraits and biographies of several figures advocating for peace, and displays several traditional crafts from several Indonesian cultures. The site is a popular with city residents because there are several cafes and an urban park nearby.[62] A site nearby the monument is used as an evacuation site in an event of a tsunami.[63] Nusantara Gong of Peace located in the site weights 180 kilograms (400 lb) and has a diameter of two meters (6.6 ft). The gong contains symbols of the five religions that were recognized in Indonesia at its construction, as well as the coats of arms of the then-33 provinces, and 444 regencies and cities in Indonesia.[62][63]

The zero kilometer monument of Palu

Other popular sites in the city include Citraland Palu, an amusement park which contains a Ferris wheel, urban parks, bumper cars, as well as cafes and shops around the area.[64][65] Palu Museum is focused on the history of Central Sulawesi; Sou Raja is a former palace of a local kingdom; and natural attractions include Talise Beach, Pantoloan Beach, and Kaombana Urban Forest.[66] The city also has several shopping malls.[67][68][69]