In western Indonesia, rowers cram themselves into long boats with colorful oars and paddle frantically in front of racegoers who have been boosted by the viral success of a little boy who dances in front of the traditional boats.
Officials estimate that up to 100,000 extra people will watch the annual Pacu Jalur race on Sumatra island on Sunday as a result of 11-year-old Rayyan Arkan Dikha’s dancing skills aboard the swift-moving boats.
“I came to watch Pacu Jalur because I wanted to film and show the festival to the world,” Australian tourist Duncan McNaught told AFP.
“I think the guys who row are crazy. They’re awesome. I’m just looking forward to it.”
A 20-second clip of Rayyan dancing on the boat has racked up millions of views on social media.
Sports stars including Formula One’s Alex Albon and MotoGP’s Marc Marquez imitated his moves in their own videos, swirling their hands then swinging their arms back and forth.
The Kuantan River in Sumatra’s Riau Province has attracted tourists from all over the nation and the world due to the viral dance craze.
After reading about Pacu Jalur online, Yuyun Kurnia, 38, an Indonesian national, drove 17 hours from the Sumatran city of Medan to watch it.
“After it went viral on social media, I want to see Pacu Jalur directly,” she told AFP, adding that it was “amazing” to watch the race in person.
Last year, the race drew 1.4 million visitors and more than $2.5 million to the local economy, according to the tourism ministry.
This year, 1.5 million spectators are expected, with a significant influx of foreigners, Riau tourism agency head Roni Rakhmat told AFP.
Officials believe revenue could jump to as much as $4.6 million on the back of increased per-person spending.
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