Dressed to the Tee As the battle lines were being drawn by the fans all over the grounds, the actual teams were quietly unloading their prized bulls from lorries and trucks. The buffaloes were huge and had obviously enjoyed a pampered existence, some weighing up to one tonne each. They were also well dressed, decked in their Sunday best with all kinds of adornments. To match the beasts, the cikar or carts, which would be attached to the bulls, were equally painted in bright, flashy colours. I walked up to one hefty fellow who lazily turned his head away on my approach. The buffalo continued chewing cud nonchalantly as I admired its muscular build. Actually, it looked more like a Balinese dancer than a bull. A gelungan (head cover) and badong (neck cover) adorned its head, giving it a cultured look, while the horns were encased in colourful stockings; to keep the bull from goring passersby I presumed. Completing the ensemble were long spikes of frangipani on the sides of its head and
two incense sticks in the centre. I was half expecting the bull to start dancing a classical Balinese piece.
Off to the Race The jockeys soon arrived, affixed the cikar to the bulls with a lampit (yoke) carved with dragon motifs and, led the plodding bulls to the starting line. Watching the disinterested creatures, I really couldn’t see how this was going to be a pulse-racing event. However, all that was about to change soon. Out of nowhere, an umpire appeared and waved a red flag to signal the start of the race and the sluggish bulls suddenly charged furiously onto the circuit. The jockeys yelled loudly, egging their rides to race faster while holding onto the reins as the cikar careened left and right. The drama was further elevated with the crowd going wild, cheering at the top of their lungs. Dust rose thick in the air and through it, splotches of colour, heavy hoofs, snorting nostrils and shiny adornments flashed past, turning the event into one blurry
Above: The bulls are taken to the ocean for a wash before the race. Right: Cikar or carts are painted in bright and flashy colours. Far right: Complete with headgear, flowers and adornments, the beasts look more like traditional dancers than prized bulls.
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