Tajen

Bali, Indonesia, February 2016

© Roni Bintang

In modern Bali, the ancient tradition of cockfighting continues to be popular.

Tajen, Balinese for cockfight, is a cultural event that happens regularly in villages. Since long ago, the tradition of Tabuh Rah (tabuh means spread and rah means blood) has included cockfighting. Now, modern cockfighting includes the addition of small blades, called taji, to the bird’s foot.

At this event near Ubud in 2016, hundreds of men dressed in traditional sarongs gathered for the spectacle outside a temple. Men brought their fighting birds and prepared them with blades before challenging others. The birds fight until the loser escapes or dies, and a new fight begins.