The Tukang Besi Islands are located in the northeastern part of the Flores Sea, southeast of the island of Buton. There are five main inhabited islands — Wanci, Kambode, Kaledupa, Tomia and Binongko — and a number of smaller, mostly uninhabited, islands. The islands previously formed part of the realm of the Sultanate of Buton, but since 1964 they have been part of the province of Southeast Sulawesi (Sulawesi Tenggara). The capital of the province is the sprawling town of Kendari, located on the shores of Kendari Bay. Until recently, the Tukang Besi Islands were part of the Regency of Buton, with its administrative centre at Baubau, and the region was divided into four sub-districts (kecamatan): Wangi Wangi, Kaledupa, Tomia and Binongko (Map 2-2).

The chain of islands is adjacent to one of the largest and most biologically diverse coral reef systems in Indonesia (Tomascik et al. 1997: 754). In July 1996 the Tukang Besi Archipelago was declared a Marine National Park by the Directorate General of Forest Protection and Nature. The Wakatobi Marine National Park ^[1] includes all the reefs and islands in the archipelago and covers 1.39 million hectares (13 900 km²), which make it the second largest designated marine protected area in Indonesia (Stanzel and Newman 1997).

The Tukang Besi people are well known throughout Indonesia and beyond as ‘daring seafarers, shipbuilders and maritime traders’ (Evers 1991: 147). The maritime economy in the Tukang Besi Islands developed because these relatively infertile islands can only support a limited amount of small-scale agriculture, mainly during the period of the west monsoon. During the dry or east monsoon season the economy focuses on maritime activities, including collecting, fishing and trading. The trading routes can range as far as Singapore, Malaysia, Java and West Papua, and the trade involves a range of cargoes including timber, salt, tubers, second-hand clothes, copra and spices. These are mostly derived from other parts of Indonesia, particularly from Maluku and Java.

The major foods grown on the islands include cassava, sweet potato, corn, cocoa, cashews, peanuts, vegetables, coconuts and fruit. Rice and other seasonal foods are imported to the islands from other parts of Southeast Sulawesi. Fish is a staple part of the local diet and economy. The Tukang Besi Islanders engage in local fishing activities for both consumption and sale.

A 1994 government census counted a total population of 73 251 in the Tukang Besi Islands. The kecamatan of Wangi Wangi had the largest population with 34 081 inhabitants (see Table 2-1). It incorporates Wanci and Kambode islands (see Map 2-2), and smaller uninhabited islands on the east and south sides of Wanci Island. ^[2] There are 16 villages (desa) within the kecamatan. Kambode Island has three communities: two desa, Kapota and Kabita, and the dusun (hamlet) of Kolo, with a total population of about 3000. The largest number of people is concentrated on the western and central part of Wanci Island.

Table 2.1: Population of the Tukang Besi Islands, 1994.

Sources: Kabupaten Buton 1994a: 8; 1994b: 1; 1994c: 1; 1994d: 17.

The main town of Wanci is located in the metropolitan Wanse-Pongo area. Government departments and services, junior and senior high schools, and a losmen (guest house) are all located in Pongo. The main market was in Pongo, but a few years ago was shifted to the village of Mandati I, which is the closest land village to Mola Utara. ^[3] Wanci can be reached by a number of routes, all involving long and arduous journeys. From Baubau, the capital of Buton, buses travel to the village of Lasalimu on the eastern coast of Buton, which is usually a three-hour trip. From here a Wanci-based ferry, and more recently a passenger speedboat, travel daily between the islands, which is usually a two- to three-hour trip. Ferries also make a 16-hour trip directly from Kendari to Wanci, usually once or twice a week.

The old capital of the vassal state of Kaledupa was Buranga, but now Ambeua is the official capital of the kecamatan which includes Kaledupa Island, the nearby island of Hoga, and the two uninhabited islands of Lintea and Tiwolu. There are ten desa on Kaledupa. Daily transport operates between Wanse and Ambeua in a small motor boat — a trip that takes 2–3 hours. The island of Hoga was formerly uninhabited because of the lack of fresh water supply, but in 1992 the local government constructed a traditional style Butonese house on the island to attract international tourists. This venture was unsuccessful, but in 1995 the building was taken over by Operation Wallacea, a non-governmental organisation that invited fee-paying volunteers or students to join its two- to six-week coral reef survey expeditions (Stanzel and Newman 1997). This organisation has also been working with the Indonesian government to design and implement a management plan for the Marine Park using the data it has been collecting. ^[4]

The kecamatan of Tomia includes the islands of Tomia, Tolandono, Lintea and Sawah. The capital of Tomia is Waha and there are eight villages on the island as well as a small community on Tolandono. In 1996, the Wakatobi Dive Resort was established by foreigners on Tolandono Island (also called Onemobaa), which is located southwest of the main island of Tomia (Map 2-2). In early 2001, the resort opened a 1506 m airstrip on Tomia to bring tourists by air direct from Bali.

The island (and kecamatan) of Binongko is much drier and more desolate than the other islands (Burningham 1996). Aside from maritime trade, the Binongko people engage in metalworking, particularly the manufacture of parang blades (similar to machetes) which are regarded as some of the finest in the Sulawesi region. ‘Tukang Besi’ is actually the Malay term for a metalworker or blacksmith.