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Pasola is the name of a
war game tournament played by two groups of selected Sumbanese men. They
riding their decorated selected horses fling wooden spears at each
other. (The government allows the ritual game to take place, but the
spears much the blunt). Pasola is a traditional ceremony of the
Sumbanese held in the way of uniquely and sympathically traditional
norms, every year in February and March and has become the focus of
attention of the people since it is a part of the sacred homoge to the
Marapu.
- M A RA P U
Pasola is, above
all, the most exciting ritual of Sumba-where else in the world
can you see colorful horsemen trying to kill each other? Where
else in the world can you see the shedding of blood, the lost of
and eye, and occasional death coloring the event and being the
part of the game?. The ceremony
occurs during February in Lamboya and Kodi and during
March in Gaura and Wanukaka. The main activity
starts several days after the full-moon and coincide with the
yearly arrival to the shore of strange, and multihued sea worms
- nyale. The precise date
of the event decided by Rato during the wula podu (the
month of pasola the fasting month).
The Meaning
And its Advantage
Pasola is derived
from the world Sola or Hola meaning a kind of a
long wooden stick used as a spear to fling each other by two
opponent groups of horsemen. The horses used for this ritual are
usually ridden by the brave and skilled selected men wearing
traditional customes. In its wider and deeper meanings Pasola
really not only is something worth looking on but also is
something worth appreciating, for there are still other elements
bound tightly behind it. The people of
Sumba believe that the ritual has a very close link to the habit
of the people since it arranges the behavior and the habit of
the people so that the balanced condition between the physical -
material needs and the mental-spiritual needs can be easily
created; or in other words the ritual is believed to be able to
crystallize the habit and the opinion of the people so that they
can live happily both in earth and in heaven. In addition to it,
Pasola is also believed to have close relation to the activity
in agriculture field, therefore any bloodshed (of sacrificial
cattle or men participating in the game) is considered the
symbol of prosperity that must exist. Without blood Pasola means
nothing to them. Those who die in the pasola arena are believed
to have broken the law of tradition during the fasting month. Pasola that
always takes risks, however, is accepted by the people in a very
hospitable way and sportive.
The Origin and It's
Legend
It is said that thousand
of years ago there were three brothers-one of them named Umbu Dula
coming from a village called Waiwuang (now Wanukaka) intended to collect
rice in the Village of Masu Karera, in the south coast of East Sumba.
They, however, lied to the villagers that they wanted to go fishing.
After a long time they had not returned, the villagers become so worried
that they might have been stranded, lost, or even dead, so the villagers
went to search for them, but in vain. Being lonely for a long time, Umbu
Dula's wife, Rambu Kaba, fell in love with Tedo Gai Parana, a
man from Kodi, and decided to marry him. When finally the three
brothers came back to Waiwuang, all the villagers greeted them with
mixed feelings. Despite tje joy caused by the arrival of the three
brothers, Umbu Dula began to feel sad to hear that his wife had escaped
to Kodi with Tedo Gai Parana and that they had decided to get married
and lived a happy life. The three brothers and the villagers then began
to run after Rambu Kaba and her partner and found them on the foot of a
hill. Seeing Umbu Dula among the people of Waiwuang, Rambu Kaba burst
out crying but she being too ashamed refused to return to Waiwuang.
The relatives of Tedo Gai
Parana, therefore, had to pay the bride price (dowries) to Umbu Dula in
the form of buffaloes, horses, a set of ornaments, some spears, and
swords, and a unique giff of sea - worms, called Nyale. Nyale usually, appears in
February and March (several days after the full-moon). After the bride
price ceremony the people of Kodi invited the Waiwuang to have a game of
Pasola as remembrance of the event, so that the sorrow caused by the
escaped of Rambu Kaba could be forgotten.
Since then the
celebration of the time of nyale has been held with pasola games, and
people connect the appearance of nyale with the harvest. The greater
number of nyale appear, the more abundant harvest it will be. The pasola ceremony is
usually preceded by several other rituals, done in fasting month Wula
Nyale or Wula Podu such as self purification, Pajura (traditional
boxing), the welcoming of nyale, which is done on the beach at dawn.
These rituals are headed by ratos.
During the purification
period there are a lot of prohibitions such as weeping for the died,
striking gongs, wearing jingles ankles-bracellets, putting on bright
dresses, killing animals, passing the pasola area, and crossing the
river estuary. Affer the purification period the Pajura is held. Before the games starts
the rato who leads the ritual makes an announcement of the game rules.
After the announcement, to ratos throw their spears to start the game.
This is immediately followed by hundreds of horse - riders racing their
horses and while shouting throw their spears towards their opponents.
Customarily, when someone is hurt the game will become more
enthusiastic. After the games the
participants return to their villages and are welcome as herois
returning from the war. Then the thanksgiving ceremony is held by
sacrificing castles no Marapu toask for fertile soil and bountiful
harvest. This is pasola, a part of Sumbanese life; a life full of
laughter and joy and hope for the bright future.
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