Minahasa Regency

In addition to banding together to fight pressure from outside in the 15th century, the tribes in Minahasa also came together in the 17th century to do a similar thing. Several Minahasa tribes joined in a friendship agreement with the Vereenigde Oostindische Compagnie (VOC or the Dutch East Indies Company). The intention was the same, that is to combat attacks from the Bolaang area. This agreement became official on 10 January 1679 during the visit of Robertus Padtbrugge who was the VOC governor based in Maluku at that time. There are 23 chiefs of political and social communities called walak who participated in the agreement. The chiefs came from Aris, Bantik, Kakaskasen, Klabat, Klabat, Klabat Atas, Langowan, Pasan (who also represented Pinosokan and Ratahan), Remboken, Rumoong, Sarongsong, Tombariri, Tombasian, Tomohon, Tompaso, Tondano, Tonkimbut Atas, Tonkimbut, Tonkimbut Below, Tonsawang, and Tonsea.[11]^: 24

The area encompassing the current Minahasa Regency has been designated as an official administrative region since the Dutch occupation after the VOC was dissolved when Indonesia was called the Dutch East Indies. At the time, the Residentie Manado (or Residency of Manado) covered all regencies and cities in entire region of Minahasa today, namely the regencies of Minahasa, North Minahasa, South Minahasa, Southeast Minahasa, and the cities of Bitung, Manado, and Tomohon. In 1856, the walak communities in Minahasa were organized into 26 districts. At the end of the 19th century, the number of districts fell to 18, namely Bantik, Kakaskasen, Kakas-Remboken, Kawangkoan, Langowan, Manado, Maumbi, Pasan Ratahan-Pinosakan, Rumoong, Sonder, Tombariri, Tombasian, Tomohon-Sarongsong, Tompaso, Tondano-Touliang, Tondano-Toulimambot, Tonsawang, and Tonsea. Then in 1908, the number dropped to 16, where the Kakaskasen District was abolished and the Rumoong and Tombasian districts were combined. The number of districts were cut down to seven in 1920 with the remaining districts being Amurang, Kawangkoan, Manado, Ratahan, Tomohon, Tonsea, and Toulour. In 1927, Manado and Tomohon were combined so that only six districts remained: Amurang, Kawangkoan, Manado, Ratahan, Tonsea, and Toulour. Arrangements of these districts lasted until the arrival and occupation of Japan.[10]^: 127 Under these six districts, an administrative region called the onderdistrict (or subdistrict) was designated. There were 16 subdistricts at that time named Airmadidi, Amurang, Eris, Kakas, Kauditan, Kawangkoan, Langowan, South Manado, North Manado, Ratahan, Tatelu, Tenga, Tombariri, Tombatu, Tomohon, Tompaso, Tondano, and Tumpaan.[12]^: 156

For administrative region above the district level, the Minahasa region in the Manado Residency was part of the Manado Afdeeling, which was formed in 1911. This administrative region was further divided into three areas: Amurang, Manado, and Tondano. Before the formation of the Manado Afdeeling, there were five onderafdeeling covering the area of Minahasa, namely Amurang, Belang, Kema, Manado and Tondano. In 1926, these onderafdeeling were abolished.[10]^: 127

During the years of the Japanese occupation, the organization of administrative regions did not change much. In 1942, the number of districts increased by one where the Toulour District was divided into the districts of Langowan and Tondano. In the same year, the Manado District was divided into the districts of Manado and Tomohon.[10]^: 132 In 1943, the separation of the city of Manado from the other areas of Minahasa can be seen happening for the first time where the Minahasa region sans Manado were united and given the name Minahasa-ken.[10]^: 134

After Indonesian independence, the Minahasa region was included in the Province of Sulawesi and the residency based in Manado.[10]^: 153[13] Then for a short time, the region was included in the territory of the State of East Indonesia as one of its 13 administrative regions.[14] In 1953, Manado was designated as a municipality with the status of second level region (or Daerah Tingkat II) with the province designated as the first level region. Manado again became separated from the other Minahasa areas. Due to this separation, the capital of the Minahasa region was later changed from Manado to Tondano in 1959.[10]^{: 157–158}

In 1960, the Province of Sulawesi was divided into the provinces of North Sulawesi and South Sulawesi based on Indonesian Regulation No. 5/1960. The names of these two provinces were changed according to Indonesian Law No. 47/1960, where the Province of North Sulawesi became the Province of North-Central Sulawesi. The region of Minahasa as a second level region was included in this province. Then in 1964, the Province of North-Central Sulawesi was further divided into the provinces of North Sulawesi and Central Sulawesi based on Indonesian Law No. 13/1964. Minahasa as a second level region was included in the province of North Sulawesi. The use of the name of the kabupaten was given based on Indonesian Law No. 18/1965, in which the Daerah Tingkat II Minahasa became Kabupaten Minahasa. Then based on Indonesian Law No. 5/1974, the name was changed again to Daerah Tingkat II Kabupaten Minahasa.[10]^: 159 The list of districts under the regency at that time were Airmadidi, Belang, Bitung, Dimembe, Eris, Kakas, Kauditan, Kawangkoan, Kombi, Likupang, Modoinding, Motoling, Pineleng, Ratahan, Remboken, Sonder, Tareran, Tenga, Tombariri, Tombasian, Tombatu, Tomohon, Tompaso, Tompaso Baru, Tondano, Tumpaan, and Wori.[10]^{: 161–162}

In the following years, the regency underwent several changes with the formation of new administrative regions from within the territory of the regency itself. Based on Indonesian Regulation No. 4/1975, the Bitung Administrative Municipality was inaugurated as a separate administrative region from the Minahasa Regency. On 25 February 2003, the Minahasa Regency was divided into the Minahasa Regency, the South Minahasa Regency, and the Municipality of Tomohon based on Indonesian Law No. 10/2003. Then on 18 December 2003, the residual Minahasa Regency was further divided into the Minahasa Regency and the North Minahasa Regency based on Indonesian Law No. 33/2005.