Men and cockfight through the lens of multispecies ethnography: from the symbolism of masculinity to multispecies collaboration

Abstract

ABSTRACT This paper calls for another perspective on cockfight and the symbolism of masculinity. Previous research on cockfighting has its own perspective and interesting findings, one such work on the matter was that of Geertz who focused on the symbolism of cockfighting within the context of Balinese culture. I argue that, as anthropological studies develop a number of anthropological approaches that produce a more holistic ethnography also evolve. One of them is multispecies ethnography. This approach places culture and nature on one equal level of analysis. This research involves Kampung Laut People in Segara Anakan, Indonesia. The data is collected through observation and in-depth interviews through the ‘art of noticing’ method. The findings of this research show a different perspective in understanding the practice of cockfighting through interspecies collaboration. In terms of scientific contributions, this paper introduces a multispecies ethnographic approach as another approach to understanding the socio-cultural phenomenon of cockfighting and human interactions with non-human species. This perspective complements Geertz’s symbolic cultural perspective. In terms of its contribution to humanitarian issues, the holistic multispecies perspective employed within this research advocates for a balanced interrelation between humans and other species in creating a sustainable ecological system.