Cock spur

Taji

Note: The following text is taken from a 19th-century collection catalog and, in its language and perspective, partially reflects colonial thought patterns. We present the text in its original version to make the collection's history transparent and promote a critical examination of the colonial legacy. Certain terms and formulations may be perceived as problematic today. A 2009 research project concluded that most descriptions are factually correct and still usable; only a few details were found to be inaccurate or incorrect. The results of this project were published in the following collection catalog: https://khm-wmw-tm-library.on.worldcat.org/oclc/1457155265

"404. Cock spurs - "Tadji"
Seven small knives about five cm long, two-edged and pointed, from finely ground steel which are tied onto the natural spurs of a cock that has been selected to fight.
Cock fighting is a sport which is practised by all the natives of the Indian archipelago with passion; where by wagering often the entire wealth, wife and child, even one's own freedom can be lost - when the loser has to serve the winner as a slave for his entire life. Cock fighting is forbidden in all of the areas of the islands which are accessible to the Dutch government; only for great festivals and special occasions can princes and privileged persons get official permission for these games. In all other parts, where the princes still rule independently and Holland may not concern itself with the internal affairs of the country, it is practiced by the lowly and the high standing on a great scale and this either privately in some house, or publicly at celebrations on the open village square or in front of the house of the prince, or finally, also in specially built fight-stadiums which are managed by speculators. The owner of such a fight stadium, where one always finds a great variety of fighting cocks, provides for the room and board of the fight-fans who come from near and far. For both as well as for the use of the fair ground the owner gets a portion of the profits. The duelling of the cocks takes place similarly to the way it took place in Europe, and in some places still takes place. The feet of the cocks are always armed with the sharp steel spurs and the fight often takes just a few minutes since the one or other of the animals collapses with a cut-open body. Special referees and experts look to keep the adherence to the fight rules, observation of the fighting laws and regulations of which there is a huge number. Superstition plays a large role here, of course, as it does everywhere with the natives. Not only does the laying on of the spurs need to be done adhering to different formalities, it is also necessary to take into consideration the marking and the lineage of the cock; the older the family of the fighting cock, the more victors there are in the long line of his predecessors, the more valuable is the animal. A cock with a pure family tree will often cost more than an Arabian stallion, many thousands of Guldens. The wagers at the princely cock fights will often go up to between ten and twenty thousand Gulden per cock.
 The cock is for the Buginese the epitome of bravery, everywhere in the Buginese songs the hero in the song is compared to the fighting cock and even called that. The cock is the favourite animal of the native, for which he cares more and which he treats more tenderly than his own wife and child. He can hold his fighting cock for hours in his arms, flatter, stroke and kiss him; he bathes him, cleans his feathers and is more concerned about his health than about his own. It is a strange sight to see and the childlike nature of these people can be seen clearly when men at the height of their manliness play like children with their cocks and smother them with tender gestures and talk about their cocks with pride."

Translation of: Czurda, F. A. J. (1883). Catalog mit Erklärungen der Etnografischen Privatsammlung des Dr. F. A. J. Czurda in Postelberg (Böhmen). (p. 87-88). Wien, Wilhelm Braumüller 

In the picture are objects VO_17646 until VO_17652