Volcanic eruptions no match for cockfighting, Bali-style

KARANGASEM, Indonesia: A volcano may be rumbling off in the distance, but for a group of Balinese men and their fighting roosters it’s the roar of the crowd that says the show must go on. Far off the Indonesian resort island’s tourist trail, heavily-tattooed men gather at a clandestine site where birds battle each other — usually to the death — in a gory spectacle known as tajen that meshes bloodsport with ancient Balinese Hindu traditions. About 100 male spectators gather on bamboo benches around a dirt ring as two roosters pulled from wicker baskets lunge at each other even before the match starts. The two owners exchange birds to check weight and temperament, a show of sportsmanship to make sure they’re evenly matched. “If the owners of both fighters reach a deal and say ‘okay, let’s fight’, then the roosters fight,” said I Made Gunawan, who’s rooster was fighting that day. A small dagger about 10 centimetres long is tied to each rooster’s left ankle. The heady smell of incense wafts over the ring as a roar erupts from the crowd. Bets are placed, usually between 20,000 and 100,000 rupiah each ($1.50-$7.50), with most events lasting 15 fights. The roosters are set loose and feathers fly in an explosion of jumping and pecking that sets the already excited crowd into a bloodthirsty frenzy. The match goes the distance — three rounds over eight minutes — until the referee calls it a draw. Both roosters, weak and wounded, are unable to keep fighting. The ankle blades usually make it a fight to the death in a matter of minutes, punctuated by trails of blood seeping into the dirt. The winner’s owner not only gets bragging rights and some of the betting proceeds — usually 10 per cent of the purse which can reach $2,000 — but they also get the carcass of their opponent’s rooster, for eating. “My fighter lost today — it won the last time,” said Sudira as he helplessly watched his dying rooster be slaughtered to make dinner. Cockfighting — the sole source of income for some Balinese men — cuts a sharp contrast with tranquil images of the island as a palm-fringed paradise. But it dovetails with centuries-old traditions of Balinese Hinduism in the mostly-Muslim archipelago. — AFP