The excitement of the rare and unique tradition of foot fighting in Indonesia which continues to be preserved to this day.


This is a video of the sisemba tradition or foot fighting held by the community in Rindingallo District, North Toraja Regency, South Sulawesi, Indonesia on 10 August 2024.

The tradition of foot fighting or what the Toraja tribe call Sisemba, this tradition is a tradition passed down from generation to generation by the Toraja tribe which is carried out as an expression of gratitude and joy after carrying out the rice harvest.

In this unique tradition, men will compete with each other by kicking their legs.

This foot fighting tradition is carried out in groups, teenage and adult fighters attack each other using their feet.

There are always lots of participants in these foot fights, because they are done en masse, but only by men.

The game is quite hard and looks brutal, so the risk of injury is quite high. However, there were no problems or disputes or hostility because this tradition is purely local wisdom and preserves Toraja tribal customs after the rice harvest.

Harun Rantelembang, a youth leader in North Toraja, in his video interview said that the sisemba tradition which was held was a form of gratitude for the completion of the rice harvest and as a form of friendship between communities in Toraja to continue to strengthen their ties of brotherhood.

"The sisemba tradition is the local wisdom of the Toraja tribe which continues to be preserved to this day. There was no hostility or conflict after the sisemba tradition was held because this is our ancestral tradition which we continue to guard and preserve," said Harun Rantelembang.