All You Need to Know About Peresean Lombok

Know About Presean Lombok

Peresean is a traditional martial art game from the Sasak people of Lombok Island. It’s all about skill, strength, and agility. Two fighters face off using a penjalin (a long rattan stick) to strike, and an ende (shield) to block.

The fighters are called pepadu, while the referee—who also manages the match—is called the pekembar.

The History Behind Peresean

Long ago, Peresean wasn’t just a game. It was a sacred tradition. Sasak boys who were growing up into men would join Peresean fights to prove their strength and courage.

Before the match, their parents or religious leaders would give them spiritual teachings and inner strength practices—called ajian. These were paired with physical skills like silat (martial arts), belanjakan, and mecabang (local fighting techniques).

To test if those teachings really worked, a Peresean match would be held in front of respected village elders. The fight continued until one of the players bled—at that point, the match ended and that player was considered to have lost.

Peresean as a Rain Ritual

Another story says that Peresean was used as a rain ritual. When a drought lasted too long, Sasak villagers would gather in the rice fields and start a Peresean match. The fight would go on until one of the pepadu bled. After that, people believed rain would fall.

Peresean Today

These days, Peresean is no longer about testing spiritual power or calling rain. It’s become a cultural show—performed to welcome guests and tourists visiting Lombok.

How a Peresean Match is Held

In general, there are three main stages before a Peresean match begins:

1. Preparing the Place and Equipment

Peresean is usually held in an open space. The fighting arena is a 20×20 meter square.

The main equipment includes:

Penjalin: A 150 cm long rattan stick. It’s wrapped with five red threads—these stand for bravery.
Ende: A rectangular shield made from cow or buffalo hide. It’s about 60 cm long and 40 cm wide.

2. Preparing the Referees (Pekembar)

Once the place and tools are ready, the pekembar (referees) enter the arena. There are three of them: one main referee in the center (pekembar tengaq), and two on the sides (pekembar sedi). They walk in with traditional music playing.

There are three types of music used in Peresean:

Gending Pengempoh: This is the opening tune. It draws the crowd’s attention to come and watch.
Gending Pengadok / Perangsang: This tune plays as the referees search for matching fighters.
Gending Pengalus: This is the closing song. It’s soft, with the flute as the main instrument. It calms down the fighters and cools the atmosphere after the match.

3. Finding the Fighters (Pepadu)

Once the referees are in place and all instruments are ready, the pepadu from each group take their positions. Their trainer, called the mangku, helps them choose where to stand.

Then the fighters go through a matching process, called nandingan. They find an opponent, and once matched, they prepare their outfits:

Sapuq (head wrap)
Kereng (sarong)
Bebet (waist wrap)

Traditional Outfits in Peresean

Sapuq – The Headwrap

The headwrap is a must in Peresean. There are two styles:

Sapuq Tekep Pindang: Covers the whole head. This shows the pepadu wants to fight slowly and technically.
Sapuq Alif Nganjeng: Tied in a circle with a knot in the front forming a straight line (like the Arabic letter Alif). This means the fighter wants to fight fast and openly.

Kereng – The Sarong

Pepadu wear a long sarong during the fight. How they wear it says something about their strategy:

If it’s short: They plan to fight quickly and keep distance.
If it’s long (touching the ground): They want to fight up-close and stay focused.

Bebet – The Waist Wrap

This is a 100–150 cm long cloth tied around the waist.

It’s not just for looks. The bebet marks which body parts are allowed to be hit.

Anything below the bebet is off-limits.
Only areas above the bebet (from waist to head) can be struck.

Today, Peresean is more than just a fight—it’s a powerful symbol of tradition, pride, and the fighting spirit of the Sasak people. Whether you’re watching it for the first time or learning about its deep cultural roots, Peresean offers a one-of-a-kind glimpse into Lombok’s living heritage. So if you ever find yourself on this beautiful island, don’t miss the chance to witness this fierce yet respectful art form. It’s raw, real, and deeply rooted in the heart of the Sasak culture.