BUTON SULTANATE FLAGPOLE

BY : Sabry Matasala

The flagpole, also called Kesulana Tombi Sultanate Buton in local language, is located in the complex of the palace (keraton) site. The flagpole was build in 1712, during the government of the 19^th Sultan (Lang kariy-Riy/oputa Sangia or holy man).

The flagpole stands in the northern side of buton palace mosque. Even though the is 300 years old, it still stands a an angle following the position of it base. The main pole is supported by 4 supporting poles.

The height of the was more than 21 meters. After the flash stroke and renovations by the 30^th Sultan Muhammad isa/Oputa Yitanga, the hight now is 20 meter. The flag is about 5 meters long and is shaped like a rice leaf with 5 colours; yellow as the base colour, pink, light blue, black, and white with Arabic letters.

It is said that the flag was brought by queen Wa Khakha, the first queen of the buton kingdom in the middle of the 14^th century. This kind of flagpole is very rare; there are only two otherplaces in Indonesia with the same flagpole type: the flagpole at sultan Bima Palace in Sumbawa and the Sultan palace in Potianak. Is there any connection among the three sultanates? It requires further research to prove it.

BUTON PALACE MOSQUE

The mosque is located inside the complex of the Buton Palace site. It’s estimated that the mosque was built in 1712 or in the beginning of the 17^th century. The mosque has 3 levels, using 33 pegs from all kinds of wood. Philosophically, the pegs are used to describe all the parts of the human body. There is a large drum about 1,5 meters in length and its diameter is 50 cm. There are more unique features of the mosque; come to Bau-Bau to sate your curiousity.