Pasola on Sumba

Pasola belongs to the Marapu religion still followed in parts of west Sumba, and its timing is set by the sea. Priests watch for the night when nyale, a marine worm, swarms in the shallows, and the ritual follows within a day or two. Two sides of mounted riders then face each other across an open field and throw blunted wooden spears while galloping past, in what is understood as an offering to the earth before planting. Blood that falls on the ground is read as a good sign for the harvest. The whole district turns out in ikat cloth and headwraps, and the surrounding hills fill with people watching.

What you actually see

• The nyale gathering - priests and villagers collecting sea worms at dawn to fix the date.
• Mounted passes - riders crossing the field at speed with blunted spears.
• Village dress - ikat cloth, headwraps and decorated horse trappings brought out for the day.
• The hillsides - surrounding slopes packed with spectators from the whole district.

When to go

Pasola falls in February and March, with different villages holding theirs in different weeks, and the exact date is confirmed only days ahead when the nyale appear. That makes advance booking awkward, so most visitors base themselves on Sumba for a week and follow local information. Mornings are cooler and the field is easier to reach before the crowds build.

Honest expectations

Dates cannot be pinned down in advance, so a trip planned around Pasola may simply miss it. Injuries to riders do happen and the day is not tidied up for visitors, which some find hard to watch. Crowds are large, there is no seating and little shade, and the drive from the airport is long. Sumba has few hotels and they fill during the season.

Nearby

Traditional villages with high thatched roofs and stone graves stand throughout the district.