Not until 1814 was peace between the two sultanates established. Like The Ternatese live mainly by subsistence agriculture, supplemented by fishing and some cash crops. Coconut, cacao, coffee, and nutmeg are important cash crops. Interestingly, there are no large rice fields, and rice is consumed only on special occasions. The Ternatese also keep some chickens, ducks, and goats.
Ternatese men do the hard labor in the gardens, such as cutting down trees.
They also do some fishing and build and maintain the houses. The women do the daily work in the gardens, cook the meals, and care for the children. They also try to earn money by selling garden produce and fish. Ternatese villages are located primarily along the coast near the mouths of rivers. Houses are generally arranged along the streets parallel to the coast line.