LANGUAGE SHIFT: NAMES OF GORONTALO CUISINE AND SPICES IN

THE CONSTRUCTION OF IDENTITY

Darmawati M. R.1, a) and Dessy Wahyuni1, b)

National Research and Innovation Agency
Research Center for Language, Literature, and Community
Sasana Widya Sarwono Building, Floor 8
Jalan Jenderal Gatot Subroto No.10, South Jakarta 12710
a) Corresponding author: darm012@brin.go.id; b)dess008@brin.go.id

ABSTRACT

As a province that was established on December 5th, 2000, Gorontalo is still very much
related to North Sulawesi as the parent province. Such is represented by the language used
in daily communication, as well as the name of dishes and spices in Gorontalo. The
association of Gorontalo to Manado is yet to be separable despite the presence of Tomini
Gulf as one of the channels of Indonesian spices route. Gorontalo is famous of its
commodities, e.g., maize, pepper, nutmeg, clove, vanilla, fennel, cinnamon, and coffee
beans. For example, the local corn soup Binthe biluhuta is often referred to as milu siram
due to the intensity of language contact between the two regions. In spite of that, the
difference of Gorontalo-Manado identity did not instigate any conflicts among the
community; rather, it sparks a further understanding of cultural diversity as well as
language acculturation. This acculturation is apparent from the names of cuisine and
religious celebrations which led to a language shift in the naming of Gorontalo spices and
cuisine. This paper identifies the language shift of the names of dishes and spices of
Gorontalo cuisine which adds to the richness of Indonesian culinary treasure; it also
attempts to elaborate the factors that cause the language shift. Employing a descriptive
qualitative method, the study involved interviews and literature study for the analysis. The
results of the study found that the names of Gorontalo dishes and spices are the
distinguishing characteristics of the names from those of Manado cuisine: bindhe biluhuta,
ilabulo, tabu moyitomo, binte biloti, pilitode putungo, bilenthango, tili aya, duduli, and
ayam iloni. The names of spices also vary between regions in Gorontalo due to the
difference of local languages and dialects (Gorontalo and Suwawa languages). The factors
causing the language shift are: industrialization, migration, concentration of settlements,
and social interaction.
Keywords: language shift, culinary, spices, Gorontalo

INTRODUCTION
The discourse of spices is much related to the discourse of human ambitions and
civilization. This is emphasized by Dalidjo, which in his book Rumah di Tanah Rempah states
that: Penjelajahan Memaknai Rasa dan Aroma Indonesia (Dalidjo 2020). The spice route is part
of inspiration and civilization. We all know how cloves and nutmeg in the Maluku islands
brought the momentum that pushed the Portuguese and Spanish to expand across half the
Earth, followed by the Dutch and the British. In this regard, Jack Turner once said that spices
are the catalyst of the invention and reformation of the world (Turner 2010). Turner adds that

International Forum on Spice Route 2022 | 41

(though he argued that such is a bit of an exaggeration) the Asian empires of Portugal,
England, and the Netherlands grew out of the search for cinnamon, cloves, pepper, and
nutmeg. Turner argues that the hunger for spices has poured out extraordinary and
incomparable energy, both at the birth of the modern world and for centuries, even thousands
of years before (Turner 2010). For the sake of spices, fates and fortunes were tried and then
eliminated, kingdoms are built and destroyed, and even new worlds are discovered. Over the
years, it was this appetite that made the planet goes around and—in the process—changed
civilization.
What Turner described is actually not an exaggeration. According to researchers, Turner's
description is the best description of how spices collectively record the history of colonialism
in the world. It was the spices that made the Indonesian archipelago popular and adored,
which in the end was visited by various human races from various parts of the world—which
of course also introduced their language.
Spices are the fame of the Indonesian archipelago to the entire world. This is also
emphasized by Rahman in his research which discusses the position of spices as an important
part of Indonesian history. This research examines the aspects of historical relations, trade
politics, culture, nature, and science behind the exploration and exploitation of spices in
Indonesia (Rahman 2019). Meanwhile, Nawiyanto argues that for centuries spices have
influenced the development of world history (Nawiyanto 2021). In addition to its usage as
food seasoning, spices are also often used as the ingredients of refreshing and immune
boosting drinks as well as other positive benefits. Pharmacological studies and clinical studies
have noted that spices are able to protect the body from the threat of disease. For example,
a study by Djati explores the use of spices as immunomodulators, antioxidants, analgesics,
antibacterial, as well as controlling agent of other physiological effects (Djati and Christina
2019). As one of the five largest spice producing countries in the world, Indonesia has great
opportunities and potential for innovation in spice products. In line with that, Indonesia also
has the ability and competitiveness in fighting for the share of the world spice market
(Anggrasari and Mulyo 2022).
In Gorontalo, the VOC trade company of Dutch colonial government established a factorij
(factory) that begun the trade contract between the Dutch government and Gorontalo. The
arrival of VOC in Gorontalo was due to the local workforce and the commodities (rice, cacao,
coconut, and gold) (Gorontalo Cultural Conservation Preservation Center, 2014). One of them
is an agreement containing 24 articles between Robertus Padtbrugge (Governor of Maluku)
and Bya (Olongia Gorontalo) on March 25, 1678. Article 15 states that VOC traders were
allowed to conduct slave trades. The treaty, which was renewed in 1679, required Olongia
Gorontalo to give up 150 slaves annually. The slave trade—besides gold—had brought huge
profits to the VOC in Gorontalo (Hasanuddin and Amin 2012).
Gorontalo is located in a very strategic geographical position because it is facing the Tomini
Gulf in the south, and the Sulawesi Sea in the north. These two marine routes have been
serving an international trade route since the 18th and 19th centuries. The bay, which
connects three provinces: North Sulawesi, Gorontalo, and Central Sulawesi, has contributed
to the economic development of the three regions (Karim 2018). This is supported by
Hasanuddin and Amin, who state that Gorontalo is a strategic area because it is located
between busy shipping lanes, i.e. the South China Sea and Tomini Bay, and is close to
Ternate—as the center of the spice trade—Manado and Makassar. Such a strategic position
makes Gorontalo the proper transit point of sail routes (Hasanuddin 2018).
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 © Google Map

FIGURE 1. Map of Gorontalo and Manado.

Spice trading activities did not only affect the economy, but also affected the emergence
of language contacts in Gorontalo. The VOC left not only historical buildings, but also
language, as was the case with the Portuguese occupation of Manado which began with a
religious mission. One of the most apparent traces of the contact to this day is the word milu
which comes from milho, the Portuguese word for ‘corn’. In Gorontalo, corn is better known
as milu than binde (Gorontalo language of 'maize'). In addition, there are the words fastiu
(French for ‘bored’) and ajus (Arabic for ‘mother’), and mar (Dutch for ‘but’). Traces of that
language also eventually influenced the naming of food names and spices in Gorontalo cuisine.
Gorontalo cuisine cannot be separated from North Sulawesi cuisine, especially when
viewed from the peculiarity of the use of rica or chili which is closely related to the eating
traditions of the Minahasa people (Dalidjo, 2020). This is not surprising considering that
Gorontalo was previously the territory of North Sulawesi (Gorontalo Regency and Gorontalo
City) before the separation of the two provinces. Gorontalo became a separate province on
December 5, 2000 with the enactment of Law No. 38 of 2000 concerning the Establishment of
the Province of Gorontalo (UU No.38, 2000). This is supported by Bay’s study. The separation
of Gorontalo from North Sulawesi is the cause of many aspects of the life of the Gorontalo
people which are still heavily influenced by the lifestyle and culture of the Manadonese
people(Bay 2009), including the use of the Manadonese-Malay language.
The separation broke the concentration of the population; the Gorontalo tribe inhabited
the area that became the new province. Nevertheless, the intervention of the Bohusami
language (Bolaang Mongondow, Sangir-Talaud, and Minahasa) and the Manado Malay dialect
remains strong in the daily social activities of the Gorontalo community. The word rica is
actually more popular and used more often than malita (Gorontalo for 'chili'). This is
somewhat contrary to one of the spirits of the formation of Gorontalo to strengthen the
identity of the Gorontalo people as asked by Nelson in Arham (2020). Why and how this
language shift occurs will be explored through this paper.
Notes on Gorontalo cuisine are recorded in a study by Napu et al., (2012) who examine
Gorontalo food in relation to changes in knowledge about this regional food in three

International Forum on Spice Route 2022 | 43

generations. This study aims to differentiate knowledge of Gorontalo Traditional Food in three
generations, i.e., students who receive local content and students who do not receive local
content, students' mothers, and students' grandmothers. The knowledge referred to in this
study concerns the name of food, types of food, ingredients, nutritional content, cooking
methods, and their use. The study revealed that the younger the age of respondents, the
lower their knowledge on Gorontalo traditional food. Another finding is noted in Niode and
Zahra (2021) who explore various Gorontalo cuisines in relation to the concept of climate-
friendly cuisine to address the environmental crisis (Niode and Khan 2021). Climate friendly
food is affordable food because it is grown close to private residences and in private gardens.
It was found that Gorontalo cuisine tends to be cheap and healthy because it only uses natural
food coloring and does not use preservatives.
The findings of Hatibie & Priyambodo (2019) reveal the historical value of traditional Tiliaya
food in the context of Gorontalo culture. According to Hippy, et al., tiliaya is a traditional food
from the people of Gorontalo whose basic ingredients are eggs, coconut milk, and brown
sugar. Tiliaya was the food choice for the first night of Sahur for the Gorontalo people in the
past (Hippy, Taha, and Sayuti 2019).
Hatibie and Priyambodo's research is based on the contribution of traditional food in
regional diversification and prevention of depopulation. Meanwhile research by Hippy, et al.
explore further the effect of using different types of eggs on Tiliaya's level of preference, with
indicators such as: texture, color, smell, taste and general preference. The findings of the
study concluded that the use of different types of eggs (chicken eggs, native chicken eggs,
duck eggs, and quail eggs) affected the organoleptic properties (related to the sensing of a
food product including taste, color, smell, and touch) and preference for Tiliaya.
Regarding traditional cuisine, Guerrero et al. has interesting research on perceptions of
European society in six regions (Guerrero et al. 2010). A total of 721 participants were
interviewed one by one and were to mention the first words that appear in their mind when
the word ‘traditional’ is uttered. The frequency of occurrence of associations was obtained
and analyzed by simple correspondence analysis. The different word associations obtained
were classified in 55 classes and then grouped into ten main dimensions by triangulation.
Guerrero's research found that in general, southern European people tend to associate the
concept of "traditional" more often with broad concepts such as heritage, culture or history.
The Central Europeans and Nordic people tend to focus primarily on practical issues such as
comfort, health or feasibility. As a final result of the analysis, a consensus conceptual map of
traditional food products was obtained, and the empirical findings of the qualitative
exploratory free word association test provided valuable insights for product positioning,
innovation, and new developments in the traditional food market.
In relation to identity, Burt's research provides an elaboration of the relationship between
food, place of growing up, and identity (Burt 2022). Food choices provide a layered picture of
identity, involving both the social and physical environment. Further, according to Burt, food
preferences are influenced by the food that is grown and sold in the area where you live, what
parents serve to babies and young children, and the foods that family and friends eat when
socializing.

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 Burt divide’s identity dimensions into three, as depicted in the following figure.

© Burt (2022)
FIGURE 2. Dimensions of Personal Identity

The three dimensions of identity consist of dimensions A, B, and C. Dimension A includes

identities that are carried from birth: age, gender identity, sexual orientation, race, culture,
language, and social class. According to Burt (2022), the characteristics that exist in dimension
A are the basis that will develop assumptions and biases that will lead to various stereotypes
and presuppositions in society. Further, dimension B is a personal attribute that is not always
visible, i.e., geographical location, educational background, marital status, family,
employment status, hobbies, military experience, and religion. Meanwhile, dimension C
includes the historical, political, and cultural contexts that shape a person and his society.
Burt's opinion about food that forms identity is supported by Ferrara's thesis which explains
well how food becomes a symbol of cultural identity for North African and Italian immigrants
(Ferrara 2011). According to Ferrara (2011), food is also related to human origins. It's the same
as religion and language, that what is usually eaten as a child becomes their benchmark for
deciding what things are good or bad.
In relation to migration, Terragni's research reveals the effect of migration on eating habits.
The study explored the early phase of dietary acculturation after migration in South Asian,
African and Middle Eastern women living in Norway. They were interviewed about their early
experiences with food in a new context. The findings of Terragni et al. shows a sudden change
in food habits in the first period after migration (Terragni et al. 2014). In another study,
Terragni explained that when people or a community move, they not only bring their food,
but also their representations and ideals regarding “good” food to eat. Memories of food from
home, ideals of good food and food available in new places/countries shape their food-related
experiences (Terragni and Roos 2018).
Migration can be caused by crisis situations, such as food scarcity, drought, climate turmoil,
civil war, and economic opportunity (Maharatna 2014). In the case of Gorontalo-Manado,
economic opportunities and regional separation are the causes of migration. This migration
then brings with it the identity, diversity of food, and language of the immigrants.

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 Rob Drummond and Erik Schleef document changing views of identity in three waves of
varitionist sociolinguistics (a methodological approach to understanding the relationship
between language and the context in which it is used) from the initial correlation of language
variation with broad categories of demographic identity, such as gender and social class, to
the notion of wide variation in language. reflects one's identity in local social networks, so that
the notion of language variations, such as style, becomes a source for identity work in the
spoken interactions of speakers (Drummond and Schleef 2016).
In studying the relationship between language and society, there are three main areas that
are commonly classified in sociolinguistics, i.e., the sociology of language, the study of
language on its use, and the structure of language and its development (Oetomo 1987). The
sociology of language examines the interaction of two aspects of human behavior, i.e., the use
of language and the organization of language by society. Meanwhile, the study of language on
its use is associated with the socio-cultural context. The structure of language and its
development is seen in the social context of the language community. This means that
sociolinguistics views language as a social system and a communication system that is part of
culture. This is in accordance with statement by (Taha 1985), that sociolinguistics places the
position of language in relation to its users and uses in society. Therefore, according to Taha,
language use is not only determined by linguistic factors, but also social factors such as social
status, socioeconomic position, age, sex, education level, occupation or position, as well as a
person's membership in a particular social network (Taha, 1985).
Sociolinguistics also focuses on how a language survives or shifts. Language shift and
maintenance, both in minority groups and in immigrant groups, is closely related to language
loyalty, concentration of residential areas, and the continued use of the language in daily
traditional spheres (Lukman 2012). The loyalty to something is rooted in the origin of each
person. Language loyalty, according to Fishman, can be seen in behaviors such as enrolling
children in schools that use the language of the speaker, who also uses that language as the
language of instruction; promote for the official recognition of the language; and participate
in correcting errors in the form of the language when used by others (Fishman 1972).
Lukman (2012) continues that language maintenance is more of an urban problem than a
rural one, because cities form a network of industrialization, economy, urbanization, and
other factors that encourage the dominance of a language, which at the same time also has a
high economic value. This causes many people to think pragmatically: it is better to master
one language than to master two, especially for languages that are not popular or dominant.
Dorian (1978) confirms this opinion: language loyalty can be maintained if social and economic
conditions support it; however, if a language proves to have more value than another, a
language shift will occur (Dorian 1978).
Garvin and Mathiot suggest three characteristics of language attitudes, namely: (1)
language loyalty which encourages people of a language to defend their language, and if
necessary prevent the influence of other languages; (2) language pride, which encourages
people to develop their language and use it as a symbol of identity; and (3) awareness of the
existence of language norms, which encourage people to use their language carefully and
politely, and is a very significant factor in influencing the act of using language (Garvin and
Madeleine 1972).
Related to the shift in the Gorontalo language, Darise et al. has conducted research on the
Gorontalo language shift in the Gorontalo community in Singkil District, Manado, North

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Sulawesi Province. It aims to identify and describe language variations, patterns of language
use, Gorontalo language shift and the factors that influence Gorontalo language shift in the
social sphere. The findings of the study indicate that: (1) there are two variations of the
language used by the Gorontalo people, namely the language variation seen from the
speaker's point of view (vulgar and basilek) and the language variation seen in terms of
formality (intimate variety and casual variety); (2) the dominant usage patterns used by the
Gorontalo people are: BMM+BI (Malay-Manado + Indonesian), BMM+BG (Malay-Manado +
Gorontalo language), BG+BI+BMM (Gorontalo + Indonesian + Malay-Manado), BMM+BI+BS
(Malay-Manado + Indonesian + English); (3) The shift in the Gorontalo language did not occur
entirely in the communication of the Gorontalo community; and (4) factors influencing
language shift in the region were situation, education, economy, and immigration (Darise,
Malabar, and Salam 2022).
Compared to the study by Darise et al., this study discusses the shift of Gorontalo language
with focus on the name of spices and traditional cuisine.

OBJECTIVES
This paper attempts to explore the identity of Gorontalo in naming culinary delights in
Gorontalo and the names of the spices used, in particular about how the Gorontalo language
has shifted in terms of culinary naming and spices, and what are the factors that lead to a shift
in the Gorontalo language in naming the traditional cuisine and the spices.

METHODS
The study employed a descriptive method with qualitative design. The data were obtained
by in-depth interview with three respondents (two from Gorontalo and one from Manado)
with the aid of interview guidelines, as well as literature study. The respondents were each
asked about the names of culinary and spices in the Gorontalo and Manado languages, as well
as what distinguishes the culinary and spices from the two regions. The data that has been
collected is analyzed based on the sociolinguistic approach, especially with regard to the
spread of language which focuses on language shift and contact.

FINDINGS
Based on the interview results with the respondents, a list of names of traditional cuisines
and spices in Gorontalo language was composed with the features that differentiate those
from Manado-North Sulawesi cuisine. During the interview, they were also asked about the
main ingredients needed to process each dish and the cooking process. To support the results
of the interviews, the authors also examine various references related to the topic of this
paper.
Traditional cuisines in Gorontalo are named based on the cooking method of the dish.

Boiling
In Gorontalo culinary, the technique of boiling fish or other proteins is named differently
with that of boiling carbohydrate foods. The technique of boiling fish, prawn, and meat is
named ilahe, while boiling banana, corn, or taro is named bilanggahe.

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Grilling
As with the process of boiling, the naming of dish that involves grilling is different between
protein and carbohydrate dishes. The technique of grilling protein dishes, such as meat and
fish, is called ilalango, while that of grilling banana, corn, or taro is called tilenehu.

Frying
In terms of frying technique, there is no difference in the naming of the dish in reference
to either protein or carbohydrate dishes. All fried dishes are called tilinanga. For example, a
fried banana is called lambi tilinanga, and a fried fish is called tola tilinanga. One exception is
for fried flour-coated banana, it is called sanggala.

Wrapping
The technique of steaming wrapped dishes is called ilepa’o. From the results of the
interview, it was also found that Gorontalo cuisine is different from North Sulawesi cuisine in
general. Gorontalo has a soupy dish that uses coconut milk called pilitode, a type of dish that
is not found in North Sulawesi dishes. From the use of spices, Gorontalo cuisine characterizes
a simple food with notes of fresh aroma and sweet taste because it uses leaf spices (basil
leaves, turmeric leaves, lime leaves, pandan leaves), while North Sulawesi dishes have a
sharper and bolder aroma because they use cumin and coriander.
Spicy traditional dishes in Gorontalo feature pilitode ihu (yellow eggplant soup with
coconut milk) and iloni cakalang. Iloni is a dish that involves the use of candlenut. This type of
dish usually involves cakalang (skipjack tuna) and chicken as the protein. Iloni refers to the
use of certain spices in the dish. Iloni in Gorontalo is quite comparable to bumbu RW in
Manado.

© Sajian Sedap (n.d) © Kristin Kandow (n.d)

(a) (b)
FIGURE 3. Ayam iloni of Gorontalo (a) and ayam bumbu RW of Manado (b)

These two dishes represent each region’s distinct specialty. Bumbu RW dishes initially
involved pork and dog meat; later on, the dish was adapted to adjust the preference of the
community, by substituting pork and dog with chicken, duck, tuna, squid, and goat. The
following table shows the general difference of spices between the two dishes.

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TABLE 1. Comparison of spices in recipes of Iloni and bumbu RW-style chicken dish
No Iloni RW
1 kg free-range chicken/broiler 1 chicken, cut into 8 parts
chicken/ duck
2 limes 1 lime, extract the juice
3 stalks lemongrass, crushed 1 teaspoon salt
10 spring onions, finely sliced 2 pandan leaves, tied
2 bunches of Thai basil leaves 1 stalk lemongrass, crushed
5 pandan leaves 2 bay leaves
2 turmeric leaves 5 chilies
10 lime leaves 1/2 teaspoon salt
20 red chilies 1/4 teaspoon sugar
salt, to preference 2 tablespoons of oil for sauté
1 small nutmeg 5 candlenuts, toasted
5 garlic 3 cm turmeric, torched/grilled
2 turmeric segments 7 shallots
100 gr red chili, or to preference 3 cloves of garlic
10 shallots 3 cm ginger
1 piece of ginger 4 red chilies
5 candlenuts, toasted
2 pieces of galangal
sugar, to preference

The previous table highlights the difference of spices used in the Iloni-style chicken dish in
Gorontalo and RW-style dish in Manado. Iloni dish uses more spices, such as turmeric leaves,
lime leaves, nutmeg, and galangal. One thing that distinguishes the recipe in the table is the
use of bay leaves in the bumbu RW-style dish (Kandow, n.d.).
Regarding the use of spices, the dish in Gorontalo that uses the most spices is tabu moitomo
(black soup). The soup in the dish is black due to the use of roasted coconuts with 30 spices
and seasonings: star anise, ginger, turmeric, lemongrass, pepper, candlenut, galangal,
coriander, nutmeg, cumin, fennel, cinnamon, pandan leaf, cumin leaf, bay leaf, lime leaf,
turmeric leaf, onion, garlic, and cardamom. The dish is also known as kuah bugis and is said to
be influenced by Bugis, Arab, and Ternate cuisine.
A study by Napu et al identifies 80 types of dishes in Gorontalo and divides them into four
categories as elaborated in Table 2.

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TABLE 2. Names of Gorontalo dishes based on type (Napu et al. 2012)

No. Types of Food/ Dishes Name of Food/ Dish

1. Carbohydrate dishes bajoe dila lo binthe
balobinte diniyohu
bilinti ilabulo
binthe biloti ilepao lo payangga
binthe lo putungo kasubi ilahe
binthe Luopa nasi kuning
binthe biluhuta nasi merah putih
2 Side dishes bilenthango iyululiya
biluluhe lo hele tabu moitomo
dabu-dabu lo sagela palau
gamie lo hele perekedede lo kasubi
gamie lo bolowa perekedede lo binthe
gamie lo payangga perkedede lo duwo
garo pilitode
ilahe sup lohulonthalo
iloni garo lo bobowa
ilotingo lo putungo tilumiti lo tola
3 Vegetable dishes gohu lo putungo pilitode lo poki-poki
ihu tilinaga tilumithi dungo popaya
ilahu tilumiti lo paku
ilabulo lo putungo tilumiti lo kacang panjang
kando tumiti pilitode lo paku
4 Snacks or cakes aliyadala kukisi karawo
apam bale kukisi roda
apangi kuu
dumalo lalamba
bajoe minyolo
balapisi lo lambi omu
bilibidu onde-onde
biyapo popolulu
cara isi pusu lo kasubi

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 No. Types of Food/ Dishes Name of Food/ Dish
curuti sabongi
diledeo sanggala
hungololoyo srikaya
kalakala sukade
katrisolo tiliaya
keyabo Tutulu (cucur)
kokole Wapili (wafel)
kolombengi

Gorontalo cuisine is identical to the consumption of corn as one of the main sources of
carbohydrates. It is not surprising because this area is one of the corn producing areas in
Indonesia. Some of the corn-based dishes in Gorontalo are binthe biluhuta (corn soup that is
designated as an Intangible Cultural Heritage by the Ministry of Education and Culture), binthe
biloti, ba’a lo binthe, bubur sada, tabu moitomo, bilubola, and alopa.

© Red Doors-Widiya (n.d)

Figure 4. Binthe biluhuta (clear corn soup)

Regarding binthe biluhuta and tabu moitomo, these two dishes has undergone a shift in
the naming. Binthe biluhuta, that translates to corn soup poured onto other toppings
(shredded fish, eggplant, shredded coconut, Thai basil, and leek), is more known as milu siram
(lit. poured corn). Meanwhile, tabu moitomo is more known today as kuah bugis.

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 © Tastemade-Widiya (n.d)
Figure 5. Tabu Moitomo

In terms of sauce, Gorontalo has a different sauce from Manadonese cuisine. Gorontalo is
famous for its sambal sagela, a sambal that uses smoke-dried halfbeaks. In Manado, it is
comparable to sambal roa. Both types of sauces or sambals use smoke-dried halfbeak fish.

© Cookpad.com (Sukma, n.d.)

Figure 6. Sambal Sagela

Sambal sagela is mostly consumed as a condiment or dipping sauce for fried rice, rice
porridge, and fried goroho banana. Goroho is a plantain-like banana that is native to
Gorontalo and North Sulawesi.

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 © Celebes.co (Muththalin, n.d.)

Figure 7. Porridge with sambal sagela

Fish-based dishes are one of the specialties of Gorontalo cuisine. As an area close to the
coast, Gorontalo is rich in sources of marine protein such as fish, shrimp, and nike (the
endemic fish of Gorontalo, also called duwo) and lake fish such as tilapia and payangga. Dishes
like bilenthango and nike fritters are commonly consumed by Gorontalo people.

© phinemo.com (Sulistiarmi, n.d.)

Figure 8. Bilenthango

Spices are commonly used in the foods for traditional rituals such as prayer recitals in
Gorontalo. The use of spices is also typical when welcoming Ramadan. The people of
Gorontalo have a tradition of soaking their clothes in spices called langgilo, and bacoho ritual,
or washing their hair with a shampoo made from spices called bongoyiladu.
The comparison of names of spices between Gorontalo language and Manado language is
elaborated in Table 2.

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TABLE 2. Comparison of names of spices between Gorontalo language and Manado language
Gorontalo
No Name of Spice Manado language Indonesian language
language
1 Turmeric Alawahu Kuning Kunyit
2 Ginger Meelito Goraka Jahe
3 Chilli Malita Rica Cabai Rawit
4 Clove Cingke Cingke Cengkeh
5 Basil Balakama Kamangi Kemangi
6 Garlic Pia Bawang Puti Bawang Putih
7 Red Onion Piala Tua Bawang Mera Bawang Merah

8 Lemongrass Baramakusu Garmakusu Sereh

9 Galanga Linggoto Lingkuas Lengkuas
10 Nutmeg Pala Pala Pala
11 Copra Kopra Kopra Kopra
12 Coriander Katumbali Katumbar Ketumbar
13 Candlenut Kamiri Kamiri Kemiri
14 Pepper Rica Jawa Marica Merica
15 Coffee Kopi Kopi Kopi

As highlighted in Table 2, there are three spices with similar names in Gorontalo language
and Manado language, i.e., coffee, copra, and nutmeg.
The table accentuates a shift of language in the names of spices. The word pepper, the first
spice that was traded to Europe through Persia and Arab (Wahid 2000), for example, in
Gorontalo language is called rica jawa, while in Manado it is called marica. If Manado cuisine
is identical to the spicy taste that comes from chili, Gorontalo cuisine is spicier with a
distinctive taste of pepper.
In addition to pepper, there are some spices whose names are very different between the
two languages, i.e., meelito and goraka for ginger. Ginger is quite commonly used in Gorontalo
cuisine, particularly in one of Gorontalo's specialty drinks saraba, similar to sarabba in South
Sulawesi and wedang jahe in Java.
Gorontalo dishes tend to use raw turmeric stems, not turmeric powder as in fish dishes in
the South Sulawesi area. Raw turmeric is used in woku, a type of fish dish from North Sulawesi
with distinctive spices (garlic, cayenne pepper, red tomatoes, green tomatoes, candlenut,
pepper, turmeric, ginger, galangal, lemongrass, basil leaves, turmeric leaves, lime leaves,
pandan leaves, and lime). Woku from Gorontalo is fresher due to the addition of starfruit.
There are several foods that are popular in both regions, namely yellow rice and kidney
beans shaved ice. The origin of this culinary cannot be identified. Both can only be
distinguished by the toppings used and the processing of the ingredients. Kidney beans are
cooked as soup in Manado; in Gorontalo, kidney beans are used as a topping for shaved ice.
Manado yellow rice is very distinctive with toppings such as meat, thinly sliced and fried sweet
potatoes, fried vermicelli, and skipjack tuna, while Gorontalo yellow rice only has shredded
skipjack fish and blanched vermicelli as the toppings. The difference is illustrated in Figure 9.

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 © pinterest (@anggiegie, n.d.) © sajiansedap

(a) (b)
Figure 9. Gorontalo yellow rice (a) and Manado yellow rice (b)

The almost similar naming of spices in these two regions indicates the influence of language
contact. Mobility and population movement when Gorontalo was established as a separate
province were the causes; for example, similar names of spices such as baramakusu
(Gorontalo) and garmakusu (Manado) for lemongrass, and katumbali (Gorontalo) and
katumbar (Manado). In addition, many Manado residents work in Gorontalo, and vice versa.
As one of the big cities in Indonesia, Manado has long been an industrial city that attracts
Gorontalo residents to work and improve their welfare. Many Gorontalo residents work as
shop clerks and restaurant employees in Manado.
The differences in the naming of spices and dishes so far have not caused mutual claims
and divisions. The difference is accepted as the effect of acculturation of the two regions and
it is not disputed which cuisine belongs to whom. Both of them live side by side in harmony,
although the intervention of Manado-Malay language, as shown in the study by Darise et
al.(2022), is quite strong in the daily interactions of the Gorontalo people. The Gorontalo
language will only be used at Gorontalo family events and traditional and religious
ceremonies, while in everyday life, Manado Malay is mostly used. This situation is in
accordance with what Lukman (2012) stated, that the industrialization network, economy,
urbanization, and other factors encourage the dominance of a language. In line with that,
according to Dorian (1978), language loyalty can be maintained with the support of socio-
economic condition. Manado-Malay language in Gorontalo, for example, is used as a sign of
intimacy between the speakers (Bay 2009).
At the end of the day, the names of Gorontalo cuisine and spices are different from Manado
cuisine and spices, both in terms of cooking methods, processing, and the use of spices in
cooking. The factors that cause language shifts, especially the names of culinary and spices for
Gorontalo cuisine, are industrialization, migration, concentration of settlements, and social
interactions.

International Forum on Spice Route 2022 | 55

CONCLUSION
The names of spices and dishes found in Gorontalo are portraits of identities that highlight
the differences from North Sulawesi dishes. Although the influence of North Sulawesi cannot
be separated since Gorontalo Province was established in 2000 (especially in the intervention
of the Malay-Manado language in Gorontalo society), the distinct spices and unique Gorontalo
cuisine are able to enrich the culinary treasures of Indonesia. In its development, Gorontalo
cuisine features a distinctive aroma that is aromatic, spicy-sweet (due to the addition of
cinnamon) and fresh (the use of leaf spices and starfruit). This is different from Minahasa and
North Sulawesi dishes in general, which use bold spices (cumin and coriander). Gorontalo
cuisine also uses coconut milk, which is not found in Minahasan cuisine. In addition, the spices
in Gorontalo also highlight a historical record of foreign occupation of this region in the past.

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