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Historical Personalities

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	Dr. Sam Ratulangi Sam Ratulangi is considered to be the most well-known Minahasan hero. The airport, the largest university and a main street in Manado are named after him. He was born in Tondano on November 5, 1890. Starting his education in Tondano, he would eventually study abroad, and receive a doctorate degree from a school in Switzerland. Sam Ratulangi devoted his life to advance the quality life of Indonesians during Dutch rule. He was part of the committee to prepare for the independence of Indonesia, and after the independence he was given the position of the governor of Sulawesi. Sam Ratulangi died on June 30, 1949, and was buried in Tondano. A memorial was built in the outskirts of Tondano for him. This memorial overlooks the site of the Institute of Teacher Education in Tondano. Sam Ratulangi Memorial in Tondano		The following is a translation of a page at the National Information Center of the Information Department of the Republic of Indonesia web site about Sam Ratulangi: Gerungan Saul Samuel Yacob Ratulangi, who is more popularly known as Sam Ratulangi, was born on November 5, 1890 in Tondano, North Sulawesi. After finishing Hoofden School (king's school) in Tondano, he continued his studies at a Technical School (KWS) in Jakarta. In 1915, he received a diploma as a teacher of science in middle school from Holland, and four years later he received a doctor of science degree from a school in Switzerland. In Holland he was head of Indonesian Association, and in Switzerland he was head of an organization of Asian students. After returning from Europe, Sam Ratulangi taught science at AMS (high school level school) in Yogyakarta, and eventually moved to Bandung to start the Indonesian Insurance Firm. For three years, from 1924 to 1927, he was appointed as secretary of Council of Minahasan Students. He used position for the welfare of the people by starting new areas for agricultural use, starting a foundation for educational funds, etc. Because of his fierce effort, the government of Holland abolished forced labor in Minahasa. As a member of Volksraad in 1927, Ratulangi demanded that the goverment of Holland abolish differences of treatment in the political, economic, and educational fields between the Dutch and Indonesians. In 1932, he took part in the estalblishment of Vereniging van Indonesische Academici (The United Scholars of Indonesia). This organization was aimed to bring together the scholars of Indonesia to bring about a feeling of nationalism among the people of Indonesia. In early August of 1945, Ratulangi was appointed as a member the Preparatory Committee on Indonesian Independence. After the Republic of Indonesia was established, he was appointed to the position of govenor of Sulawesi. He was arrested by the Dutch and exiled to Serui, Irian Jaya, after the United Nations struggled to keep Sulawesi as part the Republic of Indonesia. On June 30, 1949, Sam Ratulangi died in Jakarta as a enemy prisoner. His body was buried back in Tondano.

	Maria Walanda Maramis Maria Yosephine Catharina Maramis was born in Kema, a small port city in North Sualwesi, on December 1, 1872. Her ambitions were to promote the women rights, so they can take of the family and educate their children. Maria became an orphan when she was six years old. Since then, with her two siblings, she was raised by her uncle and aunt Ezam Rotinsulu in Airmadidi. Maria's education only reached elementary school in that town. At that time, Minahasan girls were not permitted to be educated more than elementary level education. They only stayed at home and helped their parents until it was time to get married. Maria's uncle was esteemed person and very well known. The introduction and relationship between Maria and Reverend Ten Hoeven, whom she met through her uncle, expanded Maria's knowledge. Since then, Maria aspired to advance the women of Minahasa. This aspiration was further cultivated when she married an HIS Manado teacher in 1890. With the help of her husband, Yoseph Frederik Calusung Walanda, and several other scholars, Maria started an organization in July of 1917. This organization was named Percintaan Ibu Kepada Anak Turunannya - PIKAT (The Love of a Mother toward her Children). The purpose of this organization was to teach women with elementary school level education family matters, like cooking, sewing, taking care of babies, hand crafting, and others. Maria thought that women were the pole of the household, and they will be instrumental in the shaping of the future of their children. The PIKAT organization was accepted by society and in a short period of time, branches of the organization was established in Sangir Talaud, Gorontalo, Poso, Ujung Pandang, Bogor, Malang, Surabaya, Bandung, Cimahi, and Magelang. There were also branches in Kalimantan, in Balikpapan, Sangusangu and Kotaraja. The primary obstacle was in monetary funds, but because of Maria's fierce struggle, even that difficulty was overcome. In 1920, the Dutch Governor General gave a donation to the organization. Nationalism was planted in the souls of the students. They were encouraged to always where the traditional clothing of their region. Maria Walanda Maramis died in 1924, and she was buried in Maumbi, North Sulawesi.

Pierre Andreas Tendean Captain Pierre Tendean was born in Jakarta on February 21, 1939. His father was Dr. A.L. Tendean, a native of Minahasa. His mother was Cornel M.E. He was the youngest of three children. Tendean started school in Magelang, Central Java, and continued his education to middle school, and then to high school in Semarang, also in Central Java. After completing high school, his parents wanted him to continue the family tradition and go to medical school like his father. However, Tendean had other plans: to go to the National Military Academy. In November 1958, Tendean was accepted into the Technial Division of the Military Academy. He completed his education in 1962 and was appointed Second Lieutenant. Tendean's first assignment after completing his military education was Platoon Commander in the Corps of Military Engineers Batalion 2/DAM II in Medan, Sumatra. During the confrontation with Malaysia in 1963, Tendean was called into military intelligence. After following intelligence education, he was assigned to infiltrate into Malaysia as part of the Central Service of Army Intelligence. On April 15, 1965, Tendean was appointed First Lieutenant and became the Adjutant for General A. H. Nasution, who at that time was Coordinating Minister of Defense. On the night of September 30, 1965, Tendean heard shots fired in the house of General Nasution, he rushed to the front of the house and was abducted by men in uniform. When asked who he was, he said, "I am the Adjutant for General Nasution." The kidnappers must not have heard the first part of his statement, and thought he was General Nasution. He was taken to Lubang Buaya, where he was shot and killed with other army generals during the alleged communist coup of 1965. Pierre Andreas Tendean was named a Hero of the Revolution, and he was appointed posthumously as Captain. Source: Minahasa.Net

Robert Wolter Monginsidi Robert Wolter Mongisidi was born in Malalayang on Febuary 14, 1925. Because of his interests in becoming a teacher, he attended SPG (School of Teacher's Education) during the Japanese occupation of Indonesia in World War II. After the surrender of Japan, Dutch occupation returned through NICA. Wolter Monginsidi, became one of the resistance leaders in Makasar in south Sulawesi. He led the youth of Makasar on attacks against NICA. On July 17, 1946, Monginsidi formed LAPRIS (The Indonesian People's Army of Sulawesi), which continued attacks against NICA. The Dutch tried to bribe Monginsidi with money and position to end the resistance, but he never accepted. Robert Wolter Monginsidi was finally captured and sentenced to death on September 5, 1949. He was buried in the Makasar Hero's Cemetery. His last message was "Setia Sampai Akhir Hayat", meaning "Loyal until the end". Arie Frederik Lasut Arie Frederik Lasut was born in Tondano on July 6, 1918. His journey in life brought him to Ambon to attend Teacher's School. Later his studies continued in Bandung. Arie moved to Jakarta and attended AMS. After graduating from AMS, Arie started medical school in 1937. However, because of his lack of sufficient funds, he was forced to drop out after just one year of studying. In 1939, while working at the Department of Economic Affairs, Arie was given a scholarship from the Mining Service to attend the Bandung Technical School. This study had to also be discontinued when Japan occupied Indonesia in 1942. During the Japanese occupation, Arie worked at the Geological Service in Bandung as asistant in the field of Geology. After Japan surrendered, the position of the Head of the Mining and Geology Service was trusted to Arie. Arie Lasut was also active in organizations such as Kebaktian Rakyat Indonesia Sulawesi Selatan (KRISS) and Komite Nasional Indonesia Pusat (KNIP). The Dutch sought after Arie because of his knowledge of mining information in Indonesia, but he refused to cooperate with the Dutch. On May 7, 1949, Arie was taken from his home by the Dutch Military Police and shot to death in Pakem. He was buried in Yogyakarta. To honor his firm stance to preserve the republic, Arie Frederik Lasut was given the title of a Hero of the Defense of the Independence by the President of the Republic of Indonesia on May 20, 1969.

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