Bungku

The Bungku, who call themselves To Bungku, live on the southeastern peninsula of Central Sulawesi around Bungku town and the Menui Islands. Their coastal polity, the Kingdom of Bungku or Tambuku, was described as a lively trading settlement by the Spanish explorer Urdaneta in 1525.

In 1580 the Sultan of Ternate made Bungku his vassal, though Gowa held the overlordship from 1636 to 1667, after which it reverted to Ternate. Bungku chose its own king in 1672 and rejected Ternatean overlordship in 1689, keeping only a tributary tie.

The port grew rich on slaves, iron and spices, its shipping dominated by Bugis merchants from Bone and Makassar, and Lake Matano's iron ore was disputed with neighbouring Luwu. In the 1830s colonial observers called Bungku the leading port of Sulawesi's eastern coast, its rulers drawing farm tribute from inland mountain peoples.