PACU JAWI: (Fast bulls)
West Sumatra, Tanah Datar regency
WHEN: 11 months a year, one
month in each of 11 sub-districts
WHERE: 30-metre-long paddy fields
Originating from a Sumatran thanksgiving
harvest ritual, this race involves jockeys
gripping a thin rope harnessing two bulls while
balancing barefoot on a wooden plough. After
a provocative bite on each tail, teams of three
make a muddy plough toward the finish line to
the tune of traditional talempong music.
Madura Island’s
karapan sapi races
have been denounced
for cruel practices like
whipping and dabbing
chillies on bulls’ eyes3 More Buffalo
Races Across Asialeft A pacu jawi race
during the festive
season in West
Sumatra, IndonesiaThe winning bulls can fetch up to
USD4,000 in the livestock market – over
double the regular rate – so jockeys help them
reach champion speeds by administering a
second bite during the race, typically at the
field’s midpoint. But the bulls tend to charge
off in oblique directions, so lesser riders often
end up in comedic positions while spectators
cheer, laugh, and dodge the rogue animals. To
keep his bulls together, 2017 winner Hamid
recommends grabbing onto their tails: “It’s
like a steering wheel!” he says. Winning bulls
also get their own swimming pools. ag1
Thailand’s wing kwai
races at the Buddhist
Lent see jockeys race
on steeds in three size
classes: small, medium
and large2
India’s muddy kambala
races are a favourite
among both kings and
commoners, with prizes
from coconuts to gold
medals and trophies3