TOURISM AND DESTINATION: A BULL-RACE IN MADURA

 Hi! Did you ever hear that a cow can run faster than a horse?? Hmm, sounds strange, doesn't it?

This question will lead us to such a wonderful thing that could be a reference for your next destination. Check it out!


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Madurese people (http://rooneyfirst.wordpress.com)

Madura Island is located in East Java. It is separated from Java island and lied on the northeast-side of Java Island. There is an interesting yearly culture, namely KARAPAN SAPI (BULL-RACE).


Karapan Sapi is a  term to call a competition which engage animal, two cows, and human. The two cows, which they are both bulls, will race in a lap of 100 meters. They pull a small cart along the race. And there is one person who will be a jockey and control the bulls.

picture source : http://hotelku.co.id

When the race is begun, the bulls will run very fast in order to be a first winner. The race will only spend 10 seconds till 1 minutes for one section. In one section, there is only two pairs of bull and one of them will be a winner, while another one will be a looser. The winner will deserve to have the next race which the competitor comes from other winner of other sections.

Some cities in Madura become the place for conducting this competition around August and September every year.  The champion of the race in final will deserve to receive a President cup and this moment is done by the end of September or October. .

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The History of The Bull-race

It might be surprising that there is a history underlying the existence of a Bull-race in Madura. The history tell us that many years ago, Madura Island is well recognized as infertile land. It is not very good and appropriate for having land cultivation so that people can farm.

picture source: http://www.demotix.com/news/853502/madura-bull-race-tradition-became-controversial#media-853270

One day, there was Ulama (Moslem Scholar) in Sumenep (name of town) namely Syeh Ahmad Baidawi (Pangeran Katandur) introducing the way how to farm and cultivate the land by using two bamboos (Madurese people call it "nanggala" or "salaga") that is pulled by two bulls.

It was suggested that it should be a strong bull which would pull the cart to cultivate the land. The srong bulls would make the jobs so much easier. Then strong bulls were selected. In conclusion, People made a race to prove whether a bull which carried a small cart was strong enough or not to cultivate the land. Day by day, this tradition becomes well-known by most Madurese people, so that it is called KARAPAN SAPI.

http://rooneyfirst.wordpress.com/2010/09/25/karapan-sapi-madura

So, what do you say?

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