Sandeq Boat Race, a less-publicized regatta
Fabio Scarpello, Contributor, Makassar, South Sulawesi
Initially it was meant as a medium to promote a community development project for South Sulawesi fishermen, but the annual Sandeq Boat Race has slowly turned into a sporting event and cultural attraction.
The first Majene-Makassar blue-water race was held in 1995 as part of a community development project initiated by The Coastal Societies Research and Development Project (P3MP) of Hasanuddin University in Makassar.
This year's race, despite financial trouble in the beginning, attracted the attention of local people who warmly welcome race participants along the route.
A cool crowd reaction was only witnessed in Majene regency and Makassar mayoralty, which are the starting and finishing points for the race, respectively. While the intermediate stops in Polewali Mamasa, Pinrang, Pare-pare and Barru regencies lived up to the extravagant expectations in providing a welcoming and friendly environment for boat crews, supporters and tourists alike.
Such a warm welcome was apparently not a surprising phenomenon for the Mandar people -- an ethnic group of about 1,500,000 living in South Sulawesi within the Polewali Mamasa, Majene and Mamuju regencies -- for whom participation and active support in the race is a matter of pride for all the villages.
Every family in the villages rallied in accommodating visitors, with food and drinks offered with a smile. Entertainment was provided in the form of local music and group games, in a merry and festive atmosphere.
And every boat arrival saw the same cycle of emotions in the supporters' faces: the initial anxious look turning into smiles and eventually sheer exhilaration as soon as the color of the flag of their respective villages appeared. Hauling the boat to the pier was always accompanied by cheers and hugs and, at times, tears of joy, while food and drinks were immediately supplied to the exhausted sailors.
The boats themselves have not changed from their century-old original design. The peculiar long and thin shape of the boats gave them their name, which translates as "pointed".
The boats range in length from five meters to 15 meters, while the narrow hulls and huge sails are the secret of their speed: reaching 25 knots (about 50 kilometers/hour) with favorable winds is the norm.
Sailing a Sandeq boat is very much a team effort, with six to eight people working together. From the skipper to the most junior sailor, everyone's contribution is essential in reaching the right balance and in exploiting the full potential of Sulawesi's winds. Skill, strength and courage are essential requisites to take part in what has been called the world's longest and toughest boat's race.
The Sandeq Traditional Boat Race 2002 started in Majene on Aug. 11 and ended at Losari Beach in Makassar on Aug. 16.
After six days of racing, which was divided into four stages and two triangular courses, the Sempati with skipper Hasan Pua Saria won the race.
The Sempati, sponsored by the Majene regency administration, won the race after being penalized the least with just seven penalties, winning the second stage from Polewali Mamasa to Ujung Lero and finishing second three other times.
The favorite, the Masya Allah, which was sponsored by South Sulawesi Governor Zainal Basri Palaguna, finished second after suffering 14 penalties and winning the first stage from Majene to Polewali Mamasa and securing fourth and fifth place in the other three stages.
Finishing joint third was the Arawungan Ratu and the Lincah, both of which suffered 16 penalties.