American YouTuber Tyler Oliveira ignited backlash after posting footage of India’s small-village “cow-dung throwing” festival, where participants hurl dried dung at each other in a post-Diwali ritual. The clip, titled “Inside India’s Poop-Throwing Festival”, amassed millions of views, but attracted sharp criticism from Indian social-media users who accused him of mocking tradition and promoting a smear campaign against their country.
In the video, Oliveira documents the event in the village of Gumatapura, Karnataka, and posts images of himself in a hazmat suit smeared in dung. He later claimed he weighed 97 kg before attending and 84 kg afterward. He also claimed the tradition “might kill you” and chastised locals by saying, “I will never go back.”
Indian commentators responded angrily, posting comments such as “You came to record cow dung and cry like a loser!” and accusing him of exploiting the festival for views. Some alleged his coverage wasn’t spontaneous but part of a coordinated effort to tarnish India’s reputation abroad.
In response, Oliveira defended the footage’s authenticity and said he plans to release a full 30-minute version of the video. The controversy has added fuel to the ongoing debate about Western content creators filming traditional cultural practices—raising questions about consent, cultural sensitivity, tourism and representation.