The white monkey is being forced into retirement. A permanent enclosure will be built within the Uluwatu temple, complete with a pool and a garden. 

The villagers of a traditional market that caters to surfers in Bali are dealing with a violent and very different sort of localism.

A large wild Macaque, having staked a claim in one of the empty stalls during the pandemic, is refusing to leave and is threatening anyone that comes near his “spot”.

“That thing has taken control of the fruit basket line-up, says” Surfer/Juice bar owner Sam Gavin. “He reminds me of those fuckin’ angry locals in South Oz that I know. Teeth baring and chest beating and all”. 

And speaking of sacred apes, the sacred white monkey of Uluwatu can’t catch a break.

You remember him, the brave leader of the Uluwatu troupe during the pandemic monkey wars up in the Bukit.

Terribly wounded after the final territorial confrontation due to the defense of prime locations of the returning tourists, the white monkey, who is believed to be a mystical manifestation of Hanuman the Monkey God,  was taken under care and nursed back to health.  

Since then he has also become a mascot to visiting surfers, who bring him bananas in hope of swell. 

Anyway, an easy target.

And, when released, the white monkey was again jumped by marauding members of a rival troupe just outside the Uluwatu Temple. 

Captured and treated, the sacred white monkey is being forced into retirement. A permanent enclosure is being designed for him within the Uluwatu temple, complete with a pool and a garden. 

“Given that the white monkey’s new role is as a mascot for Pura Uluwatu,” says one temple official, “and has become a valuable tourist attraction, such a special enclosure is justified. The surfers love him.”

The latest is the job offer is for someone to become the white monkey’s security guard.

Also stealing the whole kitty.

Legendary surf figure, and Torquay’s first son, Maurice Cole, days ago, pulled a hammer from the re-enforced loop of his handsome cargo shorts and hammered the World Surf League over its performative environmental whatnot, plus taking the entire door, at the just-wrapped Rip Curl Pro Bells Beach.

Robber barrons.

My friends at Surfers Appreciating Natural Environment (SANE) were invited to a Bells tree planting session with the Surf Coast Shire (SCS) and the World Surf League at the start of this years event….where SANE did all the work …set up photo/film opportunities…which was used on the @wsl website……where the claim is that the WSL has been revegetating Bells for 50 years….check out the WSL webpage…

…the longtime shaper and pioneer began before really laying in.

We all know that since they started in 1988 SANE has led the charge and done most of the work to revegetate the Bells reserve, doing working bees every month in the Bells Reserve for 34 years!

The WSL have continually ripped off the local Surf Coast Shire surfing community groups here who actually have had to continually fight the WSL and the Surf Coast Shire from inappropriate commercial development. The WSL still take all the gate money from the local community, which is the only contest in the World that charges an entry fee for spectators.

The latest 3 year fight was to stop the WSL building a viewing platform at Winki-Pop as the WSL might want to use the platform at Easter for a few days. The cost/angst and years of fighting the inappropriate development proposed by the WSL, created disharmony and distrust between the recreational surfing community and the Govt organizations such as the SCS and Surfing Vic. Local and international surfers cannot trust the WSL greenwash machine and now the WSL are giving the impression they are leading reveg efforts at Bells and caring about the local community.

I know how upset the guys from SANE are about being used by the WSL with the planting of a few plants, and there is a meeting on Weds morning to discuss how they were abused by the WSL, and simply put….green washing seems to be the WSL’s Modus Operandum…….. we all want an Easter Pro, but not at the continuing expense of recreational surfers who have to fight the ongoing presence of Green Washers!

 

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This is not the first time the WSL has been accused of posturing for the sake of social approval in areas of equality, care about longboarders and, of course, environmentalism.

A partnership was recently announced with a manufacturer of cheap Chinese SUVs.

Etc.

Etc.

Etc.

Make or Break.