Mepantigan

“Throw down to the ground” is the direct translation of Ubud’s latest cultural attraction: Mepantigan. Here, Judo, taekwondo, Brazilian capoeira, Korean self-defense, mud-wrestling, Balinese folklore and shadow puppetry are fused, and it’s fun for the whole family to watch or even participate. There is Balinese spiritual meaning behind the wet spectacle, sometimes performed in a mud pit or on the sand, to teach audiences about harmony between man, god and nature. It’s impossible not to get caught up in the action, which has performers moving quickly in fire-eating dances, imitations of Balinese shadow puppets, then mud-wrestling, all while acting out a classic Balinese love story.