Cockfighting is part of Balinese life, at least for the men. Traditionally, blood has to be spilt for certain ceremonies, so a cock-fighting is taken seriously, both for entertainment and culture. Anyone who has been to a cockfight will speak of locals gathered round a pit, waving and shouting.
The fighting goes down with an assortment of birds measured by height, weight, and wing span to make for an even battle. When two birds match, they’re fitted for a razor sharp blade that is tightly tied around one foot, with the blade sticking out the back. The birds are held face to face as their feathers are pricked to stimulate aggression. A fury of money changes hands as bets are accepted. The roosters are taken to their respective corners and released.
For one, maybe two minutes, roosters fly in the air and that’s it. The loser backs off, slowly collapsing to the ground. Their legs are then sliced off or the throat is cut. The losing bird is scooped up and skinned right outside the stadium to get ready for the dinner pot. The winning rooster will be heading there as well, as most times their injuries are just as bad. The money is paid and the next fight begins. A good rooster will make a poor Indonesian farmer wealthy.
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Comments (2)
good timing and photo!
interesting info,too
Life is robust there so as to like cockfighting. Here, perhaps, we have become too ‘precious’ and ordinary, unable to cope with many things.