Makepung Lampit is one of the most unusual agricultural festivals in Bali, combining traditional farming practices with the excitement of water buffalo racing.
Derived from the Balinese word kepung, meaning “to chase”, Makepung is a traditional water buffalo race held exclusively in the regency of Jembrana in West Bali.
While the well-known Makepung races take place on dry dirt tracks after the rice harvest, a lesser-known variation called Makepung Lampit is held in the muddy rice fields at the beginning of the planting season.
The word lampit refers to a traditional wooden plank pulled by a pair of water buffaloes to flatten wet rice fields before planting. Once the muddy fields are levelled, farmers can begin planting rice.
Community Tradition
Makepung Lampit reflects the traditional Balinese concept of gotong royong, a spirit of communal cooperation where villagers work together for a shared purpose.
The event symbolises the collective preparation for the upcoming rice planting season and celebrates the strong agricultural traditions of the region.
Revival of an Old Tradition
In the early twentieth century, Makepung Lampit was a popular event in rural West Bali. Over time the tradition gradually disappeared and was rarely practiced for decades.
In recent years, however, the cultural authorities of Jembrana Regency have revived the event in an effort to preserve this unique local heritage.
Today Makepung Lampit is typically held once a year at the end of the dry season, when the rice fields begin to fill with water before planting. The race takes place on a straight muddy track of roughly 100 meters, where teams of buffaloes pull the traditional wooden lampit through the water-filled fields.
The spectacle is very different from the dry-season races: buffaloes and jockeys splash through deep mud, creating dramatic scenes as the animals charge through the flooded rice paddies.
Makepung on Dry Fields
Another variation of Makepung takes place during the latter half of the dry season, usually between July and mid-November. During this period races are held on dry dirt tracks across harvested rice fields, where buffaloes pull lightweight racing carts known as cikar.
Many Makepung races take place near the coastal fishing communities of Jembrana, including the busy Pengambengan Harbor.
You can read more about the traditional Makepung races and find the calendar of race dates on the main Makepung page.
