The Bugis Kalimantan was important in the past as they had their own sultanate in Mempawah. One of the founders of Mempawah sultanate, Opu Daeng Manambon, had family links to other sultanate in the province – Pontianak, Sambas and Tanjungpura sultanates which spread the Bugis’ influence further.
Opu Daeng Manambon was originally from Bugis sultanate of South Sulawesi. According to Hikayat Opu Daeng Manambon, the Bugis adventures spread the archipelago after Dutch occupied Makassar in 1667. This hikayat recounts the tale of five Bugis brothers who traveled through the Malay world; one becoming yang dipertuan muda of Riau- Johor., while others dispersed.
The second brother, Opu Daeng Manambon, visited Sukadana, where he married a daughter of the sultan whose mother came from the ruling family of Mempawah. Later this Daeng Menambon moved to Mempawah and became its ruler.
In the past times Mempawah was a subordinate kingdom of the kingdom of Tanjung Pura. During the Dutch colonial period, the Dutch government appointed Pontianak Sultanate as the Dutch representative to preside over all the kings in West Kalimantan.
Mempawah kingdom
