In February 1858, the Alfred Russel Wallace was lying in his bedroom, got a fever, probably due to malaria. From his room in a house in Ternate, North Maluku, which mentions the market and not far from the fort, he wrote a letter to Charles Darwin. At that time, Darwin was far in the Galapagos Islands.
"Letter from Ternate" is then a significant milestone for Darwin to publish his book, Origin of Species, in 1859. This book contains a natural selection process that trigger the evolution. From here, Darwin is known as the Father of Evolution.
The letter was sent by Wallace to give an answer to Darwin on the phenomenon of biological diversity: the fittest would survive (inferior individuals will die and superior individuals will survive).
The letter titled "On the Tendency of Varieties to Depart Indefinitely from the Original Type" that opens the dialectic of who is worthy of the title as the inventor of the theory of evolution. Is the first Wallace or Darwin? Did not Darwin published his theory of the new year after Wallace's letter?
Later, Wallace admitted knowledge of the world is the inventor of the theory of evolution with Darwin. Previously, only Darwin who enjoyed popularity as the founder of the theory of evolution.
Ternate, which was home to Wallace for four years in the many years of wanderings in the archipelago, became very popular. Ternate, cloves and nutmeg are no longer alone, but also where Wallace wrote a brilliant idea. "Letter from Ternate" is a journey worth treasure of modern knowledge.
While in Ternate, Wallace also gave birth to great works, among them found different characteristics of flora and fauna on the Earth's plates.
A virtual line made to separate the flora-fauna in the eastern part of Indonesia in Australia and Indonesia Plate in the western part of the Eurasian Plate. The line became known as the Wallace Line is stretched along the Makassar Strait and extends into the Lombok Strait.
This line tells the way of life not only the flora-fauna separate antarlempeng deep sea, but also differences in human characteristics can be observed. Wallace classifying humans in Indonesia in the west of the Malay race and the human race to Papua in eastern Indonesia.
In Maluku was the second race of the meet. Wallace called the resident on the island of Obi, Bacan, and Halmahera as a blend of Malay and Papuan races. The combination is a proven genetic in 2011 by a number of geneticists Indonesia, New Zealand and the United States in "Genetic Continuity Across a Deeply divergent Linguistic Contact Zone in North Maluku, Indonesia.
Wallace traces
Walllace make Ternate as a haven from wandering into the Halmahera, who first called Gilolo (referring to the Sultanate of Jailolo), up to New Guinea (Papua) and the volcanic islands in Maluku to collect a variety of flora and fauna.
Wallace excitedly tells the story of the city of Ternate, which sheltered Mount Gamalama. "It's very strategic view in all directions so obvious .... Behind the town, stands a volcano that slopes gently sloping and covered with lush fruit trees, "wrote Wallace when newly arrived in Ternate on January 8, 1858.
Wallace also boasts a rented house in Ternate four years. "In addition to preparing collections (flora and fauna), the house I need to recuperate and prepare for subsequent trips," he wrote.
He also drew a sketch and describe the house was lived in Ternate. "... Thus allowing the reader to know the structure of the building in Ternate," wrote Wallace. At home this is the Wallace wrote "Letter from Ternate".
Approximately 154 years later, traces the odyssey of Wallace in Ternate barely leaving a trace, except a small alley in the Village Santiong, Middle Ternate, who was named Lorong Alfred Russel Wallace.
Just next to the alley, a house that is now occupied by the family Paunga Tjandra (63), presumably as a residence for Wallace in Ternate. "My father bought this house from the late H Ucu Bai, a resident here. We initially did not know anything was Wallace house, "said Tjandra Verjon (35).
Verjon shows one pole and the wall of the former wells had been closed in the yard behind the house. "Mark, yes, just this," he said. "Many researchers, most foreigners, who come end up disappointed because it was just left."
The absence of traces of Prof. Wallace also complained Sangkot Marzuki, Chairman of the Foundation Board Wallacea Indonesia. Geneticists are writing a comment in the book The Malay Archipelago issue of Indonesia, the archipelago (2009).
"Alfred Russel Wallace is a big name in the world of science the world. However, through the evidence, the real legacy of Wallace with palpable and easily identified that he was part of Indonesian history ...," said Sangkot. "Ternate, where he worked and where the real old grand theories about the evolution of birth-not at all clear from the signs that remind the greatest discoveries in the 19th century. What a pity. "
In 2008, Wallacea Foundation and the Indonesian Institute of Sciences have taken the initiative in setting up Wallace monument Paunga home page. The goal is to revive the name Wallace in Ternate. However, the monument was so far not materialized. The lack of agreement between the owners of land prices and the government is currently home to historical sites were abandoned.
Name of the street in front of the house was already changed. Street name was changed to Jalan AR Wallace in 2008 from the previously named Jalan Nuri. However, in 2010, its name was changed to Jalan Juma fasting until now.
0 comments:
Post a Comment