Image of Asia: Fighting to placate evil spirits in Bali
Jun 9, 2015, 6:48 AM
(AP Photo/Firdia Lisnawati)
In this photo by Firdia Lisnawati, Balinese men carrying bamboo shields fight against each other with sticks wrapped in thorny pandanus leaves during a festival in Tenganan village in Bali, Indonesia. Men and boys engage in ritual fights at the festival each year as part of a sacrifice to placate evil spirits. The two-day “Perang Pandan” or “Pandan war” ritual is only held in two villages — Tenganan and Dauh Tukad — whose residents claim to be Bali natives. A similar ritual will be held next month in the neighboring Dauh Tukad.
Copyright © The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.