The Manggarai Caci Whip Fights are a celebration of dance and battle during Penti, a festival held after harvest to end the agricultural year. It's an opportunity for young men to prove their rise to manhood and, in the past, have also been a way to solve conflicts between villages. The warriors battle one another using a long whip made out of wood with a leather-covered handle and a round shield made out of bamboo covered with buffalo hide. The defender also holds a bamboo stick in his left hand. For the ceremony, the warriors wear traditional clothing and a belt of bells around the hip. As they move, the bells emit a sound that adds to the dance and teases their opponent.
During the ceremony, the air fills with the sounds of drums, bells, chanting, and the cracking of the whip, creating a unique tribal atmosphere.
