An American YouTuber has sparked an online debate. Tyler Oliveira is defending his decision to film and post a video of a traditional cow dung festival in Karnataka, India.
The video shows Oliveira participating in the Gorehabba festival in Gumatapura village. The annual event involves participants throwing cow dung at each other as part of a religious ritual.
In his video, titled “Inside India’s Poop-Throwing Festival,” Oliveira is seen wearing protective gear. He is hit by dung and says, “I gotta get out of here.”
I Survived India’s Poop-Throwing Festival… pic.twitter.com/1zW4QocArh
— Tyler Oliveira (@tyleraloevera) October 25, 2025After posting, he faced significant criticism on social media. Many Indian users accused him of mocking a sacred tradition and presenting it as a bizarre spectacle for his Western audience.
They argued that he overlooked the festival’s deep religious meaning. The ritual honours a village deity and is seen as an act of purification and renewal.
In his defence, Oliveira stated plainly, “It isn’t racist to film a poop-throwing festival.” He later claimed his content was being mass-reported by Indian viewers. The Gorehabba festival is held a day after Diwali. Villagers believe that throwing cow dung brings good fortune and wards off evil spirits.
The incident highlights the fine line between cultural documentation and perceived disrespect in the age of global social media.
