Pacu Jawi

Pacu Jawi literally means ‘bull race’ and takes place in the muddy rice fields of Western Sumatra. The location where it is held changes after every harvest, so I only had a rough idea about where I should head.  I searched for this wild festival while driving through the Indonesian countryside amidst heavy rain, asking for guidance to the locals by the roads and then keep following their pointing fingers. When I finally reached the place, I was soaked. However, the Sun came out as soon as I set foot on the dirt, and I was warmly welcomed by the locals over there.

After the rice is harvested, the Minangkabau people gather in this festival as a way of showing gratitude, trading their animals and enjoying a day of entertainment. The bulls run in pairs across the thick mud with a brave rider on the back, who tries to keep them together while standing on wooden plows. There isn’t direct competition, as the goal is to gain recognition and for the value of the animals to increase. If they run fast and straight for a long distance they can be sold for higher prices. I am glad to have experienced this tradition with hundreds of years of existence.