Thu, 10/23/2008 10:59 AM | Bali
(JP/Alit Kertaraharja)
Villagers from Julah in Tejakula, Buleleng, tow (see photo) a pregnant cow behind a boat into open sea as part of a local traditional ritual.
The cow, which is five months pregnant, was thrown out to the sea about 3 kilometers from land Monday. The villagers believe the animal was impregnated by a village elder.
During the ritual the man, who was caught red-handed having sexual intercourse with the cow two months ago, joined the boat trip in order to throw away his clothes to to symbolize him discarding his sins.
Julah customary village head Ketut Sidemen said the ritual, called gamya gamana, or freak weeding, and had been conducted there for generations. The decision to perform the ritual was made a local residents meeting.
In line with customary regulations, the perpetrator, identified only as PS, 70, was sanctioned to fund the expensive ceremony, which aimed to cleanse him of any bad influences.
Luh Ketut Suryani, a professor and activist, deplored the sancation against PS.
She said drowning a cow was baseless because sexual intercourse between a human being and am animal could not cause pregnancy due to the different chromosomes and genes of the two.
"The cow is not guilty, why shoud it be drowned? Why don't just use a symbol like what was done by the perpetrator?" she said.
Suryani's said she was concerned dealt with the financial situation of the owner, who lives below the poverty line.
"The cow, which has a high price, had to be thrown away. It will be a pity for the owner, who is already poor and is now forced to lose his priceless belonging." -- JP/Alit Kertaraharja
Meutuah (not verified) — Sat, 10/25/2008 - 10:28pm
i agreed with sammy. but actually u should have written it in bahasa indonesia for most of them dont understand english at all.i believe if they have proper education, they wont do such thing (the tradition) at all.what i dont agree is actually the cow is the victim in this situation. im 100% sure, if she could talk, she would rather to be raped by the male cow than the male human. she shouldn't be punished what she has been through. she was raped, she was pregnant, and she was killed. i think the one whom should be punished and drown is the man. because he was the subject of all this.
but eventually, we should respect all the cultures in this world:)......
krik wanschers (not verified) — Sat, 10/25/2008 - 10:00pm
This is hardcore porn. They should forbid it
Bule whalanda (not verified) — Sat, 10/25/2008 - 9:52pm
Backward dumb ass people, i am planning on having a litle visit to this backward villege and asking them how this could happen , and see if the owner of the cow knows ,that WE (the Bule) are really upsed about this , might even buy him a new cow .. mabey better a bull ..any one with me ? send me a email .
bo_amsterdam@yahoo.com
Michele (not verified) — Sat, 10/25/2008 - 9:45pm
Sorry, EDT, but drowning a cow because a human had sex with it is backwards. And I've lived abroad as well.
Hmmm (not verified) — Sat, 10/25/2008 - 9:41pm
I think the point here is not that Indonesia is backwards....it's that A HUMAN CAN'T IMPREGNATE A COW...those people need to read a biology book...
James (not verified) — Sat, 10/25/2008 - 7:32pm
And these are the people who educated Barack Obama in Elementary school. No wonder he's so weird.
Also shouldn't the cowhumper be forced to pay restitution to the cow's owner? or at least child support. :P
Muta (not verified) — Sat, 10/25/2008 - 6:42pm
Let's see... the 'elder' is a sick perv, and knows better, but doesn't care, since the 'custom' favors him.
The cow is innocent, and doesn't know what is going on, and the 'custom' cares not a whit. Not even for the poor owner.
Methinks the wrong animal was drowned.
Seriously, a COW?!? Have they no hand lotion and kleenex there?
Oh, wait. That would be a _sin_
Ralph (not verified) — Sat, 10/25/2008 - 6:21pm
They've been doing this ritual for generations, so does that mean this isn't the first time someone has had sex with a cow?
Jonathan (not verified) — Sat, 10/25/2008 - 5:34pm
hahaha... this is funny...
indonesia could have its first literal COWBOY or COWGIRL ...
what a pity..the 'mother' has to be drown...:P
Alain (not verified) — Sat, 10/25/2008 - 5:33pm
Some people here see this as a "backward" Indonesian culture.
Try to look it more thoroughly. This kind of "culture" was originated in India. Bali is very much influenced by the culture of India.
As for someone who says that it's only in Indonesia for a rape victim to be killed, well, I think you forget that this kind of attitude also happen in the Middle Eastern countries.
And again, just like Indian culture influence the life of Indonesians, the Middle Eastern culture (read: Arab culture) also highly influence the Indonesians, i.e. the attitude towards women, rape victims, etc.