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Journalism of Courage
US YouTuber Tyler Oliveira has come under fire after sharing a video from a traditional cow dung–throwing celebration in rural India. The vlogger shared a teaser clip titled ‘Inside India’s Poop-Throwing Festival’, which captured the Gorehabba festival, an annual event held in the village of Gumatapura, Karnataka, where locals hurl dried cow dung at one another to mark the end of Diwali.
Oliveira, known for his travel and street-interview content, also uploaded a photo of himself clad in a hazmat suit and goggles, covered in brown stains after participating in the ritual. “Happy Diwali! Yes, I went to India’s poop throwing festival. It was the s—tiest experience of my life. I will never go back. Please pray that I survive,” he wrote in the caption.
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The post has since sparked outrage, with many accusing him of disrespecting Indian traditions. Oliveira later shared a screenshot claiming, “My videos capturing India’s poop-throwing festivals are already getting mass reported.”
Reacting to the viral video, a user wrote, “There’s no way this random youtuber found out about this festival on his own when 99.9% of the Indians themselves don’t know about this. There’s an Indian out there who messaged him hey I have something your racist mind would be interested in.”
“Just FYI – This cow dung festival happens in only one village in the entire country. Most Indians themselves don’t know about this festival, cow dung flinging has nothing to do with Diwali in general,” another user commented.
Known on social media as the “man with a camera asking people questions with a small microphone,” Oliveira initially gained popularity for challenge and street-interview videos, including pieces on drug decriminalisation in Canada and the Springfield pet-eating hoax. He has previously faced criticism for spreading misinformation.
Earlier this year, he stirred controversy with comments about his trip to India, alleging he fell sick despite staying at luxury accommodations. “During my trip to India, I ONLY ate in 5-star hotels and still contracted 4 types of Salmonella,” he wrote on X. “The hotel apparently sourced their eggs from a filthy chicken farm right next to a literal mountain of trash. There are serious hygiene issues that must be addressed in India.”
