Pacu Jalur

(, ; '' puh-tCHOO-juh-LOOR'', also spelt as , , or ) is a traditional cultural Minangkabau boat race originated from the Eastern-West Sumatran regions of Tanah Datar and Kuantan Singingi (colloquially also known as Kuansing) on the Indonesian island of Sumatra. The is held annually in the river of Batang Kuantan under the Pacu Jalur Festival series of events, it is the largest annual festival for the local communities (especially in the capital district of Taluk Kuantan) for hundreds of years.

Since 2014, the traditions, knowledge, cultural customs, biocentrism awareness, and the practices of officially recognized and regarded by the  Ministry of Education, Culture, Research, and Technology of Republic Indonesia as integral part of the  National Intangible Cultural Heritage of Indonesia. As the effort to preserve these cultural heritage, the government of Indonesia support the Pacu Jalur Festival which held annually in Kuantan Singingi and promote its importance for the wider public both nationwide and international, the winner team of usually will also have a chance to be elected as the national athlete of Indonesia to represent Indonesia in the international boat racing events.

In 2022, the art (illustrated by a Bandung-based Sundanese artist, Wastana Haikal), selected as the Google Doodle of-the-day, a special logo alteration on Google's homepage intended to commemorate the Indonesian Independence Day celebrated on August 17 annually.

Nomenclature

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

''Pacu Jalur'' is one of the cultural traditions of the Kuantan people in Indragiri Hulu. The Kuantan region lies along the Batang Kuantan River, an area once known as Rantau Kuantan. In the Tambo Alam Minangkabau (the traditional Minangkabau chronicle), this region was referred to as Negeri Oso Kurang Dua Puluh. Little is known about the exact starting date of these cultural tradition, but the earliest written reference for specifically mentioned during the 17th century within the local manuscripts. However, in earlier era, in the 7th century, it is worth to mention that the large number of envoy of Minangkabau rowers reached the downstream of the Batang Hari river (part of modern-day Jambi provincial region) from its upstream in Minangkabau Highlands (part of modern-day Riau provincial region) using watercrafts, these specific event described in the Kedukan Bukit Inscription found in Palembang.

According to the oral tradition of the local community, the were initially used as a means of transport along the river of Batang Kuantan from the Kuantan Hulu (upstream region) all the way down to the Cerenti sub-district at the mouth of Batang Kuantan river. 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 Kuansing Minangkabaus 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.

During the Dutch colonialism era, the was allowed and held to enliven the traditional celebrations; since 1890 it was used as the mean to commemorate the birthday of Wilhelmina (the Queen of the Netherlands) that fell on 31 August annually and the festival will last up to 1 or 2 September. The celebration was contested for 2–3 days, depending on the number of tracks that follow. Formerly, before the arrival of the Dutch colonizers, was already held by the locals to commemorate the Muslims celebrations, such as ('Birthday of Muhammad'), Eid-ul Fitr, or even to celebrate the Islamic New Year. Furthermore, after the independence of Indonesia, the festival developed more and intended to celebrate the Independence Day of the Republic of Indonesia as well.

Later on, to preserve this cultural tradition, the government of Indonesia includes the Pacu Jalur Festival in annual national tourist calendar event of Indonesia, which usually held around 23 to 26 August.

The boat

“Jalur” 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 : luan (prow), talingo (front ear), panggar (seat), pornik (hull), ruang timbo (bailing area), talingo belakang (rear ear), kamudi (steering place / helmsman’s spot), lambai-lambai / selembayung (*handholds for the tukang onjor), pandaro (jalur core/seed), ular-ular (rowers’ seat), selembayung (the carved tip of the jalur), pengayak (rower), panimbo (bailer scoop). The selembayung 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 jalur 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 is a long and intricate process, deeply rooted in community and tradition. It all begins with a village meeting (a ''musyawarah'' or ''rapek kampung'') where the community gathers, bringing together traditional leaders, elders, intellectuals, women, and youth, under the guidance of a village elder, often a customary leader. If everyone agrees to build a jalur, they lay out the plan and move forward.

The first crucial step is choosing the right tree. The selected tree must meet strict standards of quality, its type, size, and, importantly, its spiritual essence. The wood is often from banioDrs. Suwardi, MS (1984)
Pacu Jalur dan Upacara Pelengkapnya
Department of Education and Culture of the Republic of Indonesia, Directorate General of Culture, kulim kuyiang, or another suitable species: it must be straight, stretching 25 to 30 meters long and about one to two meters in diameter, and it should contain a ''mambang'', a kind of spirit that brings its own significance. The tree must be sturdy enough to carry between forty and eighty rowers when finished. Here, the pawang (the spiritual guide) plays an essential role, performing a semah ritual to ensure the tree does not “disappear” in a supernatural sense once selected.

When the ritual is complete, the tree is felled using axes and adzes, and its branches and twigs are cleared away. The log is then trimmed at both ends to match the intended length, the bark is peeled off, and the trunk is measured and marked out into sections (the prow, the “ears,” the hull, and so on) using strings as guides.

The shaping begins with the ''pendadan'', leveling the front part of the log from base to tip. Next comes ''mencaruk'', hollowing out the inside of the trunk to an even thickness. Once the hollowing is done, the upper sides are smoothed in a process called menggiling, forming the rim and beginning to shape the outer hull.

Then comes ''manggaliak'', the careful turning over of the log so the top side is now underneath, making it easier to slim and refine the hull’s shape. This stage demands precise calculations to maintain balance and uniform thickness throughout, measured by drilling small holes that are later plugged with pegs. Once done, the log is flipped back upright, and the prow and rudder take shape.

When the jalur is halfway finished, it is hauled back to the village in a ceremonial event called maelo jalur, which relies on the strong spirit of cooperation among villagers. The finishing touches follow: the boat is smoothed and carved in detail, then placed on a rack and smoked to strengthen the wood.

Finally, the jalur is launched into the river, the entire process brought to a close with one last ceremony.

The crew, or anak pacu, consists of several key roles: the tukang kayu (boat builder), the tukang concang (the commander who gives signals), the tukang pinggang (helmsman), and the tukang onjai, who sits near the stern and keeps the rhythm by swaying their body up and down. There is also the tukang tari, who helps the tukang onjai apply balanced pressure, allowing the jalur to rock steadily and rhythmically through the water.

The race

According to the language of the local population, ''Jalur'' means Boat. 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)

Popular culture

* In June 2025, Pacu Jalur had a moment of global recognition after videos depicting an 11-year-old Tukang Tari—a dancer on the front of the boat that gives spirit to the oarsmen—reached millions of viewers on Instagram and TikTok. The video was posted on social media overlaid with various songs, commented on by celebrities, and imitated by content creators; becoming a meme and trend by July. It has been associated with "aura farming", defined as someone who does something repetitive to look cool and build "aura".

Notable boats

* Putri Anggun Sibiran Tulang - of Banjar Padang Village, Kuantan Mudik District, Pacu Jalur Champion of Narosa Riverbank, Teluk Kuantan on August 2024.
* Tuah Koghi Dubalang Ghajo - of Pintu Gobang Kari Village, Central Kuantan District, famously known for its boat dancer kid who went viral in July 2025.

See also

* — another traditional Minangkabau sport of bull race
* — another traditional Minangkabau sport of duck race

References

Notes

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External links

Riau
Tourist attractions in Riau
Festivals in Indonesia