Balinese Villagers Perform 'War Of Fire' Festival

The men of Tuban village in Bali, Indonesia, hurl burning coconut husks at each other during the annual 'Siat Geni' or 'war of fire' -- a long-standing tradition carried out to dispel spirits believed to bring misfortune.  The war of fire is held during the fourth full moon of the Balinese calendar, which usually falls around September or October."The point of this war of fire tradition is to neutralise creatures who do not bring blessings to our life. We neutralise them; we move them from where they do not belong," Gede Agus Suyasa, a Tuban village official, said.  He further informed that the tradition is being passed down from generation to generation and has been performed by the young male villagers of Tuban. Tourists called the tradition fascinating and interesting to watch.  A South African tourist, Ian McNaught Davis, said, "I thought it was fascinating, it was really exciting. For me, it's obviously a lot of drama. It's very interesting to watch." Another American tourist said, "Everybody has been very cheerful. The clothing is beautiful, the fire was great, it was a really, really good thing to see."