Australian influencer slammed for Indonesian meat market video

An Australian influencer currently travelling Indonesia has been slammed for going to a “top secret” market that sells “every type of meat”.

An Australian influencer known for documenting her overseas adventures has apologised after creating a divisive video while attending an Indonesian market.

Mikaela Testa, 22, is currently travelling around Indonesia and while there, she asked her driver to take her to the best market that sold different types of animal meat.

In a now deleted video, Mikaela said she went to a “top secret” market that sold “every type of meat” listing some examples as monkey, crocodile, rabbit and frog.

She grabbed an assortment of items before leaving the market, calling the experience traumatising.

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Mikaela Testa has since apologised for going to the market. Picture: Instagram/Mikaela Testa

“They actually had dog meat – they had monkey, they had everything,” she said in the clip.

“I wasn’t allowed to film much because I might be someone from an organisation trying to shut them down. They were very sceptical of me.”

The rest of the clip showed Mikaela and her manager taste testing an assortment of the items – including rat and crocodile.

However, the pair talked about the “distinct smell”, turned up their nose and even gagged at smelling one of the items.

The video, once posted, garnered a lot of comments that caused Mikaela to delete the clip.

Many people were divided on whether Mikaela was in the wrong for filming and posting the meat market video in the first place.

One person said: “You knew what the place was and went there saying it traumatised you.

“Disrespected the food as well. The country isn’t as developed as others. Be respectful.”

Mikaela went to a ‘top secret’ market that sold dog meat. Picture: TikTok/Mikaela Testa

She taste tested it with her manager. Picture: Supplied.

Another said: “Okay I changed my mind. Because why even upload the video especially after she found out about the dog meat and that it was an illegal meat trade.”

One said: “Going there just to film a video to profit off of, and buying the illegal meat just to toss it out, is WORSE than someone going there to eat.”

A fourth said: “Everyone saying she ‘didn’t eat it’ so what was the literal point of going to the location just to throw the meat away? She knew what meat they sold.”

Her video quickly attracted attention. Picture: Instagram/MikaelaTesta

Others from Indonesia said it was a small minority of people in the country that ate this way, with many saying there were calls to ban it.

The response caused Mikaela to upload two apology videos, where she explained her role as a daily vlogger and the fact she likes learning about other cultures.

“I understand my audience may be very sensitive and not used to seeing things like this, and I understand while travelling I can become insensitive to that because I am so used to seeing stuff like this,” she said.

Some said it was ‘disrespectful’. Picture: Instagram/Mikaela Testa

“I definitely wasn’t thinking straight and I shouldn’t have posted the video at all.”

She said that she knew the market would have monkey meat and, while she didn’t agree with it, she wouldn’t want to disrespect it at all.

But she insisted that she never would have gone if she knew there was dog meat.

Others defended Mikaela and her video, with some saying they didn’t see an issue with the clip.

One said: “Bro, people are so sensitive, bro. Ppl are acting like we don't eat chickens and cows. Besides its Indonesian culture let them eat what they want.”

Another said: “Like its not Mik’s fault that it’s THEIR culture and wat (sic) their culture eats! and Mik apologised so everyone just move on! love u Mik x.”

Another said: “The people hating are so stuck in their own Western norms.”

Originally published as Australian influencer slammed for Indonesian meat market video