Tradition and pride cut through the waves in Sulawesi

Fabio Scarpello Contributor Jakarta

The one-week annual Sulawesi Sandeq boat race will start on Saturday from Majene in South Sulawesi heading for the province's capital of Makassar some 200 nautical miles away, organizers said on Friday.

During race week, the elements and the fishermen's passion combine to provide an event that is not to be missed.

But it is not simply about sailing. Local culture and tradition play an important role as well. A series of cultural activities and festivals -- organized by the local administration -- complement the race and attract tens of thousands of people all along the coastal legs of the race.

The race, which is being held for only the sixth time since the first one in 1995, is based on a hundred-year-old tradition. For over a century the Mandar people -- an ethnic group of about 1,500,000 living in South Sulawesi in the Polewali-Mamasa, Majene and Mamuyu areas -- have raced each other on these vessels.

For most of the fishermen, winning the race is a lifelong ambition, and this year, as always, the crews' glory, and their respective villages' pride are at stake.

The race -- organized by the Coastal Societies Research and Development Project run by the Makassar-based Hasanuddin University -- is aimed at bringing the problems of local communities to the public's attention, and exploring an alternative way of sustaining themselves by celebrating their cultural heritage.

One of the organizers, Horst Lieber, said: "Public awareness and recognition plus the personal pride and cultural dignity of the people involved are a much stronger driving force for sustainable and appropriate development than any multibillion dollar 'project'."

Saturday will serve as an introduction to the public. The participants will parade their vessels in the bay of Majene. On this occasion, the vessels can be admired from a relatively close range.

The peculiar, long and thin shape of the boats gives them their name for sandeq translates as "pointed". The boats range from 5 meters to 15 meters in length; the narrow hull and the huge sail area are the secret of their speed: up to 25 knots (50 kilometers per hour) in favorable winds is normal.

But the appearance of the boats is deceiving as regards strength and space. The fully decked hull prevents waves from breaking over the boat -- allowing it to face into unprotected waters -- and, at the same time, it can accommodate three to four sailors.

The real race -- said by some to be the world's longest and hardest -- starts on Sunday, and up till the very end there will be no respite for the competitors.

The first leg will take the participants to the gulf of Mandar, where the east monsoon is expected to give its usual blustery welcome.

The port of Makassar should be reached in the late afternoon of next Friday by the first vessels.

On the last day, Saturday, more racing and entertainment will be provided to mark Indonesia's Independence Day and the Makassar harbor festival.