The 120-Year-Old Tradition That Went Viral On Social Media, Pacu Kuansing Line Is Now Attended By US Rapper And Vice President Gibran

KUANSING - Vice President Gibran Rakabuming Raka attended the opening of the 2025 Pacu Line Festival in the Narosa Bank, Batang Kuantan River, Kuantan Singingi Regency (Kuansing), Riau, Wednesday, August 20.

Vice President Gibran, as reported by Antara, is scheduled to release the track directly at 13.30 WIB, raising the flag as a sign of the start of the traditional boat race which is more than a century old.

Before the Vice President arrived, a number of officials were present, including Minister of Tourism Widiyanti Putri Wardhana who wore traditional blue Malay clothing, as well as Minister of Culture Fadli Zon and Head of Presidential Communication Hasan Nasbi.

The opening of the festival began with the performance of the Malay music group and the national anthem Indonesia Raya which was sung with the people who crowded the riverbanks.

The Pacu Path became a cultural icon in Kuansing which has lasted for more than 120 years. Hundreds of participants in uniform costumes filled traditional boats or lanes, each containing 60 to 72 rowers. They raced quickly in the Batang Kuantan River, encouraged by cheers from the riverbank.

The festival which lasted until August 24, 2025, not only competed in fast boat competitions, but also presented modern cultural and entertainment performances. One of the most anticipated is the performance of the lane dancer boy, Rayyan Arkan Dikha, who went viral on social media and appeared at the State Palace on 17 August.

This year, organizing the festival feels different from the presence of rapper from the United States, Melly Mike, on the eve of the closing. The popular musician through the song "Young Black and Rich" will appear live. The song has recently been used as the background for track video on various social media platforms and has gone viral.

Meanwhile, based on official data, last year's 2024 Traditional Path Pacu Festival recorded impressive figures with 1.4 million visitors and recorded an economic turnover of up to IDR 42.16 billion.