Some people believe that the lake water turns red because many victims of the invaders during the Indonesian occupation (1975-1999) are buried here. The fact that the last colorations occurred in the years 1975, 1999 and 2006, all years when East Timor had to cope with violent events (the Civil War and the Indonesian invasion in 1975, the crisis in 1999, and the unrest in 2006), also leads to superstition regarding the coloration. Tasitolu was at one time a popular meeting place for the ABRI; and subsequent to the 1975 invasion, many Maubere people were killed here, some through death flights.