Mount Gamalama

Mount Gamalama is more than just a volcano; it is the entire island of Ternate. Rising steeply from the deep waters of the Maluku Sea to a height of 1,715 meters (5,627 ft), this majestic stratovolcano forms a near-perfect cone that dominates the geography and history of North Maluku. For centuries, Gamalama was the center of the world for one specific reason: cloves. The volcano’s fertile slopes were the original source of this precious spice, sparking the Age of Discovery and drawing European powers into a centuries-long struggle for control.

Today, Gamalama remains one of Indonesia’s most active volcanoes, a “Guardian Mountain” that provides fertile soil for nutmeg and clove plantations while constantly reminding the island’s 200,000 residents of its fiery power.

The Spice Island Sovereign

To understand Gamalama is to understand the history of globalization.

• The Clove Monopoly: Until the 17th century, Ternate (along with neighboring Tidore) was the only place on Earth where cloves grew. The volcanic soil, enriched by Gamalama’s ash, combined with the sea air to create the perfect microclimate for Syzygium aromaticum.
• European Rivalry: This botanical monopoly made Gamalama a beacon for explorers. The Portuguese arrived in 1512, building forts like Fort Tolukko on the volcano’s lava flows. They were followed by the Spanish and the Dutch. The shape of the volcano appeared on maps in Lisbon, Amsterdam, and London as a symbol of unimaginable wealth.
• The Sultanate: The powerful Sultanate of Ternate ruled from the foot of the volcano. The Sultan’s palace (Kedaton) was built with respect to the mountain’s spiritual geography, facing the sea but anchored by the volcano’s mass.

The Wallace Connection: Evolution’s Birthplace

Gamalama is hallowed ground for science.

• The Letter from Ternate: In 1858, the British naturalist Alfred Russel Wallace was suffering from malaria in a hut at the foot of Gamalama. In his feverish state, he had a breakthrough realization about the survival of the fittest.
• The Impact: He wrote his famous essay “On the Tendency of Varieties to Depart Indefinitely from the Original Type” and mailed it to Charles Darwin from Ternate. This letter prompted Darwin to finally publish On the Origin of Species. Thus, the theory of evolution by natural selection is deeply tied to the slopes of this volcano.

Fortress Island

The volcano’s slopes are ringed with stone sentinels.

• Fort Oranje: The Dutch headquarters in the East Indies before they moved to Jakarta (Batavia). It sits right in the city center, built on volcanic rock foundations.
• Fort Kalamata: A star-shaped fortress on the southern coast, originally built by the Portuguese to guard the clove trade against the Spanish on nearby Tidore. Its walls frame the volcano perfectly, offering one of the most iconic historical views in Indonesia.

Geological Profile

Gamalama is a classic island-arc stratovolcano.

• Formation: It is built by the subduction of the micro-plates within the complex collision zone of the Molucca Sea Plate. The island of Ternate is essentially the tip of a massive underwater volcanic edifice.
• Structure: The profile is symmetrical, typical of stratovolcanoes. However, unlike many volcanoes where the crater is a single pit, Gamalama’s summit is a complex of three nested craters, reflecting a history of shifting vents.
• Eruptive Style: Its eruptions are typically Vulcanian or Strombolian—explosive bursts of ash and bombs, often accompanied by lava flows. Because the island is small (only about 10 km wide), any eruption immediately threatens the entire population.

A History of Fire

Gamalama has erupted more than 60 times since records began in 1538, making it one of the most active volcanoes in Indonesia.

The 1775 Catastrophe

The deadliest event in Gamalama’s history occurred in 1775.

• The Mareku Event: A massive eruption triggered a flank collapse or a phreatomagmatic explosion near the village of Mareku.
• The Cost: Approximately 1,300 people were killed, mostly by pyroclastic flows and glowing avalanches. This tragedy is etched into the local folklore and led to the creation of the “Laguna Lake” (Danau Laguna), amaar crater formed by the explosion.

The 2011 Eruption

In December 2011, Gamalama roared back to life.

• The Impact: A sudden explosion sent an ash plume 2,000 meters into the sky. The ash created a thick blanket over Ternate City, forcing the closure of Sultan Babullah Airport for weeks.
• The Response: Thousands were evacuated. The eruption highlighted the unique logistical challenge of Ternate: in a major crisis, evacuation must be by sea, as there is nowhere else on the small island to run.

Myths and Legends: The Sacred Mountain

For the people of Ternate, Gamalama is a living entity endowed with a soul.

• The Name: The name “Gamalama” is derived from the local words Gam (Village/People) and Lamo (Big/Great). It translates to “The Big Village” or “The Great Community,” symbolizing the unity of the people under the mountain.
• The Grave of the Saints: Local tradition holds that the summit is the resting place of holy men (Wali). Pilgrims climb the mountain not just for the view, but to pray at the sacred graves near the peak.
• Offering Rituals: The annual traditional ceremony of Kololi Kie involves circling the mountain (via the sea) to ask for protection and blessings. It acknowledges that the Sultan rules the land, but Gamalama rules the nature.

Tourism: Climbing the Clove Mountain

Hiking Gamalama is one of the premier adventures in Maluku.

• The Ascent: The trek usually starts from the village of Moya. It is a steep, strenuous climb that takes about 4-5 hours to reach the summit.
• The Plantations: The lower third of the trail winds through mesmerizing nutmeg and clove plantations. The scent of spices hangs heavy in the air, a sensory reminder of the island’s history.
• The View: From the top, the view is incomparable. To the south, the conical peak of rival volcano Tidore (Mount Kiematubu) rises from the sea like a mirror image. To the west lies the vast Halmahera mainland.
• The Crater: Hikers can look down into the active crater, which often emits white steam. However, caution is advised; sudden gas bursts can be deadly.

The Batu Angus (Burnt Stone)

One of Gamalama’s most striking features is the Batu Angus (“Burnt Stone”) lava flow.

• Origin: This jagged field of black basaltic rock was created during a flank eruption in the 17th century.
• Location: It stretches from the mid-slopes all the way into the sea on the northern side of Ternate.
• Historical Site: The lava famously flowed right past the walls of Fort Tolukko. Today, it is a stark, rugged tourist attraction where visitors can see the raw interior of the earth frozen in time against the blue backdrop of the Molucca Sea.

Ternatean Cuisine: The Taste of Fire

The volcanic soil produces strong flavors.

• Gohu Ikan: Often called “Ternate Sashimi.” Fresh raw tuna is diced and cured with calamansi lime, salt, basil, and chili, then doused in hot coconut oil. It is fiery and fresh, much like the island itself.
• Papeda: A glue-like sago porridge eaten with turmeric fish soup (Kuah Kuning). Sago palms thrive in the swampy lowlands near the coast, fed by mineral-rich runoff.
• Coffee: Ternate coffee is traditionally brewed with spices like ginger and cloves (Kopi Rempah), warming the hikers who return from the cold summit.

Underwater Realms

The volcano extends beneath the waves.

• Lava Deltas: Where the lava flows hit the sea, they created dramatic drop-offs and underwater caves.
• Marine Life: Divers can explore these black sand sites, where the dark volcanic substrate makes the colors of the coral and nubibranchs pop with neon intensity. It is renowned for “muck diving”—spotting rare critters like pygmy seahorses and frogfish against the black volcanic sand.

Biodiversity

Despite the activity, Gamalama is green.

• Forests: The upper slopes, above the plantations, are covered in tropical rainforest.
• Unique Fauna: Ternate is part of Wallacea, a zone of biological transition. Birdwatchers flock here to see the Standardwing Bird-of-Paradise (Semioptera wallacii), famously described by Alfred Russel Wallace who lived on Ternate while formulating his theory of evolution.

Life in the Danger Zone

Living on Ternate means living with risk.

• Ash Management: Residents are accustomed to periodic “ash rains.” Houses are built with steep metal roofs to shed heavy ash loads.
• Water Supply: The volcano is the island’s water tower. The porous volcanic rock acts as a sponge, filtering rainwater and feeding the springs that supply Ternate City. Without the volcano, the island would be dry.
• Geothermal Potential: Scientists are exploring the geothermal energy potential of Gamalama’s flanks. Tapping this heat could provide Ternate with 100% renewable electricity, reducing reliance on diesel generators.

Conclusion

Mount Gamalama is a volcano of world-changing significance. Its soil birthed the spice trade that redrew the map of the globe. Today, it stands as a breathtaking sentinel over Ternate, a place where history, culture, and geology are fused into a single, smoking cone. It is a reminder that beauty and danger often grow from the same root.

Technical Facts

• Elevation: 1,715 m (5,627 ft)
• Location: 0.80°N 127.33°E
• Volcano Type: Stratovolcano
• Key Feature: The source of the historic clove trade; forms the entire island of Ternate.
• Status: Active