<![CDATA[Perdagangan orang Bugis di kawasan Teluk Tomini didorong karena tradisi yang kuat tentang sompeq (merantau). Pedagang dan perantauan Bugis keluar mencari kekayaan dan kejayaan di kawasan Teluk Tomini. Mereka dengan perahu tradisionalnya menjadi urat nadi bagi kehidupan perekonomian di kawasan Teluk Tomini, sampai di pedalaman melalui pelayaran pantai dan sungai. Komoditas utama adalah emas, bijih besi, budak, sisik penyu, teripang, kayu cendana, kopra, damar, dan rotan. Barang dagangan tersebut dipasarkan ke Ternate, Singapura, dan Makassar. Masa kekuasaan VOC kemudian Pemerintah Hindia Belanda telah menjadi persaingan pedagang Bugis untuk memperebutkan produk emas dan budak, walaupun dikeluarkan kebijakan untuk mempersempit usahanya tetapi pedagang Bugis tetap menguasai perdagangan, utamanya emas dan budak. Faktor ini menyebabkan munculnya perkampungan-perkampungan Bugis, dan beberapa di antaranya berhasil dikuasainya. Secara de facto pedagang Bugis memegang hegemoni politik dan ekonomi di kawasan Teluk Tomini. Penelitian ini dilakukan dengan menggunakan metode sejarah yaitu studi pustaka dengan mengumpulkan data-data sejarah, dengan menguraikan suatu peristiwa ke dalam bagian-bagiannya dalam rangka memahami peranan pedagang Bugis dalam jalur perdagangan dan kekuasaannya di kawasan Teluk Tomini.Bugis trading in Tomini bay region was done in supporting of tight tradition about sompeq (wander about). Merchant and sompeq of Bugis leave their land to seek for welfare and glory in Tomini Bay. They used traditional ship that became the core of economical life in Tomini Bay through beach and river sailing. The importance commodity was produced mostly by merchant communities such as gold, slave, and scale of turtle, tripang, yellow sandalwood, copra, resin, and rattan. Those commodities were marketed to Ternate, Singapore, and Makassar. VOC reign and then Dutch Indies had been rivals for Bugis merchants in selling gold and slave. Although there was a policy for Bugis traders to limit their activities, but Bugis traders still held and mastered in trading, particularly for gold and slave. This factor stimulated emerge of Bugis districts and some of them were colonized. Bugis traders held political hegemony de facto and economy in Tomini Bay. This research was conducted using library research and analytical description method by describing events to their parts in understanding the role of Bugis traders in trading line and their power in Tomini Bay.]]>
