Pasola

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Pasola is a game played by the Western Sumbanese ( Sumba Island. NTT. Indonesia) to celebrate the paddy planting season.

The game is played by throwing wooden spear to the opponent while riding a horse. The game is play by two different group of man from different clan or tribe.

It is a game that required a highly skilled horse riding (most of the Sumbanese ride their horse in and spear throwing skill.

It use to end up in a bloody game when the wooden spear hit the bare flesh of the participant.In the Sumbanese ancient believe, the spilled blood will fertilize the land and multiply the output.

This game is played in different regions in West Sumba during February to March:

- Wanukaka - Lamboya - Kodi

In Wanukaka, as part of the ritual, early in the morning, the marapu priests and their entourage will go the beach to perform prayer. They will sacrifice a black cock to the gods and check the heart of the cock to read the sign from the gods to proceeds with the pasola.

They decended to the sea afterward to collect the colourful sea worm as part of the ritual and proceed to the area where the game will be played.