Deep Play: Notes on the Balinese Cockfight

Deep Play: Notes on the Balinese Cockfight Irony

Western Perspective

One of the central ironies that develops over the course of the essay is the notion that Western civilization is inherently more civilized than other cultures. Geertz showcases, through thick description and a series of comparisons between cockfighting and American sports, that the Western perception of cockfighting as mere brutality is in fact a reductive way of thinking. Geertz showcases how cockfighting is, in actuality, a complex, organized, and serious portrayal of Balinese society from which one can extract a deeper understanding of the culture.

Wagering

When he initially describes the two kinds of cockfight wagering – the center bet and the side bets within the crowd – Geertz presents them as polar opposites. The center bet is controlled, regulated, and organized, while the side bets are chaotically matched through shouts and hand gestures. However, as he delves deeper into the logistics of cockfight wagering, Geertz shows how deeply entwined these two modes of betting are – so much so that he describes the center bet as the very device that makes matches interesting.

Animal Revulsion

Geertz explains early in the essay that the Balinese have a particular revulsion for animal behavior, so much so that common activities like eating are usually done in private, and babies are discouraged from crawling on all fours. Ironically, however, the Balinese see their fighting cocks as extensions of the male form, and indeed consider their cocks as symbols of themselves in the ring. Geertz explains this seeming incongruity by noting that cockfights are perceived as the fusion between man and beast, and that they serve as an animal sacrifice to the dark forces that, the Balinese believe, threaten their stable society.

Social Hierarchy

Geertz spends a large portion of the essay emphasizing that it is not just money that is at stake in cockfight wagering, but one's social status as well. When a match occurs between two owners of equal and high status, it is inherently "deeper" or more interesting. Ironically, however, Geertz notes that the wagering in cockfighting does not actually have a real effect on the social hierarchy operative in Balinese society; one cannot wager one's way to the top of the social ladder. Instead, Geertz explains that cockfighting is a temporary representation of that hierarchy – and the competition inherent to it – at work.