bull race and mudura island

Bull Race and Mudara Island


Madura is not only well know by salt island but also by bull race so that before I talk too much about bull race, first of all I am going to to tell the history of the word bull race itself. Bull race or kerapan sapi is one the terms in Madura language which is used to name competition of bull race. Actually, there are two versions of history the word kerapan. The first version talk that “kerapan” from the word “kerap” or ”kirap” meaning that go and being escaped together. Other version said that the word “kerapan” from Arabic word “ kirabah” meaning that friendship “persahabatan”. However, the definition of bull race in general is the competion of bull. Recently, in Madura, especially in Kangean there is the same race but it use the different animal. There use carabao as the race. And it is named as Mamajir not carabao race.
Bull race is one the most important cultures that everyone like it so much. So that all of the people of Madura don’t care about the whether. They will see or watch the competition of bull race although it is hot or not. Usually, the people of Madura will come to that competition by truct. Morever in the Gubeng bull race (kerapan besar) not only the citizens of Madura but also many tourists come to Madura just for seeing or wacthing the bull race. They are willing though they have to jostle.
According to many people of Madura, there are many versions when the bull race came to that Island.
The first version said the bull race has already appeared since 14 century. At that time, the bull race was used for spreading the Islamic exploratory by Kiyai Pratanu. He is a virtous person . So many people came to him for discussing their life. Many people liked and him. It was implemented when Kiyai Pratanu said something, without thinking twice the followers directly did it. And also when Kiyai Pratanu passed away, many people cried. The people of Madura fetl suffer for they were lleft by Kiyai Pratanu. During Kiyai Pratanu’s life, he focused his life to serve to his follwers. One of the them is he taught his members how to plow the rice fied used the cows.. because this event, the bull race exsisted until now.
The second version is the bull race was created by Ady Poday, he is Panembahan Wilingi’s child who hold the fower in Sepudi since 14 century. Time to time Adi Podey settled in Madura island so he had many experiences that he could bring to Podey especially in agriculture. After Adi Podey came to the Podey, the agriculture in that island has developed. One of the techniques that Adi Podey used to develop the agriculture is using cow. Day by day, many people of Adi Podey used cow to plough their wet rice field together so they intended to make competition in finishing their works. And finally, that competition was named bull race or kerapan sapi.
The last version was coming from kiyai Ahmad Baidawai. He is praise to spread to Islamic sceince. He introduced to his members how to plough their wet rice field by using pairs of bambou which is called nanggala or salaga pulled by pairs of cow. Due to his science, he was famous as Pangeran Setandor.

Not all the bull can be race but there are certain creterions of bull race. Those are
1. The bull must be original Madura bull
2. The bull must be healthy and stong
3. The bull must be tall as 120cm
4. The teeth of the bull must be taken.
To keep this traditional activity, the bull race is conducted every year on August till October. This events are clasified into five catagories.
1. Kerap Keni (small bull race)
The participants of this competition are the internal district of that area. In this criterion the distance of this race is 110 m and it is followed by the small bulls which don’t have enough skill. And the criteria of the winner of this competition are the faster and going straight when the bull race is running. For the winners, they are allowed to join in the higher competition, it is big bull race kerapan raja
2. Kerapan raje (big bull race)
This competition is usually called by kerap negara, it is conducted in the city at Sunday. The distance of this race is 120 m and the participants are the winner of the small bull race.
3. Kerap onjangan (invation bull race)
The invatation bull race or kerapan onjangan is race that the particiapant coming from the invitation of those cities . this race is usually conducted to celebrate the historical days.
4. Kerap Karesidenen (recidency bull race)
This race is the big bull race followed by the winner of 4 cities in Madura (Sumenep, Pamekasan, Sampang, and Bangkalan). This competition is conducted in Pamaekasan at sunduy. It is the top or the last race in that year.

5. Kerap jar-jaran (drilling bull race)
Kerapan jar-ajaran (drilliing bull race) is bull race conducted just for training the small bull race before coming on the real competition. Then these bull races will be brought to real competition.
The majority of Madura people are Muslim and also the life of Madura is well known as religious. I, recently, know the people of Madura especially kiyai will avaoid to that bull race. Because the way of bull race is break the Islamic low. According to some of the Madura people, when the competition of bull race is hold there nis tokang tongkok or Joki race the bull by using the stick which is contained by small nails. The joki will hurt the bottom of the bull so finally the bull will blood. Due to this action this traditional culture will loose next.