Balinese culture includes the eating of turtle satay at ceremonies. Indonesia has a ban on catching turtles as they are in danger, particularly the Hawksbill turtle, caught for its shell and the Green Sea turtle, caught for its meat.
Even though there is a ban the Balinese are allowed to catch a limited number of turtles for religious purposes. This afternoon Ika showed up with a bag of turtle satay and sauce. I know where she got it, the soccer field in Kuta, on the loop that goes round to Jl. Legian. This little place is open 7 days a week serving anyone who passes by. I asked Ika her thoughts on eating turtle meat (takes a while to download) and she seemed more concerned with the taste, than the effect on the turtles.
The turtle situation is the tips of the iceburg of this kind of thing in Asia. I was reading the other day that in the Philippines they only have 4 major reefs left that haven’t been badly damaged by dynamite fishing and cyanide fishing. Bali has got its problems too, for sure. Maybe I can get Ika to stop buying the turtle satay.
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It is because people like your wife eat turtle that poachers continue to kill these wonderful and endangered creatures.
Explain to Ika it is wrong and tell her you will give her a good beating if she does it again!!
dude,
you one lucky marmite to have a very sweet family!
a while back there was a travel programme here shown how one guy working hard to preserve the turtles in Bali. he hatched and released them whilst on the other end there is no law(from the government) to stop the local to catch them and sell/export/taxidermy etc. i found that ironically sad.
Hi,Incoup..
Did you open the video already ? Nick just asked Ika how the turtle satay is like, she gave her opinion. Didnt you hear she say, she didnt eat it very often? 4 years she has been staying in Bali she eat it only 5 times,If you want give a good beat to your wife please do but do not ever ever again teach someone else beat his wife,understood ? As Nick has eat it too so let Ika to beat him too ya. And you will be happy to see them beat each other, ha ha
Yes, Beth it is ironic the other try to save and other one to sell it. But the law is low in here, please give the underline sentense as balinese has turtle satay in every their doing the ceremonies.
“Explain to Ika it is wrong and tell her you will give her a good beating if she does it again!!”
The Quran instructs men to beat the crap out of their disobedient wifes until they repent.
You will find most “turtle satay” is actually Be Celeng (Pork). They make up to disguise to taste like turtle meat. With all that Salt, most can’t tell. I don’t know about the law on hunting turtles, but its no where near as bad as it use to be 15 years+ ago.
Hi Nick. I’ve just discovered your web site.It’s a great place to live, I agree with you there, I spend a lot of time in Bali myself. About to spend another 6 months there shortly. However I was disturbed in this article about feasting on turtle meat. Yes, you are correct that it is used for ceremony’s, but special ceremony’s, and only because it’s tradition.
Next time your strolling around, make it down to Kuta beach and asked someone to direct to the Security office, it’s next to post one, life quards tower. Asked to speak with Agun Argi, who is head of security there, he is also known as the turtle man.I’ve been working with him over the last couple of years trying to save the turtles. I’m sure you’ll find him an amazing man, also might change your mind about eating turtles in this day and age. Happy New Year.
God Bless Bali.
Cheers Katy
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