Jawi Racing of the Minangkabau Land

The Origin of Pacu Jawi

The Minangkabau ethnic group is famous for its unique cultural diversity that is still preserved to this day.

There is no information regarding the exact time of the beginning of the Pacu Jawi tradition. However, the Pacu Jawi tradition has been practiced for hundreds of years. This tradition started in a nagari, namely Nagari Tuo (old village) Pariangan in Tanah Datar Regency. Pacu Jawi is an effort by farmers in ancient times to find a good and proper way to plow. At that time, a plowing method like the one we have today had not yet been discovered.

The Pacu Jawi event is a traditional game for children of Nagari (Village) that was born and developed in Tanah Datar Regency, West Sumatra Province. Pacu Jawi can only be found in four districts, namely Pariangan District, Rambatan District, Limo Kaum District, and Sungai Tarab District. The Pacu Jawi event is always eagerly awaited by the local community. The Pacu Jawi tradition is combined with the community's tradition in the form of a procession of carriers of dulang or jamba containing food.

Usually, the tradition is held in the fourth week or at the closing of Pacu Jawi and becomes a major event in this region.

Pacu Jawi has various benefits. Pacu Jawi serves as a way to increase the selling price of cattle. Good cattle are those that can run straight quickly and in sync. This is marked by the amount of mud that flies around. Another benefit is as a means to improve the health of the cattle.

The Pacu Jawi tradition has a unique philosophy, which illustrates that leaders and ordinary people can walk together. This philosophy is based on the Pacu Jawi activity, where two cows are used. The winner of this race is not the participant who is the fastest, but rather the participant who can run straight will receive the highest score. The uniqueness of Pacu Jawi is that in this race there are no opponents. It is said that this method is used to prevent betting, as is common in races.

The local community will work together to clean the location, smooth the water channels, level the rice field mud, and clean the plots of rice fields used for the competition so that the fields are ready to be replanted. The Pacu Jawi event is held four times a week every Saturday in four districts, namely Sungai Tarab District, Pariangan District, Lima Kaum District, and Rambatan District. People from other districts will head to the competition location, which can be held in different districts. The Pacu Jawi event is very lively, as the number of competing cows ranges from 500 to 800. The Pacu Jawi takes place in the rice fields owned by the community after the harvest. Pacu Jawi is participated by pairs of cows controlled by a jockey who holds onto the plow handle. Jockeys who do not wear footwear run alongside their cows in the muddy and water-filled rice fields.

The Jawi that wins the competition will have its selling price doubled and become a source of pride for its owner.

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Source: Kompas 

Photography : Hendro Hioe