Chris and I ventured to one of the many Pasola festivals that take place in Sumba. They are traditional war re-enactments (so we left the short guy at home). These festivals are part of the ancient Marapu religion found only on the island of Sumba. They are performed each year to ensure a good harvest and a prosperous year. The ceremony starts in the morning around 5am at the coast. Everyone gathers to watch the village shaman take stock of a type of sea worm mating on the shore. Somehow, the shaman gleans valuable information about the upcoming year from the undulating worms.
Following the morning’s voyeuristic activities, the crowd then moves to the Pasola field. Every village has one. They are centrally located and consist of a large clearly with perhaps a few bleachers made out of stone slabs or concrete.
Only a few years ago, these re-enactments were more like planned, sanctioned battles. Real spears were thrown at one another by opposing tribes. Participants were inevitably injured and some even died. The spilling of blood is part of many Marapu ceremonies. Not many of these ceremonies involve humans, though. Pasola is one of the exceptions. It was/is believed that the offering of blood is necessary to guarantee a bountiful harvest.
Today, Pasola re-enactments take place using blunted spears made only of wood. Riders take turns lobbing these large sticks at one another in an attempt to joust an opposing rider from his horse. A score is somehow determined for each attempt by village elders acting as referees. It is an honor to be chosen by your tribe to participate as a warrior in the Pasola. With this honor, though, comes the risk of shame should the rider be knocked from his horse. Even though rules have been put in place to minimize the risk to the riders, injuries do occur and occasionally there is still a death.
You can guarantee a Pasola festival will eventually deteriorate into a true skirmish. The level of the fervor in the skirmish depends on the history between the two tribes participating in the re-enactment. We attended the Pasola in Wanokaka for two reasons: it was on a day we had free, and it is the safest. Regardless of the proclaimed safety, it too turned into a bunch of men throwing rocks at one another. The security forces in attendance to guard local political figures intervened.
The aforementioned dignitaries, like the man who insisted on having his picture taken with me, quickly departed.
And so another Pasola festival ended.
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