Pasola: Sumba's horseback spear ritual
What the Pasola is, where it happens and how to watch it respectfully.
The Pasola is a ritual contest in which riders on Sumba's small horses throw blunt wooden spears at each other. It belongs to the Marapu belief and the farming calendar, and it is not a show put on for tourists.
Where
It is held in western Sumba: Kodi, Lamboya, Wanokaka and Gaura.
When
Usually around February or March. The exact days are set each year by Marapu elders and linked to the appearance of sea worms (nyale) on the beach, so dates are confirmed only a short time before. We publish them in The Sumba Times as soon as they are announced.
How to watch
Stay where locals tell you to stand, far from the horses: spears and horses can come towards the crowd. Do not walk onto the field. Ask before photographing people, and never fly a drone without permission.
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