"Crowds of participants were seen marching with pule wood ceremonial poles and forming towering human-supported structures amid ancient ceremony Mekotek in the Balinese village of Munggu on Sunday. The footage shows the lively procession, where participants clash the long wooden staffs together, creating a loud 'ngerupyuk' sound. Locals say the distinctive echo is more than a spectacle; it symbolises victory, unity, and gratitude for ancestral achievements. "This tradition serves as a form of protection against misfortune. If we do not carry out this tradition, surely we will suffer from a drought. In other words, a 'grubug' - a plague - far worse than COVID," Community leader I Made Suwinda explained. Mekotek is performed every six months in accordance with the Balinese calendar, drawing participants from all community groups in the village. This ritual is part of the Galungan–Kuningan festival cycle, a major observance in Balinese Hinduism marking the triumph of good over evil."