Summary
Geertz begins this section of the article by describing the logistics of a cockfight: handlers act with deliberate indifference as their cocks find an appropriate opponent. Spurs – treated as ritual objects – are attached to the cocks' feet, and they have 21 seconds to fight before their handlers can touch them and start again. Whichever cock topples over and dies first is the loser.
Notably, the crowds at cock fights are silent. They cheer on the fighters with hand gestures and body language only.
The rules of cockfighting are steadfast and never disputed. They were written on palm leaves and have been passed down through generations of people.
As such, umpires at cockfights are treated with the utmost reverence, as they are the ones who enforce the rules and declare the winner.
Geertz explains that before the Dutch invasion in 1908, cockfighting was a commonplace activity that denoted one's citizenship.
Attendance at cockfights was taxed and helped pay for societal improvements like infrastructure. Cock rings were placed in the center of the village along with other important buildings and monuments.
Now, fights happen generally in secret.
Analysis
In this section, Geertz provides readers with the specifics of an individual cockfight. He includes a detailed description of the rules, explaining that the 21 seconds of fighting is determined by the time it takes a punctured coconut to sink to the bottom of a bucket of water (placed in the middle of the ring).
The level of detail that Geertz provides communicates to the reader how structured, organized, and serious the cockfights themselves are. Throughout this section, Geertz makes implicit comparisons between cockfights and Western sports games.
However, Geertz makes a point to differentiate cockfights from Western sports by acknowledging how, despite the brutality at the center of the ring, the spectators and handlers themselves are markedly composed and respectful. Through the figure of the umpire – revered men considered on par with judges and even kings – Geertz emphasizes the deference and respect that the villagers have for cockfighting and its steadfast rules.
Despite the composure of the spectators and the lack of disputes at the fights however, cockfighting was already illegal at the time Geertz was conducting his fieldwork in Bali. Geertz associates this illegality to the Dutch invasion of 1908, thereby connecting the outlawing of cockfighting with the imperialistic vision of Europe and Western society, who perceived the practice as barbaric. However, Geertz subtly challenges this notion by explaining the history of cockfighting and how it was connected to social uplift and even modes of governance: proceeds and taxes collected from spectators went toward improving the village, and for young men, cockfighting was seen as an important rite of passage.
Throughout this section, then, Geertz provides readers with historical and social context alongside a description of the cockfight itself, showcasing its remarkable organization, regulation, and utility for the Balinese locals.
