[6][7] According to Mikhail Anatolievich Chlenov, relationship between the adherents of both faiths here have traditionally been neighborly peaceful, based on the union of the communities' pela; which in the Ambonese language means "friend".

Mounted tension then resulted in the 1998 inter-religious conflict in Ambon, of which until today the number of victims have turned into thousands of people.

In the situation of an almost civil war, people were forced to move to refugee camps across the capital of the island, Ambon, Maluku, with lines dividing its Muslim and Christian sections were made.

[10] They were formed in the 16th to 18th century as a result of the mixing of the indigenous population of Ambon Island and West Seram Regency, the human trade of the Hitu people, and with the immigrants from both other parts of Indonesia and Europeans.

Many of them were Europeanized, adopted Christianity, the wealthy townspeople were legally equated with the ruling colonizers, and they were involved in state and military services.

[13] During the Indonesian National Revolution war for the Independence of Indonesia in 1945–1949, large groups of Ambonese people, especially members of the colonial army, emigrated to the Netherlands and New Guinea.

[citation needed] Men adopted modern European style clothing,[21] and only on special occasions they would wear short jackets and black trousers.

[26] As of traditional musical instruments such as the 12 gongs,[27] drums, bamboo flute (efluit),[28] xylophone (tatabuhan kayu)[29] and Aeolian harp are included.