MEDAN, Indonesia (AP) — On the motorbike seat, she started the engine, sped up and began a death-defying performance inside the track known as the Satan's Barrel.
Sri Wahyuni was the star of the most-awaited performance at the night fair in the outskirts of Medan city in Indonesia’s North Sumatra province.
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Sri Wahyuni, also known by her nickname Ayu, grabs tips from spectators as she rides a motorcycle in the "wall of death," locally known as "tong setan" or satan's barrel, at a fairground in Medan, North Sumatra, Indonesia, Sunday, May 11, 2025. (AP Photo/Binsar Bakkara)
Sri Wahyuni, who is also known as Ayu, center, and Rismauly Girsang, left, take a break with their crew after performing in a "wall of death," locally known as "tong setan" or satan's barrel, at a fairground in Medan, North Sumatra, Indonesia, Friday, May 9, 2025. (AP Photo/Binsar Bakkara)
Sri Wahyuni, who is also known by her nickname Ayu, rides a motorcycle in the "wall of death," locally known as "tong setan" or satan's barrel, at a fairground in Medan, North Sumatra, Indonesia, Saturday, May 10, 2025. (AP Photo/Binsar Bakkara)
Tip money is collected put in a tub after a "wall of death" performance at a fairground in Medan, North Sumatra, Indonesia, Saturday, May 10, 2025. (AP Photo/Binsar Bakkara)
Sri Wahyuni, also known by her nickname Ayu, left, and Rismauly Girsang, both "wall of death" riders, count tip money after a performance at a fairground in Medan, North Sumatra, Indonesia, Saturday, May 10, 2025. (AP Photo/Binsar Bakkara)
Sri Wahyuni, also known as Ayu, applies make up before performing in the "wall of death", locally known as "tong setan" or satan's barrel, at a fairground in Medan, North Sumatra, Indonesia, Saturday, May 10, 2025. (AP Photo/Binsar Bakkara)
Sri Wahyuni, also known as Ayu, grabs tip from a spectator as she rides a motorcycle in the "wall of death", locally known as "tong setan" or satan's barrel, at a fairground in Medan, North Sumatra, Indonesia, Saturday, May 10, 2025. (AP Photo/Binsar Bakkara)
Sri Wahyuni, also known as Ayu, performs in the "wall of death", locally known as "tong setan" or satan's barrel, at a fairground in Medan, North Sumatra, Indonesia, Saturday, May 10, 2025. (AP Photo/Binsar Bakkara)
Sri Wahyuni, also known as Ayu, center, sits at the ticket desk before performing in a "wall of death," locally known as "tong setan" or satan's barrel, at a fairground in Medan, North Sumatra, Indonesia, Saturday, May 10, 2025. (AP Photo/Binsar Bakkara)
Sri Wahyuni, also known as Ayu, walks with tip money in her hands after a performance in the "wall of death," locally known as "tong setan" or satan's barrel, at a fairground in Medan, North Sumatra, Indonesia, Saturday, May 10, 2025. (AP Photo/Binsar Bakkara)
Spectators take photos with 'wall of death' rider Sri Wahyuni, also known as Ayu, second left, at a fairground in Medan, North Sumatra, Indonesia, Saturday, May 10, 2025. (AP Photo/Binsar Bakkara)
Sri Wahyuni, also known by her nickname Ayu, right, and Rismauly Girsang, both 'wall of death' riders, chat during a break between performances at a fairground in Medan, North Sumatra, Indonesia, Saturday, May 10, 2025. (AP Photo/Binsar Bakkara)
Sri Wahyuni, who is also known as Ayu, top, rides her motorcycle as Rismauly Girsang, bottom right, prepares to perform in the "wall of death," locally known as "tong setan" or satan's barrel, at a fairground in Medan, North Sumatra, Indonesia, Saturday, May 10, 2025. (AP Photo/Binsar Bakkara)
"Ayu," the nickname of "wall of death" rider Sri Wahyuni is painted on the tank of her motorcycle at a fairground in Medan, North Sumatra, Indonesia, Friday, May 9, 2025. (AP Photo/Binsar Bakkara)
"Wall of death" riders Sri Wahyuni, who is also known as Ayu, right, and Rismauly Girsang, center, take a break between performances at a fairground in Medan, North Sumatra, Indonesia, Saturday, May 10, 2025. (AP Photo/Binsar Bakkara)
Sri Wahyuni, also known as Ayu, left, and Rismauly Girsang, perform in a "wall of death," locally known as "tong setan" or satan's barrel, at a fairground in Medan, North Sumatra, Indonesia, Saturday, May 10, 2025. (AP Photo/Binsar Bakkara)
Sri Wahyuni, also known by her nickname Ayu, left, hands out tickets to spectators before performing in a "wall of death" at a fairground in Medan, North Sumatra, Indonesia, Saturday, May 10, 2025. (AP Photo/Binsar Bakkara)
Sri Wahyuni, also known by her nickname Ayu, a "wall of death" rider, feeds her daughter Aqilla, in between performances at a fairground in Medan, North Sumatra, Indonesia, Saturday, May 10, 2025. (AP Photo/Binsar Bakkara)
She began riding the Satan’s Barrel at 17, drawn to it by curiosity while searching for work. Now 25, she’s a key performer in this iconic Indonesian night fair act.
Riding in the Satan’s Barrel requires courage. The riders don’t wear helmets on the velodrome track also known as the Wall of Death.
Wahyuni always rides with one other biker, and sometimes as many as five ride on the circular track, its painted wooden walls 6 to 10 meters (19 to 33 feet) in diameter.
That, of course, makes the audience nervous.
Wahyuni works at least four hours a night. One recent evening, the single mother took her 5-year-old daughter to the fair, fed her, then let her wait at the ticket box during the show.
At the end of the performance, the women spread their arms and even held hands on their motorbikes, signaling the finale.
The audience stuck out their hands to give money from the top of the barrel, and Wahyuni and her partner welcomed the bills one by one, a tip for the excitement they presented that night.
Afterward, they tidied up the bikes and counted their tips.
Wahyuni earns a weekly salary, but the tips help with rent and daily needs for her small family. She admits it is difficult for her to find a new job or start a business by herself.
“I am hoping for the best. I think there is no way I can keep working like this,” Wahyuni said.
Tarigan reported from Jakarta, Indonesia.
Sri Wahyuni, also known by her nickname Ayu, grabs tips from spectators as she rides a motorcycle in the "wall of death," locally known as "tong setan" or satan's barrel, at a fairground in Medan, North Sumatra, Indonesia, Sunday, May 11, 2025. (AP Photo/Binsar Bakkara)
Sri Wahyuni, who is also known as Ayu, center, and Rismauly Girsang, left, take a break with their crew after performing in a "wall of death," locally known as "tong setan" or satan's barrel, at a fairground in Medan, North Sumatra, Indonesia, Friday, May 9, 2025. (AP Photo/Binsar Bakkara)
Sri Wahyuni, who is also known by her nickname Ayu, rides a motorcycle in the "wall of death," locally known as "tong setan" or satan's barrel, at a fairground in Medan, North Sumatra, Indonesia, Saturday, May 10, 2025. (AP Photo/Binsar Bakkara)
Tip money is collected put in a tub after a "wall of death" performance at a fairground in Medan, North Sumatra, Indonesia, Saturday, May 10, 2025. (AP Photo/Binsar Bakkara)
Sri Wahyuni, also known by her nickname Ayu, left, and Rismauly Girsang, both "wall of death" riders, count tip money after a performance at a fairground in Medan, North Sumatra, Indonesia, Saturday, May 10, 2025. (AP Photo/Binsar Bakkara)
Sri Wahyuni, also known as Ayu, applies make up before performing in the "wall of death", locally known as "tong setan" or satan's barrel, at a fairground in Medan, North Sumatra, Indonesia, Saturday, May 10, 2025. (AP Photo/Binsar Bakkara)
Sri Wahyuni, also known as Ayu, grabs tip from a spectator as she rides a motorcycle in the "wall of death", locally known as "tong setan" or satan's barrel, at a fairground in Medan, North Sumatra, Indonesia, Saturday, May 10, 2025. (AP Photo/Binsar Bakkara)
Sri Wahyuni, also known as Ayu, performs in the "wall of death", locally known as "tong setan" or satan's barrel, at a fairground in Medan, North Sumatra, Indonesia, Saturday, May 10, 2025. (AP Photo/Binsar Bakkara)
Sri Wahyuni, also known as Ayu, center, sits at the ticket desk before performing in a "wall of death," locally known as "tong setan" or satan's barrel, at a fairground in Medan, North Sumatra, Indonesia, Saturday, May 10, 2025. (AP Photo/Binsar Bakkara)
Sri Wahyuni, also known as Ayu, walks with tip money in her hands after a performance in the "wall of death," locally known as "tong setan" or satan's barrel, at a fairground in Medan, North Sumatra, Indonesia, Saturday, May 10, 2025. (AP Photo/Binsar Bakkara)
Spectators take photos with 'wall of death' rider Sri Wahyuni, also known as Ayu, second left, at a fairground in Medan, North Sumatra, Indonesia, Saturday, May 10, 2025. (AP Photo/Binsar Bakkara)
Sri Wahyuni, also known by her nickname Ayu, right, and Rismauly Girsang, both 'wall of death' riders, chat during a break between performances at a fairground in Medan, North Sumatra, Indonesia, Saturday, May 10, 2025. (AP Photo/Binsar Bakkara)
Sri Wahyuni, who is also known as Ayu, top, rides her motorcycle as Rismauly Girsang, bottom right, prepares to perform in the "wall of death," locally known as "tong setan" or satan's barrel, at a fairground in Medan, North Sumatra, Indonesia, Saturday, May 10, 2025. (AP Photo/Binsar Bakkara)
"Ayu," the nickname of "wall of death" rider Sri Wahyuni is painted on the tank of her motorcycle at a fairground in Medan, North Sumatra, Indonesia, Friday, May 9, 2025. (AP Photo/Binsar Bakkara)
"Wall of death" riders Sri Wahyuni, who is also known as Ayu, right, and Rismauly Girsang, center, take a break between performances at a fairground in Medan, North Sumatra, Indonesia, Saturday, May 10, 2025. (AP Photo/Binsar Bakkara)
Sri Wahyuni, also known as Ayu, left, and Rismauly Girsang, perform in a "wall of death," locally known as "tong setan" or satan's barrel, at a fairground in Medan, North Sumatra, Indonesia, Saturday, May 10, 2025. (AP Photo/Binsar Bakkara)
Sri Wahyuni, also known by her nickname Ayu, left, hands out tickets to spectators before performing in a "wall of death" at a fairground in Medan, North Sumatra, Indonesia, Saturday, May 10, 2025. (AP Photo/Binsar Bakkara)
Sri Wahyuni, also known by her nickname Ayu, a "wall of death" rider, feeds her daughter Aqilla, in between performances at a fairground in Medan, North Sumatra, Indonesia, Saturday, May 10, 2025. (AP Photo/Binsar Bakkara)
