Balenese

In reading Geertz’s Deep Play: Notes on the Balinese Cockfight, one thing came to mind, this is another boys club. We can compare it to what in the United States we refer to as men social clubs. This idea came when Geertz was almost done with his description of the Balinese’s cockfights and there was not much mentioned on the Balinese women and the roles they played in this ritual. He, himself, doesn’t mention his wife anymore after the first couple of pages. Even though he states in his first paragraph that they were both anthropologists and both were there to study the culture together. It also appears, in reading in more detail, that Geertz compares the cocks to parts of the male genitalia. In the part of Cocks and Men Geertz states that the cocks are viewed as detachable, self- operating penises, ambulant genitals with life of their own.

A reader studying these notes can probably say that the women do play a big part in this ritual. As the men prepare for this big event the women probably are making their own plans. For example they could be making plans to meet after the fight. Maybe cook a big feast for the winner with all the trimmings to further boost his ego. However she could also go throu

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Women are considered equal partners. Here in America we make jokes all the time as we refer to men’s toys as an extension of their genitalia. How they are groomed, given special feed and even being bounced like a baby on daddy’s lap. They sort them, buy cute little covers for them and clean them with the most definition to detail that I have ever seen.

In the Balinese men’s defense I have to mention that in note 4 Geertz explains that this is an exception of the Balinese culture to exclude women from an event. I wonder what would happen if a woman decided to enter her cock and be part of this ritual. However it still intrigues me and I would like to learn more as to why women are excluded from this ritual, which seems to be such an important part of their culture. The Balinese men do the same with their cocks. These women are not mentioned much in the media or our history books.

It seems to me that this is a very intimate relationship one that no one or anything could ever come in between. In Geertz work he states that the cocks are bathed in the same ceremonial preparation of tepid water, medicinal herbs, flowers, and onions in which infants are bathed, and for a prized cock just as often. Male golfers for example can sometimes treat their golf clubs better then their family. Could she, or does she not have the right plumbing to participate.

Approximate Word count = 934
Approximate Pages = 4 (250 words per page double spaced)

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