THE bravest and best from West Nusa Tenggara’s (NTB’s) Police ranks took to the battlefield to test their courage and skills in combative traditional arts contests to celebrate the 65th anniversary of the Indonesian National Police (Bayangkhara).Regional Police teams from throughout NTB gave exciting displays of valour and agility in the week-long championship, in Mataram in late June, which included spirited confrontations of ritual arts including Peresean, or stick fighting, Mpa’a Tumbi, or head-butting, and Barempuk, or traditional boxing with gloves made from dry stems of rice.
The celebration of the July 1 Bayangkhara was organised by NTB Police Chief Brigadier General Arief Wachyunadi who, since his appointment on 30 November 2009, has avidly explored NTB’s rich culture and natural beauty and supported provincial efforts to promote tourism.
The Police Chief recently published a 268-page book of his own photographs of regional arts, culture and natural attractions, from popular tourist destinations to hidden wonders (See Issue 13).
At the traditional arts championship, the Brigadier General launched the Peresean event by engaging in battle with a referee. The lively display was witnessed by NTB officials including Deputy Governor Badrul Munir and Culture and Tourism head Gita Aryadi along with Regional Police representatives.
The Peresean battle was fought under traditional rules by five warriors (Pepadu), representing the regencies of East, Central, West and North Lombok and Mataram city. Each contestant fights three rounds. Any warrior bleeding from a blow to his head from an opponent’s rattan weapon is immediately declared defeated and knocked out of the contest.
So respected is the prowess and courage of the Pepadu that they earn well-known nicknames which contain the equivalent of such words as “King”, “Steel” and “Thunder.” It was these champion Peresean warriors who defended their titles and their regions by fighting for the trophy in the NTB Police Chief’s Cup.
A thrilling highlight of the event was Peresean fighting between the male youth Pepadu of West Lombok and Central Lombok. This battle of young warriors is expected to rejuvenate the practice of Peresean on Lombok.
Two forms of combative traditional arts from the island of Sumbawa demand the same degree of courage and dexterity shown by the Peresean fighters. Mpa’a Tumbi, the head-butting contest of the Mbojo people of Bima, and Barempuk, ritual boxing with rice-straw gloves by the Samawa people of Sumbawa regency, also enthralled the crowds at the championship in Mataram.
In each of the three arts, each fighter battles to drop his opponent as soon as possible. Each fighter must be brave and have developed the agility to dodge the potentially injurious blows of his opposition.
Although players may suffer injury and bleeding, it is a tradition and a rule of the games that no fighter bears any resentment to his opponent. In fact, after the event each fighter approaches his opponent. They embrace and apologise to each other for any physical harm.
“In the arena each man fights with all his ability, trying immediately to defeat his opponent by a blow to the head that causes bleeding,” said West Lombok Peresean referee Mahyun. “But once the battle is over, all that remains is a sense of brotherhood and opponents who may not previously have known each other often become friends.”
NTB Culture and Tourism head Gita Aryadi said Peresean fighters were motivated to prove their masculine virility and not by the prospect of prizes, which generally were bath towels and soap and small amounts of money.
Cultural preservation of ritual arts was vitally important to NTB’s tourism sector, he said, adding that the because of the high risk of injury the fighters should receive a decent income. “The NTB Department of Culture and Tourism of NTB will strive to achieve this,” said.
source:enchanting-lomboksumbawa.com
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