Kuda Lumping- Crazy Jumping Horse

I love the contradictions of Indonesia. You get the death penalty for bringing in marijuana, and yet there exists the common public (although probably not legally sanctioned) entertainment, Kuda Lumping. This is where a group of (normally) young men take a drug, which sends them into a weird hyper state in which they act a bit like stylised horses and apparently feel no pain.

Having heard about it from Kenny, the other teacher at my school (he's going to try it next time... although that's what he said last week), I got to witness and become involved in this spectacle yesterday. As soon as they see your camera, the Indonesians ferry you to the good photo spots. However, this put me in full view of a Kuda Lumping (one who'd taken the drug), who gestured to me. The Kuda Lumping are supposed to be possessed by spirits I think, so you do what they say. And so I found myself, having seen nothing of the ritual, in the middle of a crowd with a cardboard horse between my legs and being directed to the other end of the square. Happily I didn't have to take any drugs or do anything excet avoid the drugged out 'Kuda', but what a crazy initiation! (Kenny was a bit jealous, as he'd not gotten such special treatment. Then again, he's not a young white girl. I get told almost daily that I am very beautiful, and it is not uncommon for a young man to declare "I like you, Miss". I don't think it's my personality he likes...)

Anyway, the Kuda are washed in flowers and water, then given the drug. They become wild eyed and move in a dance like fashion, strutting with their legs straight, which looks a bit like a horse, and a bit like a rooster. They do all sorts of crazy things, like whipping themselves and being whipped by others, ripping into coconuts with their teeth and fighting each other. One guy bit into a live chicken. Apparently if you are sick in any way they can sense this, and will target you (people in the crowd kept asking if I was sick- I thought it was because I was white, but they were just concerned the Kuda might target me). They are baited and simultaneuously watched over by horsemen, who are dressed and painted meticulously and mounted on the same cardboard horses I rode earlier.

When the drug wears off, the Kuda become woozy. Then they stiffen like a board, and have to be carried off to have water poured on their head. They seem ok later, and advised me that the experience was 'enak'- delicious. It was pretty crazy. I loved being part of the crowd, I felt very much included in the audience, rather than being the spectacle myself. The Indonesian women kept drawing me into the crowd when it was 'dangerous', and the men would draw me to good vantage spots for cameras.

But my favourite part of all this? That one of the Kuda wore a t-shirt emblazoned in English- "Say no to drugs".