Moluccan Culture ID

The Moluccan culture developed on the Maluku islands of eastern Indonesia — the fabled Spice Islands, the original home of cloves and nutmeg. This natural wealth made the islands a prize coveted across the world.

Maluku society was shaped by the spice trade, which drew merchants from across Asia and made the islands' sultanates, such as Ternate and Tidore, wealthy and influential powers in the eastern archipelago.

Islam took root among the island states through the trading networks, blending with strong local traditions, while the rivalry of the spice sultanates shaped the region's politics.

Tiny in size but vast in importance, the Moluccan culture sat at the centre of the global spice trade that shaped an age.