We hadn't expected to stumble upon our greatest travel experience of Indonesia while jolting down a single lane road in the middle of the island of Nusa Penida. Our driver; hired for a day trip to Crystal Bay for snorkeling, suddenly stopped and stared towards a large group of men. The men congregated in a circle with several onlookers floating about and others gathered in their own clan off to the side. Unable to respond to our curiosity of the event, the driver said, "chirp chirp....You have camera?...lets go". Crickets asked Sam. "Yes, men bet money on cricket fighting", he replied.
I was hesitant to approach the all men group but I was reassured by our driver and the warm smiles of the men as we exited the car. I kept my sarong wrapped around my shoulders and shyly kept the camera hidden underneath it's shelter. The men glanced us up and down then quickly waved us closer; playfully showing off their best model poses, assuming we must have a camera tucked away.
As we arrived, they were in the process of matching up the 'contestants' for the most even fights. The crickets were housed in elaborately adorned bamboo tubes. Each man inspected the cricket; gently touching it with a long feather like stick, to see the fighter from all angles. During this process he would compare his thoughts with those sitting around him then pass the tube to another curious group member. Somehow the group came to a peaceful decision and the tubes where lined up next to each other; small holes facing together, separated by a small piece of cardboard paper.
On several occasions, big money was laid down before each fight. The winning cricket was crowned by pushing the other to the far end of his own tube. As novice cricket fans, we had a difficult time understanding who won and lost because it appeared as if they were both tangled up together at the end of the tube.
As we arrived, they were in the process of matching up the 'contestants' for the most even fights. The crickets were housed in elaborately adorned bamboo tubes. Each man inspected the cricket; gently touching it with a long feather like stick, to see the fighter from all angles. During this process he would compare his thoughts with those sitting around him then pass the tube to another curious group member. Somehow the group came to a peaceful decision and the tubes where lined up next to each other; small holes facing together, separated by a small piece of cardboard paper.
On several occasions, big money was laid down before each fight. The winning cricket was crowned by pushing the other to the far end of his own tube. As novice cricket fans, we had a difficult time understanding who won and lost because it appeared as if they were both tangled up together at the end of the tube.
Raw experiences and moments like these are what I search for in travel. The brief and limited understanding of what other humans do in their day-to-day lives.
For the local men in a small village somewhere in the hills of Nusa Penida; an island off the eastern coast of Bali, 'Sunday Funday' involves crickets. Gathered together with other community members who share this strange but fascinating form of afternoon entertainment.
For the local men in a small village somewhere in the hills of Nusa Penida; an island off the eastern coast of Bali, 'Sunday Funday' involves crickets. Gathered together with other community members who share this strange but fascinating form of afternoon entertainment.
