Thursday, August 7, 2008

KAWAH PUTIH (The White Crater): The Legend

KAWAH PUTIH 2


Text and picture by Eki Qushay Akhwan

Before being discovered in 1837, the people who lived around Mt. Patuha believed that the mountain top was a sacred place, haunted by the holy spirits of their the their ancestors. They would never venture anywhere near the mountain top's forests. A trespass like that would mean bad luck or even death. They also believed that on certain nights these spirits would have a meeting discussing the security and welfare of their people and the conservation of the forests and the natural recources that supported their livelihood.

The legend had had the beauty of Kawah Putih hidden and the pristine forests surrounding it preseved for centuries until its discovery in 1837.

A note about the color of the water:
Kawah Putih is a crater lake that covers an active (fumarolic) volcano which has been dormant since 1600. As such they water is typically acidic, saturated with volcanic gases, and cloudy with a strong greenish color. (Wikipedia: Crater Lake).

kawah putih 3


4 comments:

Jane Hards Photography said...

I do love local myth and legends. Interesting info about the colour of the water. Gorgeous shots.

Dina said...

What a wonderful story! What a color, that water!
It's like in Israel-- old and beautiful oaks or other trees have survived and have been preserved if next to a sheikh's tomb.

smudgeon said...

It sure is a visually stunning place. Is it contained in a reserve/park?

Profile Not Available said...

Exceptionally beautiful! I like the pale blue and the texures in this photo. Great story too!