From Rest Of World:
“In a series of recently viral livestreams on Indonesian TikTok, the premise is always the same: Women in their 50s and 60s sit in a stagnant pool of water and mud, often shivering. The women’s clothes are soaked to the skin, and they periodically throw a pail of water over themselves, looking directly at the camera. At times, they wipe away tears, appearing distressed…
The viral phenomenon known as mandi lumpur, or 'mud baths,' gained notoriety in January when several livestreams were posted from Setanggor village, on the island of Lombok…
Rest of World spoke to community leaders in Indonesia who were horrified by the trend, but felt powerless to stop villagers’ participation in these sorts of accounts — especially if the videos paid better than backbreaking work in the fields.”