Yesterdays Weapon, Todays Sports Tool

Wednesday, June 20, 2012

At the Gawai Dayak 2012 (Dayak Culture Week) last month in Pontianak, capital of West Kalimantan province, one unique attraction was the sumpit tournament. The sumpit was once the Dayaks most trusted and reliable hunting weapon, whether at war or at peace. Today, though the sumpit has lost its luster, the Dayak people of West Kalimantan have found a unique way to preserve this cherished family heritage handed down from their forefathers. They have transformed it from a warring weapon into a competitive sporting tool. In 2011, the province hosted the first international sumpit tournament. Tempo English looks at the challenges of reviving an age-old tradition and turning it into a worthwhile cause.

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Abon put a damak (dart) into a blowpipe or sumpit, a Da-yak ethnic groups weapon for hunting. The sun was shining with intense heat in the yard of Rumah Betang, a traditional long house, in Pontianak, West Kalimantan. Abons upper body was clad in a bark vest. His head was decorated with bird plumes. He remained silent for a few seconds, inhaling deeplylooking at his aim. He stood upright, his hands raising a 2-meter-long pipe to his lips. Then he

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