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Carbide Cannon

Carbide cannon is a unique tradition of Pontianak. This is only happen in Indonesia especially in West Kalimantan and only one in the world. This tradition is held every celebrate from of Ramadan month especially before The Ied Fitri or The Takbiran Night. Carbide cannon sometimes played at along of Kapuas River.

Cannon which is a tradition of Pontianak made from log wood. It is not made from iron. It uses carbide as ammunition then ignited by fire. Carbide cannon is very big. It has 5-8 meters in length with diameter 30-100 centimeters. That’s making Carbide cannon different to other cannon.

Cannon in Pontianak is played by rolling and face to face between the groups in one side of the river other side on the opposite river. One group has 3 until 8 Carbide cannon. It has more than ten groups that played it at along of river like a war.

Looking inside from the history of Pontianak city. Sultan Sayyid Syarif Abdurrahman Alkadri as a founder of Pontianak city and the first Sultan of Pontianak Sultanate was building Jami mosque and a Sultanate of Pontianak. But, when he built it, Kuntilanak (the ghost who is roaming on land) was disturbing him. And than he was shooting the Kuntilanak with his cannon. The goal is to throw out the kuntilanak from the land.

At the end of 1988 this tradition was banned by the police and local government. Because for some people the sound of the Carbide cannons usually disturb them. But in about 13 years, this tradition can play freely without any prohibited.

Carbide cannon also one of the excellent traditions to attract foreign tourist and local tourists. If they were playing Carbide cannon, they must pay fifteen thousand rupiahs.