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Indonesia - Princely States (G H I)

Former Indigenous States of Indonesia (Dutch Protectorate)

2:3 image by Željko Heimer, 2 January 1996
National Flag of Indonesia

Gebe
Geser
Gunung Tabur (Tabur)
Gowa
Halmahera

Gilolo (Jailolo)
Tolofse variant

Haria
Iha
Indragiri Flags

Sultan
Heir Prince
Prince Admiral
Big Local Chieftain
Young Local Chieftain
Non-commissioned Officer
Port Captain - Harbour Master
Child of the King - Prince and Princess
Commander in Chief
Warlord
Ordinary People- Civil Flag
Treasurer
Regent - District Chief
Ordinary Merchant Ensign
Merchant Ensign of Notables

Gebe

Pennant of Sultan

1:1, image by Klaus-Michael Schneider, 26 Oct 2026
1:1, image by Klaus-Michael Schneider, 26 Oct 2026

It was a triangular red pennant with broad white fimbriation. The fimbriation contained nine 4-point stars, either alternating of red and blue (see left image above) or completely red (see right image above). Both pennants have at top an additional streamer, horizontally parted of red and white.
Klaus-Michael Schneider, 26 Oct 2026

Merchant Ensign

by Klaus-Michael Schneider, 26 Oct 2026

Merchant Ensign: It is a triangular red pennant woith broad white fimbriation. The fimbriation contains nine blue 4-point stars. Both pennants have at top an additional streamer, horizontally parted of red and white.
Klaus-Michael Schneider, 26 Oct 2026

Geser

by Klaus-Michael Schneider, 26 Oct 2026

The village mayor of Geser, formerly Gisser, had a red triangular pennant. On its centre was a blue 4-point star fimbriated white. On top and bottom corner are white arabic letters. At top of the pennant was an additional red streamer.
Klaus-Michael Schneider, 26 Oct 2026

Gunung Tabur (Tabur)

by Jaume Ollé

Ratio 2:3.

Adopted: ?.

Abolished: ?.

The flag of the Sultanate of Gunung Tabur (Dutch: Goenoeng Taboer) in the Dutch East Indies (now Indonesia) was triangular.
Jaume Ollé, 24 Jan 2001

image by Jaume Ollé, 24 Jan 2001
2:3, image by Jaume Ollé, 24 Jan 2001

A plate from Armand shows also a different flag, perhaps the sultan's standard.

Gunung Tabur is on the Berau River (East Kalimantan). The autonomous kingdom of Berau, dating back to the 14th century, was divided in 1883, with the Berau river a natural boundary between new capitals established at Sambaliung and Gunung Tabur. In 1960 both kingdoms were abolished by Indonesian parliamentary decree. (cf. Indonesia Handbook 1989, p. 785).
The Muslim sultanates in Dutch Borneo were used as buffer states between inland Dayaks and sea-faring peoples like the Buginese and Sulu-peoples. They were described as ´weak states´, although there were fierce rebellions in the 19th century, which threatened the Dutch presence in the whole archipelago.
Jarig Bakker, 24 Jan 2001

image by Jarig Bakker, 24 Jan 2001
In "The pirate wind" by Owen Rutter, 1930, reprint 1987, is a short description:
"It was headed by a standard-bearer carrying the red and white colors of Gunong Tabor..." (p. 163).
Opposite p. 164 a picture with the flag, from which I made this reconstruction.

Gunung Tabur - Bendera Kesultan

image by Rob Raeside, 1 June 2010, based on sketch by John McMeekin

Gunung Tabur - Bendera Sultan

image by Rob Raeside, 1 June 2010

based on sketch by John McMeekin

The Royal Standard is plain yellow.
John McMeekin, 1 June 2010

Gowa

image by Rob Raeside, 2 June 2010
based on a sketch by John McMeekin Gowa Sultanate looks like a State Flag.
John McMeekin, 2 June 2010

image by Rob Raeside, 2 June 2010, based on a sketch by John McMeekin

Photos of the red and yellow Gowa flags can be seen here.
John Duncan McMeekin, 21 Nov 2010

The black eagle flags (in yellow & in red) are in fact military flags of Gowa. I cannot find the normal State Flag.
John Duncan McMeekin, 29 Sep 2014

The State flag of Gowa is yellow. The red one is the Military Flag.
John Duncan McMeekin, 3 Apr 2021

Halmahera

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1:1, mage by Klaus-Michael Schneider, 19 Oct 2026
1:1, mage by Klaus-Michael Schneider, 19 Oct 2026
1:1, mage by Klaus-Michael Schneider, 19 Oct 2026

The pennants were flown in pairs on starboard and portside. The Raja of Lolade flew three pairs, the Sangajis of Sahu and Gamkonora flew two pairs, the Sangajis of Tolofse flew an arbitrary number of pairs.

The ratio of the pennants was 1:1 in total, consisting of a rectangle with two annexed swallow tails. On centre of the rectangle is a smaller rectangle parted by stripes.
The pennant of Lolade had 17 horizontal stripes alternating of yellow and white in white (see left image above).
The pennant of Sahu and Gamkonora had 11 horizontal stripes alternating of white and black in red (see central image above)
The pennant Tolofse had 25 horizontal stripes alternating of white, yellow, white andblack plus one white stripe at bottom in yellow (see right image above).
Source: "Carte de Pavillons en Usage chez les Différents Peuples des Indes_orientales Neerlandaises", column 7, rows 1, 2, 3
Sangaji is a title for a local ruler, tribal chief, or dignitary of high rank. He served as a nobleman, who presided over a specific territory (a district or a cluster of hamlets). In practice he often combined the roles of local governor, tax collector, and judge. He also held the position of a military commander (Indonesian: Panglima) during times of war, acting on behalf of the Sultan.
Klaus-Michael Schneider, 19 Oct 2026

Gilolo (Jailolo)

Bendera Kesultanan Jailolo

image by Rob Raeside, 7 June 2010
based on sketch by John McMeekin

Jailolo Sultanate flag (white), and royal flags of Jailolo (seen on 3 flagpoles in front of his Palace).

Bendera Sultan

image by Rob Raeside, 7 June 2010
based on sketch by John McMeekin

Bendera Sultan

image by Rob Raeside, 7 June 2010
based on sketch by John McMeekin

Tolofse variant

by Klaus-Michael Schneider, 15 Oct 2026

The rectangle in centre has 6 yellow stripes and 5 black stripes in a red rectangle with two annexed swallow tails.
Source:
Rühl 1952, p.144
Klaus-Michael Schneider, 15 Oct 2026

Haria

image by Klaus-Michael Schneider and Rob Raeside, 26 Oct 2026
image by Klaus-Michael Schneider, 11 Oct 2026

The left image above matches the information given by Dirk Rühl, yellow flag with red invected bordure and red Dutch lion shifted to hoist. But there is evidence (see right image above) that the bordure is green and invected. The fly is bendy, the bottom edge is longer than the top edge.
Source: Wereldmuseum (department Leiden), filing card with archive no. RV-370-280
Klaus-Michael Schneider, 11 Oct 2026