Sabung Ayam

The series "Sabung Ayam" documents a traditional cockfight on the Indonesian island of Nusa Penida. Rooted deeply in Balinese-Hindu culture, the practice is officially sanctioned only as part of the Tabuh Rah ritual, a sacred offering meant to purify the earth of evil spirits before temple ceremonies. Yet beyond its ceremonial origins, cockfighting has evolved into a widespread vehicle for gambling, drawing men into cycles of debt and addiction. "People lose land, inheritance, even their marriages," warns the Bali Animal Welfare Association, condemning both the animal cruelty and the social fallout. Today, the tradition survives in tension — between sacred ritual and illegal betting, between cultural pride and mounting criticism.

Nusa Penida 19'