Mount Gamalama In Ternate Beauty Island

A towering high mountain stands stout as if it controls Ternate Island. Expanse of trees stretched to form a green blanket as far as the eye could see. The sound of the waves swept softly and calmed the soul. Ternate is like an island with Mount Gamalama as its center.
  
Speaking of Ternate will never be separated from the existence of Mount Gamalama. This mountain is one of the high volcanic mountains found in Indonesia. Gamalama has a height reaching 1,715 meters above sea level with dense green forest reaching 1,500 meters high. The interesting thing about Mount Gamalama is its conical shape and is a whole part of Ternate Island.
  
Not only is it famous for its beauty, this huge mountain also has an extraordinary history related to the long journey of humans who inhabited Ternate since the past. The name Gunung Gamalama comes from the word Kie Gam Lamo which means "Great Country" and is a symbol of the greatness of the people who inhabit Ternate Island. One of the legendary stories born from the eruption of Mount Gamalama is the origin of Lake Tolire. Initially, Lake Toire was a village called Soela Takomi and in 1775 Mount Gamalama erupted until it destroyed the Village with its inhabitants.

Gamalama has erupted more than 60 times. The first eruption was recorded in 1538 and has claimed hundreds of lives. This volcanic eruption was so famous that it covered the sky of Ternate and even made Ternate residents flee to Tidore. Although the eruption of Mount Gamalama was relatively large and never stopped fluctuating, the population of Ternate never shrank leaving Ternate. In fact, the growth rate of Ternate's population has always increased from year to year until Ternate became one of the centers of activity in North Maluku Province.
  
The eruption of Mount Gamalama also affected the culture and traditions of the local community. One tradition that emerges is Kololie Kie which is shown every year in the Legu Gam festival. This unique tradition is the ancestral heritage of Ternate residents in the form of a ritual around Mount Gamalama while visiting a number of places and sacred tombs. This unique tradition is carried out in an effort to offer prayers to the Almighty and the ancestors so that Mount Gamalama does not erupt.
  
Gamalama Mountain is also a challenging mountain for climbers or nature lovers. To climb the mountain is not charged a penny, but the traditional elders will usually advise to pray first before climbing and maintaining natural cleanliness. In addition, climbers are usually not allowed to go up in odd numbers because the locals believe that if they are odd, then one of them will be harmed.
  
The existence of Mount Gamalama cannot be separated from the history of Ternate's population. In fact, the natural beauty of Mount Gamalama also provides prosperity for the people of Ternate, ranging from agricultural livelihoods to famous tourism to foreign countries. The dark story about the eruption of Mount Gamalama cannot be erased from memory, but the natural wealth of clove plantations and nutmeg along the mountain slopes is also worth to be proud of as part of Indonesia's wealth.