Pacu Jalur

The is an Eastern Minangkabau-origin term; the literally means "race", meanwhile the word refers to "(elongated) boat". In simple sense, the could be roughly translated as "boat race" or "canoe race". Depends on Minangkabau dialectal differences, the might spelt differently, such as Pacu Jalua (in Standard Minangkabau), Pacu Jalugh or Pachu Jalugh (in another Eastern Minangkabau), or even . According to colonial manuscripts written in Dutch, these cultural traditions were better known by its nicknames, such as () or (). ==History==

One of the earliest written references for specifically mentioned in the 17th century native Sumatran manuscript of (). According to the oral tradition of the local community, the were initially used as a means of transport along the river of Indragiri (upstream region) all the way down to the Cerenti sub-district at the mouth of Batang Kuantan. As ground transportation was not yet developed during that time, the route was actually used as an important means of transport for villagers, mainly used as a means of transporting crops, such as local fruits and sugar cane, and serves to transport about 40-60 people. Later, these elongated dug-out boats are purposely decorated by the local cultural elements that might include the heads of snakes, crocodiles, tigers and sometimes added with Minangkabau umbrellas (). As the time goes by, its function shifted from being a mere transport means for people to a splendid royal barge. The water-route that usually used as the transport or exchange goods-route gradually transformed as the sociocultural identity for Minangkabaus of Rantau Kuantan to hold the festivals. Moreover, according to the written historical records, the route also served as the royals' route to welcome the honorable guests of kings (and later sultans) who wanted to visit the Rantau Kuantan area. In 2025, a video of the national Pacu Jalur on the Kuantan went viral on the internet. The video, often titled Boat Kid Aura Farming, featured the kid dancer at the head of the boat (Tukang Tari, or Anak Coki) wearing Teluk Belanga, edited to the tune of "Young Black & Rich" by American rapper Melly Mike. It was reposted and recreated multiple times. French football club Paris Saint-Germain posted its own rendition on TikTok on 1 July and garnered more than 7 millions in 10 days. The trend was followed by AC Milan football club, Travis Kelce, and Alex Albon, amongst others. The boy featured on the video, Rayyan Arkan Dhika from Tuah Koghi Dubalang Ghajo team, was 11 years old at the time of filming. He was later named a cultural ambassador of Riau, where he came from for his roles in promoting the tradition to the international recognition. ==Boat==

"" is a type of boat made from a single whole tree trunk — it’s not split, cut into pieces, or joined together. Its characteristics are sturdiness, strength, sleekness, and artistic form, so when racing, there’s no worry about it breaking; it moves swiftly and looks pleasing to the eye. A jalur consists of the following parts : (prow), (front ear), (seat), (hull), (bailing area), (rear ear), (steering place / helmsman’s spot), / (handholds for the ), (jalur core/seed), (rowers’ seat), (the carved tip of the jalur), (rower), (bailer scoop) The and the sides of the jalur's body are usually carved and brightly painted. The motifs vary, such as vines, geometric shapes, waves, birds, and others, even airplanes. Each boat has a name, for example: Naga Sakti, Gajah Tunggal, Rawang Udang, Kompe Berangin, Bomber, Pelita, Orde Baru, and so on. The making of a jalur goes through quite a long process, which is as follows: • To draw up a work plan, a village meeting (musyawarah or rapek kampung) is first held, attended by various community elements such as traditional leaders, intellectuals, women, and youth, led by a village elder, usually a customary leader. If everyone agrees to make a jalur, then the next steps are decided. • Choosing the tree. The tree must meet certain quality requirements (type, size, etc.), especially its magical or spiritual weight. The type chosen is usually banio, kulim kuyiang, or another suitable wood; it must be straight, about 25–30 meters long, 1–2 meters in diameter, and have a mambang (a kind of spirit). It must be ensured that, once finished, the jalur can carry 40–80 rowers. In this selection process, the role of the pawang (spiritual guide) is vital. Once the tree is chosen, a semah ceremony is held so the tree does not "disappear" supernaturally. • Felling the tree. After the pawang performs the semah, the tree is felled with axes and adzes. Branches and twigs are removed. • Cutting the ends. The cleaned log is trimmed at the ends to certain measurements matching the planned length of the jalur. Then the bark is peeled off, and the log is measured and divided into parts: prow, "ears" hull, and so on using string tools. • Shaping the front (). The upper front part (dada) of the log is leveled, running from base to tip. • Hollowing (). The inside is carved out evenly along its length. • Smoothing (). The upper sides are smoothed to form the rim of the boat and begin shaping the outer upper part. • Turning over (). The log is flipped so that the part that was on top is now underneath, allowing the outer hull to be shaped and slimmed freely. This requires careful calculation to keep all parts equally thick. Measuring is done by drilling small holes that are later plugged with pegs. • Flipping back (). The log is turned upright again. • Forming the prow and rudder. • Hauling the half-finished jalur back to the village, accompanied by the maelo jalur ceremony. Community teamwork is crucial here. • Finishing touches. The boat is smoothed, carved, and then lifted onto a rack (ram account pian) and smoked. • Launching the boats into the river, which completes the boat-making process and is also marked by a ceremonial event. ==Race==

Before the main event of "Pacu Jalur 'is started, it usually held entertainment performances like singing and dancing performances to entertain all participants and surrounding communities. Nowadays, prior to the festival, smaller paddling events were held in four districts, followed by a traditional mini route held at Tepian Narosa Teluk Kuantan. The racetrack follows the flow of Batang Kuantan River, with a track length of about 1 km marked by six piles. The wooden boat taking part in the competition usually have a length of 25 to 40 meters and the width of the middle section of approximately 1.3 ms / d 1.5 m. The crew for each boat varies from 50 to 60 people. Each of the crew has his own task, there is the commander who shouts out instructions, the helmsman, another one leads the boat by dancing from left to right, while another provides the "music" to provide rhythm and ensure regularity to paddlers. All these are in order that the boat moves fast forward in the right direction, provide balance, and paddlers follow the same rhythm. Previous winners (listed by boat name) ==Notable boats==

• Bomber – of Siberakun Village, Benai District. Record holder of the champion titles of Pacu Jalur. • Putri Anggun Sibiran Tulang – of Banjar Padang Village, Kuantan Mudik District. Pacu Jalur champion of Narosa Riverbank, Teluk Kuantan, in August 2024. • Pandan Baiduri – of Kampung Pulau Village, Rengat District, Indragiri Hulu. Record holder of champion titles of Pacu Jalur outside of Kuantan Singingi. • Siposan Rimbo (nicknamed "General") – of Pauh Angit Village, Pangean District. Holder of four champion titles, having won three of them consecutively from 2016 to 2018 • Tuah Koghi Dubalang Ghajo – of Pintu Gobang Kari Village, Central Kuantan District. A video of the boat's Tukang Tari (young dancer on the bow that gives spirit to the oarsmen), Rayyan Arkan Dhika, set to the hip-hop single "Young Black & Rich" by Melly Mike, went viral on the Internet in July 2025. The charismatic dance was widely imitated and brought Pacu Jalur to the attention of millions of viewers globally. ==See also==