PERSIAPAN ADU AYAM JAGO
(Preparing a Cockfight)
By L. Tjoeng
This artwork titled "Preparing a Cockfight" is one of L. Tjoeng's creations. Upon it, you can see several individuals grouping together and carrying a rooster. Though it was a staple entertainment in Indonesia's history, it would be hard to find a cockfight these days. The gambling that usually accompanies such a fight makes the activity illegal in this country.
Diving into the origin of cockfighting in Indonesia, you will find that it is done as a religious ritual in several regions of the archipelago. For example, Bali. In Bali, cockfighting began in the 10th century. The ritual is called tabuh rah. In its execution, a sharp object (taji) is installed to the foot of one of the roosters, while the other one has a piece of bamboo (or wood) attached to its foot. Once one of the roosters die, its blood will then wet the soil along with three kinds of colored liquid. The first is White (tuak), the second Yellow (arak), and the last one is Black (berem). This combination serves as a reminder for humans to maintain the balance between humankind and the universe.