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History of Riau's Pacu Jalur Festival
WINDONESIA August 26, 2024
Pacu Jalur festival racers. (Antara)
The 2024 Pacu Jalur Festival was officially opened on Wednesday, Aug. 21, 2024 in Kuantan Singingi (Kuansing) Regency, Riau Province. The traditional boat race, known as pacu jalur in the local language, is being attended by 225 jalur or boats.
The event is listed as one of the 10 Top Events in Karisma Event Nusantara 2024. This annual occasion is regularly attended by millions of visitors.
Pacu Jalur, the pride of Kuansing, began in the 17th century according to the Kuansing Regency. The traditional boat used for the race was originally the main means of transportation for villagers in the Rantau Kuantan region along the Kuantan River. The river itself spans from the Hulu Kuantan District upstream to the Cerenti District downstream.
The jalur is made from one tree without joined sections. Before taking large lumber for jalur, an entire community must first perform a ritua to respect and request permission from the wilderness when taking lumber. A jalur can accommodate 40 to 60 people. The boat also used to be the only means of transporting agricultural products such as bananas and sugar cane.
Over time, the jalur was made more beautiful by adding carvings, such as carvings of snake heads, crocodiles, or tigers, on the hull and the ends of the boat. Many are also equipped with umbrellas, ropes, scarves, center poles (gulang-gulang) and the pelangai-lambai where the helmsman stands.
Jalur is no longer used solely a means of transportation, but also to signify a social identity. At that time, only regional rulers, nobles, and datuks rode the decorated boats. A century later, jalur's attractiveness led to the creation of a jalur race that now becomes known as pacu jalur.
The traditional boat race was initially held in villages along the Kuantan River to commemorate Islamic holidays such as the Prophet's Birthday, Idul Fitri, and the Islamic New Year.
During the Dutch colonial period in 1890, The event was held to enliven the traditional celebration and commemorate the birthday of Wilhelmina, Queen of the Netherlands on Aug. 31st. Pacu jalur activities during Indonesia's colonial era began on August 31st to September 1st or 2nd, depending on the number of boats participating.
The festival grew further after Indonesia's independence, and it is now held to celebrate Indonesian Independence Day.
The Pacu Jalur Festival not only displays the speed of the boats, but also the colorful costumes, the booming sound of the cannons marking the start of the race, and the shouts of encouragement for the participants.
One jalur can accommodate 50-60 people (anak pacu) who includes military signals workers (tukang concang), helmsman (tukang pinggang), the tukang onjai who provides rhythm by shaking their bodies, then finally the tukang tari or anak coki who is in the front position.
The tukang tari is perhaps the most interesting member of the Pacu Jalur Festival because the role is always done by children. That's because children have light weight, so they could move the quickest on the boat. The movements made by the dancers have their own meaning. They dance in front of the jalur , if the boat they are helming is ahead. When they have reached the finish line, the dancers will immediately do sujud syukur, at the head of the boat.
Source: travel.tempo.co