Telaga Paca (Lake Paca) - Attractions in Tobelo - North Halmahera Utara

Telaga Paca (Lake Paca) is one of the attractions in Tobelo, North Halmahera, North Maluku province. beautiful natural scenery, lush and calm. The lake is located in a mountain backdrop and hills, surrounded by shady woods make this place as a pleasant outdoor recreation. 

This lake is a place which is well suited to relax. Its calm water makes this place is strongly recommended for boating and fishing. We suggest you to stand on the cliff of the lake to get an extraordinary view.

There are no restaurants in this area. However, the residents around Lake Paca has provided floating dining huts with natural atmosphere for tourists.

Location

Telaga Paca is located in Telaga Paca Village, about 25 kilometers on the south of Tobelo. To go to this lake, you can use a public transport mikrolet (minibus) Destination: Kao from Wosia station and get off at the road junction towards Telaga Paca Village. Then, you can continue by ojek (motorcycle taxi) to the location of the lake, which is approximately 1 km.

Source: Foto Benisius Anu

The Folklore of Telaga Paca

According to the local legend, Telaga Paca occurs through a quite interesting process. In the beginning, there is a girl who lives in a hut in the woods along with some other families. The distance of their houses is far from each other. The location is approximately in the west of Paca Village.

One day, the girl suddenly hears someone calling her, "Hello, friend! What is your name?" The girl replies "My name is Memeua".

Then, Memeua asks herself, "Who is that?! It's been so long I live here, but no man has ever come to my house". The young man approaches the girl as he reaches out his hand and says, "I'm sorry, let me introduce myself to you. My name is Kobubu, I'm from Galela Tribe".

After the introductions, they become best friends. Even then, their feelings grow to love. However, they keep the relationship secretly, as Kobubu comes to the girl's hut only at certain times. Over the time, both of them are eager to get married so they can announce their relationship to people.

When the wedding day is near, then Kobubu asks Memeua permission to return to his hometown for a while. Memeua let Kobubu go with pleasure, but Memeua and the villagers make a demand. "At the time you back here, please bring enough water from the lake in Galela for us, because it's hard to get water here".

When Kobubu back from Galela, he does not forget to bring what his lover requested. He brings one tipo (seruas bamboo) of water. Arriving in their huts, he hands the water to Memeua. Then, a part of the water is poured in a pot, and the rest is poured into the soil that has been dug and covered with a shell.

The next day, the shell is already floating on the water surface. To avoid dirt getting into the water, Memeua covers it with goro-goro leaves (taro leaves). But on the next day, the leaves are already floating on the water. So before night, she is back to cover the water with habongo (rice strainer). Same thing happens, the habongo floats because the water increases. Furthermore, Memeua covers the water with tikara (a mat made from buho leaves), then Memeua and Kobubu go to rest.

Morning comes, suddenly their chickens crow indicating that there will be a disaster. Memeua and Kobubu and the other villagers are shocked and scared because Memeua's water is overflow and ready to drown the area. All people there try to save themselves.

Memeua and Kobubu also run, but in different directions. Memeua runs to the southeast, while Kobubu runs to the northwest. Water continues to chase them, until they run out of energy. Because the water increases rapidly, Memeua finally decides to sacrifice herself by holding on to a tree trunk and does booteke torobuku process (a supernatural process to unite herself with the tree). Then she utters a sentence, "The water limit is enough here and the rest will flow into Mawea river!". The water obeys to Memeua's command, so the water stops increasing. Until now, we still can see the tree trunk that Memeua held on. In the past, when the trunk was cut, it bled. But now, it does not happen anymore.

Likewise, Kobubu is powerless to overcome the water. Therefore, he decides to sacrifice himself by drowning himself. Kobubu's body becomes a marker pf water limit on the west part of Talaga Paca. Until now, when the lake bubbles, then people believe that Kobubu is exhaling.

Sometimes, in the middle of the lake, coming out something like temple, or church, or mosque, but we do not know for sure. Perhaps it is a village that had been submerged when the water was overflow.

*) This story is retold by Junias Ngongadje (GMIH Paca Elementary School Teacher) and published in an Indonesian folklore book.