The name Kakaban Island may not be as popular as Derawan Islands. In fact, the magic of this small island is second to none. It is said that Kakaban's natural scenery is often compared to the Palau Islands in Micronesia in the southeast Pacific Ocean.
Kakaban is a unique island because it is mostly a lake. The water conditions are constant, and never rise and fall like the sea. In addition to the lake, the island also has land with ancient trees and mangroves.
The lake on Kakaban Island may look the same as other lakes. However, Lake Kakaban is categorized as an ancient lake. In addition, Kakaban Lake is also home to unique jellyfish that do not sting.
Myth and Origin of the Name of Ancient Lake Kakaban
The islands also hold myths and stories passed down from generation to generation by the locals. It is said that this place was home to the Sultanate of Berau, which later split into the Sultanate of Gunung Tabur and the Sultanate of Sambaliung.
In the story, a royal wedding will be held, and the reception will be held on Panjang Island, the outermost island of Berau. On the way by boat, the bridal party had an accident hit by waves and a big storm in the waters of the Sulawesi Sea.
The bride's body was found on Derawan Island as a symbol of female purity. The bodies of the bride's parents were stranded on Maratua Island or in-laws, while the groom's body was found on Sangaraki Island. At the same time, Kakaban Island is the term used as the place where the remains of the eldest sister were found.
But according to researchers from Mulawarman University, the name of the island in the Derawan Islands comes from the Bajau language. Each of which means Derawan means virgin, Maratua means father-in-law, Sangalaki male, and Kakaban sister.
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| Kakaban Island Map |
Rare in the World, Unique Stingless Jellyfish
This 774.2-hectare island is unique in that 80% of its land area is a lake, formerly part of the Derawan Islands now included in the Payung-payung Village area of Maratua District.
Lake Kakaban's water comes from seepage of sea water and rain, which makes Kakaban special. The uniqueness of Lake Kakaban is also a paradise for travelers who love the natural beauty of the Indonesian sea. In addition to nature tourism, we can also see the beauty of the evolution of marine animal diversity created in Lake Kakaban.
Compared to the waters of Derawan, the isolated geographical structure of Kakaban Lake produces different ecosystem characteristics. In addition, Kakaban is also the only lake that is home to thousands of non-stinging jellyfish. There are two types of jellyfish in this lake, golden jellyfish and moon jellyfish. Both types have different colors, namely orange, reddish, white, and even some light purple.
Many studies that have been conducted by environmental researchers show that the jellyfish of Lake Kakaban have undergone thousands of years of evolution in a new environment. Researchers suspect that the loss of the sting used as a protective device for most jellyfish is due to the loss of predators, large fish that cannot be found in Lake Kakaban.
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