Cockfighting

Our driver who took us from Batur to Munduk was very laid-back and suggested lovely sightseeing stops. We went to stunning viewpoints of various lakes, mountains and countryside settings as we drove up towards the North of Bali. During one of the stops, we heard excited locals shouting and saw them standing around in a big circle. Our driver told us it was a cockfighting event and encouraged us to watch. Since living in Asia, I was made aware of this brutal sport which is extremely popular and taken very seriously by locals. I have always avoided such attractions as I found them to be (obviously) very cruel. But that day I was feeling adventurous, and I also knew very well that whether I watched or not, the cruelty would go on, so I gave in to my curiosity. It was an impromptu stop and in no way I would have paid to attend and encourage such an event.

We arrived while around thirty men were placing their bets and cock owners displayed their beast to the crowd. They were waving 50 000 – 100 000 rupiahs notes, considerable amounts for the countryside. We also quickly noticed there weren’t any women around the ring, so we made sure for a male friend to ask whether our presence was acceptable or not. Locals quickly nodded their approval, uninterested by us. A quick look around got me to notice the women gathered further away and looking at us disapprovingly – we clearly weren’t exhibiting high morals. We got asked to bet for a rooster but got away with refusing to do so. Frantic betting took place as men called out amounts and the name of the rooster they rooted for.

All of a sudden, the crowd got very quiet and I immediately got goosebumps and felt unease. Two men stood facing each other with their roosters. While holding their birds, they started provoking them by pinching their necks, pulling their feathers and taunting each other by bringing their faces close together. This part was very brutal and made me feel extremely uneasy. They did this for a long while to get their roosters excited, angry and ready to attack. Another exceptionally shocking particularity about cockfighting in Bali is the addition of metal spikes – knives really, taped to the bird’s feet, as an extra spur. Indeed, the winner of the fight is the cock who survives. Apparently in other areas such as Java, the rules differ. For example, the winner could be the one that doesn’t run away.

The actual fight took less than a minute. The addition of knives sure made things quick. I barely saw what happened, only that one rooster fell to the ground and despite his coach trying to put it back on his feet, he collapsed. The fallen cock was immediately taken aside to cut his neck and that was it. Needless to say we did not stay for a second fight – we had seen enough. Cockfighting is part of Balinese Hinduism and the blood shed during the event is supposedly used in offerings to the evil spirits. I do know roosters possess natural aggression towards one another so it is somewhat natural for them to fight, but the whole thing is brutal and I hope that as South-East Asia grows and evolves so the age-old practice starts to die. However, I suppose that eating the deceased bird is better than wasting it and makes the whole thing easier to accept.

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Being a woman and feeling already out of place, I didn’t dare take my camera out. Here is a link to incredible pictures of cockfighting in Bali, if you are as curious as I was: https://www.flickr.com/photos/adamcohn/sets/72157624202670972/

I also found out that ‘in the Balinese language the word for cock has the same double meaning as it has in English, giving rise to the same stale locker-room jokes. The Indonesian word for cock (sabung) can also mean champion, warrior, or hero.’