Like an old tree growing with strong roots spreading to every corner of the village, penetrating house yards, narrow alleys, to the edge of the sea, that is how football is rooted in Tulehu, Central Maluku Regency, Maluku. In an area equivalent to a village covering about 2.3 square kilometers, that is called Negeri, the residents' love for football is passed down like the most valuable heirloom from generation to generation.
In Negeri Tulehu, which has a population of about 22,107 people (data from 2020), children are born amidst stories about goals, fields, and players who once brought their village's name across island borders. A child at the age of six is already familiar with the ball. Of course, they do not yet understand tactics or strategies, but their small feet have already learned to chase and kick the ball.
Besides learning in formal schools, they also start entering football schools when they turn eight years old. There, the wild-growing talent is directed. The basics of the game are taught, but more importantly, the spirit that has lived within them all along is nurtured.
A child plays ball at Tulehu Beach.
A goalpost is installed on the Darusalam Field.
The fields there become unique learning spaces. The children not only learn to dribble or kick the ball, but they also learn about aspirations. They grow up with the imagery of seniors who have ventured to big clubs and worn the national team uniform. These figures become lighthouses illuminating their path.
In the minds of many children of Negeri Tulehu, football is not just a path to fame, but also a bridge to a better life. They want to elevate their family's status, build homes for their parents, and bring pride to their hometown. Moreover, they want to prove that dreams can be born from the families of fishermen, farmers, and small workers in the village.
The long journey of football development there also holds stories of struggle. When the first football school was established there, the concept of early-age training was still unfamiliar to many in Maluku. Yet the spirit to build the future of football was so great. Children from various regions came to practice.
Eby Rumeon, who is the parent of Arema FC football player Iksan Lestaluhu, poses while selling fish in Tulehu.
Arema FC football player Iksan Lestaluhu poses in front of his home in Tulehu.
From that simple field, many names emerged such as Ramdani Lestaluhu, Rizky Pellu, Hendra Adi Bayau, Iksan Lestaluhu, and Alfin Tuasalamony, who later became famous in the Indonesian football world. Behind the emergence of these players, there are several people who chose to stay to become mentors for the next generation. One of them is a coach named Luthfi Lestaluhu who had experienced the tough journey as a player.
He once broke through national-level competitions and defended clubs outside Maluku. However, a knee injury halted his steps on the field. For some, it might be an end. But for him, it was the beginning of new dedication. He returned to his hometown and redirected all his energy to nurturing children. From the hands of coaches like him, the baton of Negeri Tulehu's football continues.
Currently, the main field named Matawaru is much better after being renovated by the local government and with support from Negeri Tulehu figures. The green grass stretches neatly, bringing new hope for children who run after the ball every afternoon.
Tulehu residents hold a grass-stomping ceremony for a 40-day-old baby.
Kalasum Lestaluhu carries a child in front of her house.
However, there are still challenges to face. Even simple training equipment is not always easily obtained. Cones, barriers, and other basic equipment are still needs that are often difficult to fulfill. Yet limitations are not an obstacle for them.
When a player succeeds in breaking into the national team, the entire village celebrates it. The pride feels collective as if a child's success is the victory of the whole Negeri Tulehu. New generations keep emerging. Children continue to fill the field every afternoon. They come bringing the same dreams as their older siblings used to.
Negeri Tulehu may just be a tiny dot on the map of Indonesia. But from that small dot, great dreams are born, continuing to run towards the horizon. And as long as there are still children kicking balls on their village fields, as long as there are loyal coaches guiding them, the story of Tulehu as a football-producing land will never end.
The jersey collection owned by one of Tulehu's residents.
Football fans convoy in Tulehu after watching the 2026 World Cup match.
Photo and text: Rivan Awal Lingga
Football coach Luthfi Lestaluhu poses in the Matawaru Field area.
A collection of balls for training owned by the Maehanu football school (SSB) in Tulehu.
Several children prepare to train in football on the Darusalam Field.
Several children practice kicking the ball on the Darusalam Field.
Aerial photo of Matawaru Field.
Editor: Nyoman Budhiana
The caption is automatically translated by application. Click here for the Bahasa Indonesia version.
