SITUS KAMPUNG TUA KAO: Identitas Asal Usul dan Jejak Peradaban Islam di Wilayah Pedalaman Halmahera Utara - Wuri Handoko; Muhammad Al Mujabuddawat (Jurnal Pendidikan dan Kebudayaan, 2017)
Tanah Kao as part of Ternate’s Islamic rule is not mentioned in many historical literatures which is dominated by sources about Tobelo in relation to the history of Hibualamo and the Moro Kingdom. However, based on the people’s folklore, it is said that the identity of the origin of North Halmahera community  derives from Telaga Lina in Tanah Kao. Based on the folklore, this research was conducted in the Kampung Tua Kao (Old Settlement Site in Kao). This research reveals the identity of the people who inhabit the Kampung Tua Kao and the traces of Islamic civilization on Kampung Tua Kao by using literature study, field survey, and archaeological excavation. Based on the results of literature studies and previous research there are theories that explain the identity of the origin of the Kao people but entirely derived from Telaga Lina in the Tanah Kao. Based on archaeological survey and excavation in the Kampung Tua Kao, it was found a number of archaeological remains in the form of artifacts and features. The remaining artifacts were found in various fragments of earthenware and foreign ceramics, while the remaining features encountered including a number of ancient tombs, grave tombs, lutur, and mosque poles. Based on these data, this study proves the existence of the Muslim community who has lived and inhabited the Kampung Tua Kao in the past and there are various cultural interactions within the community. Abstrak: Hubungan Tanah Kao dengan kekuasaan Islam Ternate di Halmahera Utara tidak banyak disebutkan dalam berbagai literatur. Sebagian besar literatur menyebut tentang Tobelo dalam kaitannya dengan sejarah Hibualamo dan Kerajaan Moro. Namun, berdasarkan tradisi tutur masyarakat menyebutkan bahwa identitas asal-usul komunitas orang Halmahera Utara berasal dari Telaga Lina di Tanah Kao. Atas dasar tradisi tutur itulah yang menjadi dasar penelitian di Situs Kampung Tua Kao. Penelitian ini mengungkap penelusuran identitas komunitas yang mendiami situs Kampung Tua Kao pada masa lalu dan jejakjejak peradaban Islam di situs Kampung Tua Kao dengan menggunakan metode penelusuran kepustakaan, survei lapangan, dan ekskavasi arkeologi. Hasil penelitian ini mengungkapkan berdasarkan hasil penelusuran pustaka dan penelitian terdahulu terdapat sejumlah teori yang menjelaskan identitas asal-usul komunitas Kao. Namun, apabila dirunut ke belakang semuanya berasal dari Telaga Lina di Tanah Kao. Berdasarkan survei dan ekskavasi arkeologi di situs Kampung Tua Kao ditemukan sejumlah tinggalan arkeologis berupa artefak dan fitur. Tinggalan artefak yang ditemukan antara lain beragam fragmen gerabah dan keramik asing, sedangkan tinggalan fitur yang dijumpai antara lain sejumlah makam kuno, nisan makam, lutur, dan umpak-umpak masjid. Berdasarkan data-data tersebut, penelitian ini membuktikan keberadaan komunitas muslim pernah hidup dan mendiami situs Kampung Tua Kao di masa lalu dan terjadi berbagai interaksi budaya di dalam komunitas tersebut.