Culture and Sports

Indonesian Sports, Hobbies and Culture

Traditional sports are all sports activities that have been recognized as hereditary traditions in a certain tribe, ethnicity, or cultural group in Indonesia. Traditional sports usually rely on strength, flexibility, speed, and accuracy of reaction from the game. Indonesia is a country consisting of various tribes, languages, and cultures. This diversity of cultures contributes to the wealth of traditional sports in the archipelago. Traditional sports in Indonesia are not only for entertainment or part of physical activity, but also become part of the culture for the local community so it is very important to continue to be preserved. Here are 5 traditional sports in Indonesia.

Designated by UNESCO as an Intangible Cultural Heritage at the 14th Session of the Intergovernmental Committee for the Safeguarding of the Intangible Cultural Heritage, which took place in Bogota, Colombia, 9-14 December 2019, pencak silat is a traditional martial art originating from Indonesia. Martial arts are widely known in various countries in Southeast Asia, including Malaysia, Brunei Darussalam, Singapore, the southern Philippines and southern Thailand, according to the spread of the Malay Archipelago ethnic group. The parent organization of pencak silat in Indonesia is the Indonesian Pencak Silat Association (IPSI). The organization that accommodates the martial arts federations in various countries is the Association of Pencak Silat Between Nations (PERSILAT).

Pencak silat is a selfPENCAK defense sport that requires a lot of concentration. In Indonesia, each region has a distinctive martial arts tradition. Among them are the Cimande SILAT and Cikalong school in West Java, the Merpati Putih school in Central Java, and Perisai Diri school in East Java. Pencak silat has been competed regularly in the SEA Games since 1987. Until 2018, Pencak Silat was included as a sport that was competed at the XVIII Asian Games. At the national level, pencak silat has become one of the tools for unifying the archipelago, making the nation proud, and even becoming a national identity. “Pencak silat is not only about self-defense, but also survival” – Cecep Arif Rahman.

Archery

Archery is one of the most popular sports in Indonesia. Archery is a sport that challenges our ability to use a bow to shoot arrows. In the past, this skill was mostly used by archers and soldiers who fought on the battlefield, but now many people make archery a hobby. Archery itself has become popular since Indonesia participated in the 1952 Olympics, where the Indonesian Women’s Archery team at the Seoul Olympics (1988) became the first to win a medal in this event. Three “Srikandi” from Indonesia, namely Nurfitriyana Saiman, Kusuma Wardhani and Lilies Handayani, who were trained by Donald Pandiangan, managed to get silver medals. The association that accommodates archery in Indonesia is the Indonesian Archery Association (PERPANI). Archery or formerly known as Jemparingan originates from Yogyakarta, which has been preserved from generation to generation since the 17th century. This sport emerged since the reign of Sri Sultan Hamengku Buwono I. Unlike archery in general, the jemparingan sport is done in a cross-legged sitting position. In this position, the archer does not aim in sight, but positions the bow in front of the stomach, so that the shot is based on the feeling of the archery. The one who shoots the most arrows on target is the winner. Archery is not only seen as a sport, but also rich in traditional and philosophical values.

Egrang, or Stilts in English, is a sport using a long stick whose function is similar to the foot. This traditional Indonesian sport requires strong physical strength and skills. Although it looks easy, it takes focus and practice several times to be able to master this sport. If the stilts are too upright but the body does not have time to adjust, it will wobble. On the other hand, if you lean too much forward, the stilts that you can initially control within a few seconds may lose your balance and fall. This game has been recorded in the book Javanesse Kinder Spellen which was compiled by an observer of children during the Dutch colonial era. The sticks used are made of a pair of bamboo or wooden reeds of varying lengths, according to taste and need. On one side of the stick is given a place for a footrest. Egrang is derived

Egrang

from the Lampung language, which means stilts, because they are made of long round bamboo. Stilts themselves have several other names depending on the area, such as ‘tengkak’ (limping) in West Sumatra, ‘ingkau’ (bamboo shoes) in Bengkulu, ‘jangngkang’ in Central Java or ‘batungkau’ in West Kalimantan’.

With slices of saronen, a typical Madurese gamelan orchestra, cows are paraded in and around the racetrack. Relax the muscles while showing off the beauty of clothes (ambhin) and colorful accessories. After the parade, clothes and all accessories are removed except for the headdress called ‘obet’. Obet serves to give the kaleles flew into the air several

Karapan Sapi Cow Race confidence and strength to cows. After that, the race starts. A pair of cows wearing kaleles, a complementary means to be ridden by a tongkok/jockey driver, goes fast. Quick race against other pairs of cows. Speeding away, times, while the jockey tried to control and show his shrewdness. That is Karapan Sapi, a traditional cultural and sporting attraction for the Madurese community, East Java. Cows themselves have an important meaning for the Madurese. The Madurese believe that cows have a king. The female cow king is in Gadding Village, Manding District, Sumenep Regency. Meanwhile, the king of bulls is on Sapudi, an island on the east side of Madura. Since hundreds of years ago, female cows in Gadding have been well cared for and known for their quality. Meanwhile, Sapudi is known to produce superior bulls that are used as frequent cows or cattle for bulls.

Pacu Jalur

Pacu Jalur is a traditional Indonesian sport originating from Kuantan Singingi Regency, Riau Province. This sport is part of the culture of the Kuantan Singingi community. This sport does not use boats randomly. The length of the boat for about 25-40 meters and made of wood. Each boat consists of a team of about 50 to 60 men and women, aged 15-45 years. Team members are called ‘anak pacu’ with their respective duties according to their designation, such as ‘carpenter’, ‘tukang concang’ who becomes the commander or giver of the signal, ‘tukang pinggang’ who becomes the helmsman, ‘tukang onjal’ who tasked with applying pressure to keep the boat balanced and teetering regularly and rhythmically. Pacu Jalur is a sport that has been passed down from generation to generation for hundreds of years. Before there is the Pacu Jalur Festival which is aimed to celebrate the Independence Day of the Republic of Indonesia, this sport was held to commemorate major Muslim holidays such as Eid al-Fitr, Maulid Nabi or Muharram New Year. Until now, Pacu Jalur is not only enjoyed by villagers on the Kuantan River, but also by foreign tourists who are interested in watching the match.