Ploughing a rice field, the animal way

The traditional way of ploughing a Sumbanese rice field does not involve any tool, just a small bamboo stick and a few buffaloes eager to have a walk. The buffaloes are just criss-crossing the field numerous times, turning the soil over and over with their feet, and reminded not to stop in between by a not too gentle slap on their backs with the bamboo stick.

West-Sumba, February 2010.