Cockfighting is part of Balinese life, at least for the men. Traditionally, blood has to be spilt for certain ceremonies, so a cockfight 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. Its part of the betting protocol, which I do not understand. Actually the pre-game show is more fun than the actual fight, which consists of 2 birds taking it in turns to fly up in the air and flick the other with their claws. Most times after a flurry of activity and feathers, one of the birds reveals a cut, being unable to continue. The device that delivers the cut is a razor attached to the other bird’s leg. BaliWWW has an excellent article on the cockfighting razor, called a taji.
Each afternoon around 5pm, there is a cock fight behind my house. I hear the cheering, which usually doesn’t last longer than a minute. Maybe I will get down there one of these afternoons and see what all the fuss is about. There used to be a cockfighting pit between Poppies I & II in Kuta, but they tore it down for new development.
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I often go to the cock fights when I am in Bali it is so exciting and the men really are deverstated when their cock dies. To see the men walking around caressing their birds it look like they love them more than their wives.hehehe.
I do not find it cruel because the losing bird dies almost instantly and it is a Bali long time sport & ritual
further detail on
cockfighting and its event
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