The Legend of the Water Princess

Forklore Maluku.
Once upon a time in ancient times, there lived a princess named Ta Ina Luhu
from Luhu Country on Seram Island. He is the son of the King of Luhu Country
who is so wise, kind, and virtuous. Once upon a time the Dutch controlled
Negeri Luhu and the entire Raja’s family were killed by the Dutch except for
the princess who was arrested but managed to escape. Long story short, he
was rescued by another kingdom named Soya. The princess was treated like
royalty. However, it turned out that Princess Ta Ina Luhu was impregnated by
Dutch soldiers who arrested her. He feels bad for bothering King Soya and runs
away from the Kingdom of Soya.
Princess Ta Ina Luhu wants to live alone with her current situation. He escapes
from the Soya Palace on a royal horse and goes through the cold and gripping
wilderness. After walking for a long time, finally Ta Ina Luhu was exhausted and
fell from the horse. After resting, Princess Ta Ina Luhu continued her journey
with various miraculous events that occurred. The place where he rested has
now become a mountain called “Mount Nona”, then when he raced his horse
fast, the hat he was wearing flew in the wind but when he was about to take
the hat it turned into a rock which became known as “Stone Capeu”.
Furthermore, the Princess continued along the Amasuhu beach area in a very
tiring condition and finally she decided to rest and drink at a spring which until
now
Air Putri is on Seram Island, to be exact, in the western part of Seram. The
journey to this place by motor vehicle takes almost 2 hours from Piru, the
capital of West Seram district. This tourist object is still very natural, even to
reach this place we have to go through a dirt road that is not good.
Approximately 1.5 kilometers from the Trans Seram highway, we have to go
through the forest and head to a transmigrant village inhabited by the
Butonese people. The location of Air Putri is on the edge of this village.
The length of the journey and the hardships it went through paid off in an
instant when it arrived at Air Putri. According to the legend that accompanies
it, Air Putri is a spring that is right on the edge of the coast. Therefore, the
fresh water that comes out of the spring forms a lagoon and mixes with warm
and salty sea water at one point. The geographical condition of Air Putri is very
unique, a lagoon which is located inland and forms a river which ends in the
vast ocean. Beaches, lagoons, rivers, salt water, fresh water and shady trees all
become one in this Putri Water area.
Local residents usually use Air Putri as a place to relax like Princess Ta Ina Luhu.
They usually bathe in the Air Putri lagoon and tour the nearby beach. Even
during holidays, this place will be crowded with residents and merchandise
stalls will appear. Air Putri is not widely known in general, but it has become a
favorite place for local residents to have recreation.
The story of Princess Ta Ina Luhu’s journey is still long and every incident that
she experienced and her place has become the name of many places in Seram
and Ambon that are known today. The story of Princess Ta Ina Luhu has
become a Maluku folk tale known as the story of Grandmother Luhu. In fact,
the existence of Grandma Luhu is now a mystical story where the grandmother
who is the incarnation of Princess Ta Ina Luhu will appear when it rains heavily
and starts kidnapping children who are outside the house. The moral message
from the story of Ta Ina Luhu or Grandma Luhu is the independence of the
princess and a message for children not to leave the house when it rains
heavily.