Karapan Sapi is a traditional annual
event that happens only in Madura
ON A RECENT visit to Bali, I was
lucky to see a one-of-a kind event called Karapan Sapi, a bull race that
happens in Madura, a small island located across the Madura Strait to the northeast
of Java Island, know for this scenic beauty. This traditional sport has been around
for several centuries and happens at the district level, regency level and
finally to the residence level, with the finals, wehre the competitors vie for
the President Cup in the city of Pamekasan. The race typically happens during
the months of July to October.
History calling
The origins of this race are traced
to Sapudi Island in Madura, and there are two interesting stories behind its
history. One school of thought believes that the race was used by ulema, while
another says this race was created by an important man from Sapudi Island to
make the soil fertile by plowing.
Prince Kantadur from the local
kingdom of Sumenep in the 13th century also helped popularize the race,
and in the 1930s. Dutch rulers did their bit to organize and promote the sport across
the East Java province. Interestingly, not all bulls make the cut to quality to
be race ready.
It is said that the race bulls are
the ones whose chest shape narrows from the upper area t othe lower area, have
humped necks, short horns and a big strong body with long back, tight nails and
along tail. Their daily diet includes, a mix of herbs, honey and eggs, which
increases by several portions before a race. And yes, bulls ar also fiven a
relaxing massage as well so that they can perform at top speed.
Sporty vibes
When I arrived at the venue, which
happens to be a large open field fenced all around, there was a palpable
undercurrent of exicitement. Row of chairs had been arranged at one end with a
lot of local food – boiled peanuts, sweet potatoes and more. The racing event
is evidently popular with locals and is quite a unique experience for tourists,
making this a win-win for all sides.
For local especially, this event has
prestige value because the winning bull owner stands to gain much socially and
financially. Before the race begins, each team parades their bulls to the
liting tunes of Madura’s traditional instrument, saronen, and local school
children performing the traditional percot (whip) dance.
The participating bulls themselves
are also given a makeover with rich clothing, flowery ribbons and other
decorations as part of the parade. Just before the race begins, these are
exchanged for more practical gear.
The race
Each team comprises a tukang ambeng
(a person who releases the harness), a tukang gubra (a person to shout from the
side of the race track), a tukang nyandak (a person to stop the ubll at the
finish line) and a tukang tanja (a person to lead the bull after the race).
The race involves a pair of bulls
attached to a standing wooden cart, on which a jockey stands to steer the bulls
through the race. The jockeys are usually young boys who control the speed of
the bull, locally called tukang tongko. The 100-meter-long race track usually
takes 10 to 15 second to complete amidst the onlocker’s wild cheers.
One the flag drops, the jockey
starts poking the bulls with a sharpened bamboo and tries to simultaneously
keep his balance. The bull whose forelegs cross the finish line first wins the
race, which has a series of elimination heats. So the next time you are in
Madura, be sure to check out Karapan Sapi.