Monday August 3, 2009
This video was taken from: You Tube
Indian cultural festival at Kampung Buah Pala
GEORGE TOWN: More than 500 people including university students turned up at Kampung Buah Pala to catch what would probably be the last glimpse of the village's cultural heritage.
The event started at noon yesterday with the pot-smashing game similar to that of hitting a pinata. The game was open only to the girls and they had to hit a clay pot that was hung in mid-air while blindfolded.
Before the bull-dozers move in: Kampung Buah Pala's cultural heritage included the rustic sport of taming fierce bulls, one of numerous events held Sunday at the village. Whoever hit the clay pot filled with water in three attempts was given RM5.
The crowd surrounding the participant would cheer and shout directions. The onlookers also had to dodge the flailing bamboo stick of the participants.
Up next was the rustic sport of taming fierce bulls or Jallikattu. A group of men entered the enclosure to try to remove a piece of cloth that was tied around the bull's horn to win RM100 cash.
It proved to be a difficult task for the men as whenever they got close to the agitated bull, it chased them away.
The crowd cheered and everyone gasped in shock when the bull charged at one of the men and almost pinned him to the ground.
Fortunately, no one was hurt.
Next came the Valuku Maram or greasepole where groups of six men struggled to reach the top of a 9.8m greasy betel nut pole where a RM1,000 cash prize money was tied.
It was hilarious as the most a group could reach was up to the fourth person. Everyone would then come sliding down.
Universiti Sains Malaysia student Lau Pei Ling said her first trip to the village was an exciting one.
The 22-year-old, who tried her hand at the pot-smashing game, said she hoped it would not be her last time taking part in the "colourful event."
"It is going to be a big loss if the village and its tradition has to make way for development," she said.
A group of 30 students from the university also presented a banner to residents' association assistant secretary C. Thamaraj to show their support to the villagers.
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This article was taken from: The Star Online: Nation 3 August 2009
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