Metajen or cockfighting becomes an essential part of cultural tradition in Bali
What comes in your mind if you hear about cockfighting? Animal cruelty? It does not work that way in Bali. Metajen or cockfighting becomes an essential part of cultural tradition in Bali. The blood spilling on the grounds from the loosing cock body is believed to discharge the malevolent spirits as well as preventing misfortunes like calamities or crop damages in the island of a thousand temples.
Metajen is actually outlawed since 1981 in the Island of Gods, but, for religious reason, this bird battle is considered legal. The Balinese men prepare the roosters for several months to perform in a battle embedded in an anniversary or other cultural ceremonies. This is also a gambling state for Balinese men as the owner of the cocks and the spectators bet for the winner.
The owner of the roosters will put a small blade called ‘taji’ on the leg of those well-fed male birds before they start the combat. If the roosters do not show any passion to flight, the man will prick the beaks to trigger the anger. A cock is declared loose if it is hurt by the blade of its rival. The owner of winning cock deserves to bring the body of the loosing cock and some amount of money home.
References
The surviving Balinese cockfighting rituals (2014, August 15). The Stankiewicz, Marius. The Jakarta Post. Retrieved from http://www.thejakartapost.com/news/2014/08/15/the-surviving-balinese-cockfighting-rituals.html.
Matt (2010). Experiencing a Bali Cockfight. Retrieved from http://www.backpackingmatt.com/experiencing-a-bali-cockfight/