Keeping War Relics in Museum

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Muhlis Eso

Muhlis Eso, 42, has been collecting World War II relics for 30 years at his home in Morotai, North Maluku. While storing them in an independent museum, he also explains various aspects of the Allied war against Japan on the outermost island to anyone who is interested. The objects, as witnesses to the history of the conflict, serve as an important mirror of human civilization today.

A quarter of a century ago, Muhlis bought a gold ring from his uncle. The ring was decorated with the logo of the University of Texas and belonged to E.V. Verlander, an American soldier found in Morotai around 1944.

After wearing it on his finger for 25 years, Muhlis has willingly relinquished the ring to the soldier’s descendants. The ring was handed over at the University of Texas’s Darrell K. Royal Memorial Stadium two years ago, to the warm welcome of around 5,000 spectators who packed the stadium.

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Muhlis was represented by a number of Indonesian students studying at the campus. Verlander’s heir later presented some money to Muhlis, who gave it to his uncle as the ring’s discoverer.

Not long after the footage was uploaded, Verlander’s heir responded promptly, even traveling to Morotai to scrutinize Muhlis’ collection.

The ring could be returned to Verlander’s descendant after a YouTuber uploaded a video of the ornament. Not long after the footage was uploaded, Verlander’s heir responded promptly, even traveling to Morotai to scrutinize Muhlis’ collection.

“I took none of the money. My uncle spent the money on building a house, which he needed,” Muhlis said at the end of July, during a visit to his house in Joubela village, South Morotai district, Morotai Island regency.

Muhlis’ house looks different from that of most residents living in the remote region of Morotai. It has a large yard. A pole with a red-and-white flag stands in the middle. Several mortar shells from the war are iconic pieces in the yard, which is planted with mango and hibiscus trees. A sign bearing the name Museum Swadaya Perang Dunia II “Hilang Nampak Kembali” (World War II “Lost and Found” Museum) stands against the terrace wall.

Entering the sitting and living rooms, we saw various relics of the war. Some are already tattered and others rusted. We found dog tags bearing soldiers’ names and coins in a display window, rusted bullets, heavy machine guns, beverage bottles drunk by Japanese and Allied soldiers, as well as bottles of morphine, and photos of Japanese soldier Teruo Nakamura, who finally emerged from the forests of Morotai in 1974.

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Muhlis Eso

Beside the main house on its right is a new, smaller building. This is where Muhlis stores part of his collection, like the wheels of armored vehicles, baking pans, bicycles and four grenades he had just received from the local police several days ago.

Tourist destination

Muhlis’ independent museum has become a tourist destination frequented by many visitors, from history lovers and students, to regional officials and high-ranking military officers to employees of the embassies of the United States and Poland. The grandson of Morotai fighter Tadu Eso has been interested in war artifacts since he was a child. By the time he was 10 years old and in the third grade, Muhlis was already fond of “scooping” bits and pieces of the war and keeping them.

“I never sold them because, as my grandfather told me, we should never betray the nation. I have kept this in mind,” he said. A zealous hunter of relics, Muhlis frequently lost track of time. He would come in the evening after attending school only until noon. As a result, his father Mahmud Eso grew worried about what might happen to his child.

Apart from frequently returning at dusk, Muhlis was constantly late to school. This was because he would first go scavenging for the odds and ends of the war. This behavior led him to be punished by his junior high teachers in Morotai.

Although he lost some pieces of his collection, he continued hunting. He also went on relic hunts with members of an independent community of war museum enthusiasts.

After punishing him, the teachers checked the contents of Muhlis’ school bag. Inside were dog tags and spent cartridge cases, as well as his lunch of cassava, bananas and salted fish. Growing older did not diminish Muhlis’ enthusiasm or frequency in searching for war relics. Although he lost some pieces of his collection, he continued hunting. He also went on relic hunts with members of an independent community of war museum enthusiasts.

Originally, Muhlis only kept his collection as ordinary decoration in the rooms of his house. This was understandable, as he had no knowledge of museums at the time. Meanwhile, TVRI was the only broadcaster and source of information. Eventually, university students in Ternate exchange program described his collection as thought-provoking. So in 2003, Muhlis opened Museum Gubug in Daruba, the capital of Morotai Island regency, not far from the Daruba ferry terminal.

Along with several members of the Independent Community of Museum Observers, he established Museum Mini in 2010, also in Daruba. In 2012, his collection was displayed as part of an international sailing event, Sail Morotai.

KOMPAS/DEFRI WERDIONO

Muhlis Eso

In 2014, some pieces from his collection became part of the World War II and Trikora Museum in Wawama village. Muhlis later founded the museum in Joubela village that remains open today. In 2018, the Morotai Island administration helped build the small annex to the left of the main house.

“So far, part of my collection still remains at the World War II and Trikora Museum. The other part fills this Museum Swadaya “Hilang Nampak Kembali’,” said the father of six, who was once a school watchman and later, a history teacher at Daruba elementary school.

He guides them and answers his clients’ questions about the Pacific War, how Morotai became a stepping-stone of Allied frogman troops under Pacific War commander Gen. Douglas MacArthur in seizing the Philippines from Japan, and ending Japan’s domination during World War II.

While maintaining his Swadaya museum, Muhlis often accompanies guests and visitors to a number of tourist spots, especially historic sites in Morotai. He guides them and answers his clients’ questions about the Pacific War, how Morotai became a stepping-stone of Allied frogman troops under Pacific War commander Gen. Douglas MacArthur in seizing the Philippines from Japan, and ending Japan’s domination during World War II.

For Muhlis, Morotai has its own significance. The small island, with a population of around 74,500 people, is seen as a principal stage in World War II, and its historic objects need to be preserved.

“I fear the loss of all objects as evidence of history, so that inevitably I face looters, which I’m not afraid of,” he added.

Muhlis Eso

Born: 12 April 1980

Education: Morotai Senior High School

(This article was translated by Aris Prawira)