Cockfighting

Eka and I were on our way to one of the classes. It was Tuesday, I was going to meet new group of kids (I had Monday free) and was excited about it. It was also my birthday, but.. talk about that in my next post.
We entered the small street with our 'motorbike' and Eka suddenly stopped. The street was really downhill and narrow so I didn't really see why. I wanted to ask her what's going on, but I had this weird feeling, so I just peered behind her.
But, the only thing that I saw was a bunch of men at the end of the street, nothing really to worry about. Except for the way they were looking at us, cautiously?
She waved at them and shouted something on Indonesian. I felt that the tension on both sides went down and we continued downhill. She turned to me and said: Cockfighting.

 Turned out that her house (there is an improvised classroom within the house), where we are having lessons this week, is the last house in this sweet narrow street. Just after this new activity that I was introduced to.
I asked if I can stay for a while to take some photos. She obviously knew some of the men and it was okay.
I did get quite a few 'what.the.f*.are.you.doing.here' and 'didn't.your.momma.tell.you.not.to.mess.with.them.aliens?' looks, but I also got quite a few smiles and 'take.a.picture.of.me' waving. Yes Mr. Lil Wayne, my mum did tell me not to do stupid things, so
I smiled with respect to both.
But yes, I did, for the first time in Bali, felt a bit.. not welcomed. I know, who would've thought, huh?

It is a bit difficult for me to write this post, because I have some personal believes about this issue. But on the other hand, I also have a very strong believe about respecting the culture I'm visiting as a guest, so I will restrain myself from much personal comment.

 Cockfighting is one of the 'secrets' of Bali. You won't find it in your Lonely Planet, I just checked (one sentence explaining it is illegal).
The Indonesian government made all forms of gambling including cock fighting illegal in 1981.
However, Hindu religion includes many offerings for many different spirits, every day. During some of the ceremonies that require a blood sacrifice the cockfighting is allowed.
But, men sometimes get carried away..

Many Balinese men own a fighting rooster. Women are not involved in this process. These are specially bred birds and I'm seeing them all the time in rattan cages on the side of the road. That is the way to make them get used to noise.

Cocks have written in their DNA aggression toward all males of the same species. They are trained like professional athletes and fed high quality food.

Tajen, the name of the fight, is part of a very old Balinese religious tradition. This purification ritual has a purpose to expel evil spirits by offering the blood of the cock to them. The blood is spilled on the temple ground or other places that needs to be purified, so cockfighting is a part of a ceremony in every temple.
 

 The fight.. the owners need to find an opponent and then place the bet.

Razor-sharp blade is tied to the cock's leg. 
 This is done by a specialist,  who checks all the birds, starts the match.. basically, from what I saw, does more or less what a judge in a human boxing match would do.

 

Also, before the match begins, the side bets need to be placed.  But then, you also have wagers- and I saw them as lots of yelling, waving with the money and signals. They are placed when the cocks are brought into the ring.

         

Two fights that I saw lasted very shortly, but the whole process before, is quite long.

The cocks fight until ultimately one of them dies or is badly injured. All side bets are paid with money being tossed and handed around the ring.  The owner of the winning cock takes the central bet and also the body of the losing cock.