The Rooster Update!
As you know, I ran a four-part blog on this rooster incident here at my apartment. A lovely old American asshole wanted to get rid of the roosters across the road because they were making a racket. Yes, they were, and they still are.
I have gotten accustomed to it, but I do use earplugs at night. At times it can be irritating but then I need to remember that I am the visitor here and they are the locals. Which is the way I treat all things in Bali and Indonesia in general. It has worked for me for decades and should work for decades to come. Now I have an update on the rooster situation and it goes like this.
The American Jerk.
First, I need to admit that I do not know the man. I have seen him out and about a few times. In the Bali heat, he always wears a plaid shirt and jeans. I have yet to see him in shorts and I have no idea what he does here.
The point is, he had the balls to take on the local Balinese and the long and short of it is… He lost. He lost because his bull in a china shop way does not work here. One cannot come in and cause trouble, stir up shit, and try the good old American way. If you think the US Congress needs lobbying, try buying a piece of land from a local… Walk on eggshells, earn their respect and then you can possibly enter their turf and make a deal. Even then you are still an outsider because you are.
As you know…
I was against this rooster hunt from the beginning and did not sign the petition. I was against this because it was wrong. Furthermore, I was against it because of the way he went about it. I was bothered by immigration and so were many others.
I do not want to ruffle any feathers, no pun intended. I even did a promo video for the chickens! I Used one as a prop in my video On TikTok as well for an English lesson. So, the chickens and the Balinese won this battle. There will be more to come with the massive influx of tourists as the post-COVID situation continues. Prices are rising and so are the tempers, everyone hangs on for a bumpy ride! The moral of the story is… Be careful what you wish for. People were so desperate to get tourism back to Bali that I am sure many rules were bent due to financial and political pressure. Everyone got what they wished for a whole lot more.
As for the Roosters
Well, they are still out and about on the street and Wayan the owner still has the 30 some chickens in his small yard. Since that is a hobby/business for him, I hope he thrives and continues despite the American asshole who tried to shut him down. Way to go, chickens, roosters, and the Balinese. One battle has been one. Stayed tuned for more.
Zsolt Zsemba 