Lombok’s indigenous Sasak community actively preserves its ritual arts such as the challenging sport of Peresean (stick-fighting), which traditionally was practised by the knights of Sasak.
Two brave young men, named pepadu, use rattan sticks and cowhide shields to test their strength and agility. Their behaviour and attitude teach the true meaning of chivalry.
The fierce fight takes place to the beat of traditional music and is sometimes staged during the dry season as a plea to God for rain and fertile crops.
Peresean begins when two judges, named pekembar, appoint the young fighters. Dancing traditional steps, the pekembar nominate the pepadu who face each other in the arena. An appointed pepadu cannot refuse, even in the face of defeat by a stronger opponent.
Each fighter carries a one-metre long rattan stick for striking his opponent and an animal skin shield for defence. As the starter whistle sounds, spectators erupt in cheers for one or other of the village champions.
Combatants must not strike the legs and should target only the upper body including the shoulders, back and head. Strikes to the head earn a higher score, but once blood is drawn the victim is declared “Out.”
The stick-fighting tradition, kept alive for hundreds of years, invariably draws excited local crowds and curious tourists. It is on the agenda of most cultural events including celebrations of Indonesia’s Independence Day on 17 August.
Some Lombok villages have a reputation for the resilience and agility of their young pepadu. West Lombok’s Parampuan village generally sends 15 accomplished pepadu to an event.
These young knights of Sasak have been physically trained by a former champion pepadu and psychologically trained to resist defeat.
Rus, 35, was a popular young pepadu who earned the title Si Hujan Rintik, or The Rain Drop, for his speedy ability to disable his opponent’s swinging stick.
Representing Penarukan village in Gerung, Rus bled from the head only twice in the many events he contested from his early teens. “At the core of the tradition is the spirit of brotherhood and solidarity, rather than hostility,” he said.
Peresean is integral to Sasak life. Resisting desire to refuse facing a stronger opponent represents the bravery of the Sasak community which has nothing to fear from threats or barriers if people behave correctly.
After every Peresean match, opponents clasp each other in a warm embrace, acknowledging there will be no hard feelings for blows inflicted or wounds sustained.
“Historically, there has never been an act of revenge or even an unfriendly incident after Peresean,” said Rus. “The hostility of the match is never taken out of the arena.”
The Peresean spirit of sportsmanship and chivalry develops strong bonds of brotherhood between opponents who may not previously have known each other.
The West Nusa Tenggara (NTB) provincial police force has initiated a Peresean contest as a cultural means of dispelling potential threat of inter-village conflict.
“We remind people that the spirit of Peresean lives within them,” said Sasak cultural leader Lalu Nasib. “Physical competition should be carried out only in the Peresean arena.”
source:http://www.enchanting-lomboksumbawa.com
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