Blast of Spirit

When it's time to prepare the rice fields for planting, it's time to hold a Pacu Jawi, or Cow Race. Cattle compete by racing down a muddy field pulling rice plows behind them.

Pacu Jawi, or Cow Race is an exciting cultural event held every year in West Sumatra, Tanah Datar and Payakumbuh, Indonesia. They're a major, well-organized event. Pacu Jawi is always held in the muddy rice fields and is usually carried out in accordance with the harvest season. Jockey riding a pair of cow while holding only on the cows. In order to force the cows to walk faster, they will bite the cows on purpose. Two cows are loosely tied together so it is more difficult to maintain a consistent long-term. This creates a fun and funny moments, for example, two cows will run in different directions jockey splitting in half. Jockey fell flat on his face in dirty water and mud followed by thunderous applause and cheers from the audience.

I took this documentary image in Tanah Datar of West Sumatra, Indonesia.
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