Tarakan Wash Tank

Tarakan Wash Tank

Another trip, another dip into the depths of Indonesia's rich history. From precolonial era as early in the 4th century with the hardly known Indianized kingdom of Kutai Martadipura in East Kalimantan to the more recent -not also really well known- era of struggle to reform in Reformasi in the late 90's, Indonesia's vast history is as mystical and intriguing as The Lord of the Rings trilogy, the French Revolution, and Harvey Specter's mind all combined in one savory banana split sundae. How to really work that one out is rather out of the mood at the moment, so let me just say that's just how it is.

However, recently I had the chance to visit the island-city of Tarakan in North Kalimantan, which was once the stage of more than one battle in the Pacific War. It was here on January 11, 1942, a day after the Empire of Japan declared war on the Kingdom of the Netherlands, Japan first attacked the Dutch colonized Indonesia and went on further to successfully set its conquering foot on this beautiful archipelago. The significance of Tarakan is definite in the eyes of the Japanese -and of the Dutch before them- for one reason: oil. So significant, the secure of Tarakan oilfields are Japan's main early objectives in the Pacific War. Of course, specifically in Japan's Asia campaign, the capture of the island of Tarakan is just what logically comes next in line after successful raids towards the US navy base in Pearl Harbor and then Luzon Island in the Philippines.

Tarakan Mangrove Conservation

Honestly, I didn't know much about Tarakan prior to my visit to this -as it turns out- historic island other than that it's oil rich and there's a branch office here in the city. But you know me, I like to do a little walk through Google (like any of you), but clearly just a little bit this time that I pretty much missed the history aspect of the city. But a little history about the locally famous Tarakan Wash Tank is that it was bombed by the Japanese during its raid to occupy Tarakan from the Dutch. At least that's what's popular among the locals. It goes on to add that because of its steel strength, the 20.506 barrel wash tank survived with only a humongous noticeable dent on top.

Another version of the story is that the Dutch tried to destroy this wash tank and every oil installations for that matter, built by the Bataafsche Petroleum Maatschappij, after learning that the mighty Japanese fleet was on its way to attack Tarakan. All this self destruction is none other than to prevent the Japanese to take full advantage of the already available oil installations if Tarakan were to fall. Either way, pretty amazing huh.

So yeah, I went to see the famous Wash Tank, this huge war souvenir from World War II in Tarakan, originally used to wash the oil of the bulk solids and water, separating the oil and water. And yet, despite all that howling history behind it, the thoughts that came to mind as I stood there in front and in awe of the magnificent historic war site was how easily you have jumped in, cleansed yourself clean, and moved on.

Oh history, how do you always get me?

W. S.