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Etymology[edit]
There are several theories regarding the origin of the city's name. One theory suggest that it was shortened version of Huluntalangio, name of a kingdom in the area which became Hulontalo. Later during the first contact with the Dutch explorers, Dutch people find it difficult to spell Hulontalo and the word became corrupted to "Gorontalo" which stuck as the name of the city to this day. Other theories include Hulutalangi which means "more honourable", Hulua lo tola which means "place for gabus fish (Channa striata) to breed", Pogolatalo which means "place to wait", or directly Gorontalo which is derived from name of a Moluccas ruler Gorontalo of Tidore.
King of Gorontalo, from around 1868
Early and colonial history[edit]
Gorontalo city is considered among the oldest cities in Sulawesi, dating back approximately 400 years together with Makassar, Parepare, and Manado. It was the center of Islamic propagation in Sulawesi under Ternate rule. The area that what is now the city was once a region (Pohala) under Kingdom of Gorontalo. The kingdom consisted of alliances of 17 smaller groups called linula. Kingdom of Gorontalo was a vassal under Ternate Sultanate in Moluccas. Islamic propagation in the region around the today's city started between 14th and 15th centuries, started with the period under the ruler named Sultan Amai who married a princess from nearby Palase Gomonjolo Kingdom, who asked the Sultan Amai previously to convert to Islam as part of the marriage arrangement in 1525. Islam later spread to the Gorontalo Kingdom and became official religion of the kingdom under rule of King Matolodulakiki. During this period, principle of Gorontaloan culture regarding Islam which is "adat basandi syara', syara' basandi kitabullah" (traditions based on Sharia, Sharia based on Qur'an) was coined.
Native rule in this area ended with transfer of all Ternate's Sulawesi possessions to the Dutch East India Company (VOC) under a treaty which became effective on 11 May 1677. This transfer of possession includes Gorontalo and its neighbouring kingdoms in the northern part of Sulawesi. Dutch East India Company built its first trade office around the area of what is now the city in 1705 to organize trade relations with the native kingdoms which is now under the company's rule. Later, Dutch rule in the area was strengthened by the construction of Nassare Fort in 1770. As Dutch East India Company dissolves in 1799, the area became direct possession of the Dutch and later Dutch East Indies colony. From then, the Dutch became increasingly involved in successions and appointment of local rulers.
In 1824, the area around Gorontalo was merged with Minahasan region to become an afdeeling which is led by an assistant resident. In 1899, another administrative change took place which made Gorontalo immediately administrated from Batavia, the form that was called "Rechtstreeks Bestuur". In 1911, again another administrative change took place, this time the pohala was reorganized and became divided into three onder afdeelingen, which are Kwandang, Boalemo, and Gorontalo. In 1920, onder afdeeling was changed into district. At this time, Gorontalo region was divided into five districts including Limboto and Bone. This change did not last long and later in 1922 it was divided and reorganized again into three afdeelingen, which are Gorontalo, Boalemo, and Buol.
World War II and post-independence era[edit]
Nani Wartabone, leader of Merah Putih movement, a revolt centered around Gorontalo and Central Sulawesi region
Just before the invasion of the region by Empire of Japan during World War II, a revolt broke out led by Nani Wartabone who declared Indonesian independence on 23 January 1942 under Merah Putih (Red and White) movement, around three years before it would be formally declared again by Sukarno. However, the revolt was later suppressed by occupying Imperial Japanese Navy who assumed control of Sulawesi and East Indonesia. After World War II and the aftermath of the Indonesian National Revolution, Gorontalo became part of State of East Indonesia as a neoswapraja together with Mongondow and Buol. When State of East Indonesia was dissolved in 1950, Gorontalo became part of North Sulawesi region under then-Sulawesi Province. In 1954, neoswapraja Mongondow was separated from North Sulawesi, leaving only Buol and Gorontalo as part of it. Later, in accordance of Law Number 1 of 1957, as Indonesia reorganized its administrative structure, Gorontalo became part of first-level administrative division (daerah tingkat I) and Gorontalo city was separated from Gorontalo Regency, granting the city status of kotapraja. During Permesta rebellion, the city hosts Indonesian military radio used to persuade the rebels to surrender.
The city became the capital of the newly created province of Gorontalo in 2000 and has since seen urban growth and took more significant importance, being the center of the new province's economy, educational, and administrative functions, especially between 2006 and 2007 where the new province overall saw rapid economic growth and massive increase of its gross regional product.
