Inside the Rise of 'Aura Farming': The Coolest Internet Trend Explained

NDTV

2 days ago

From American Football player Travis Kelce to F1 driver Alex Albon, social media has recently seen many people participating in a trend known as "Aura Farming". This viral trend is all about showing off an effortlessly cool vibe. But many, especially the millennials and boomers, are asking what the trend is all about.
🔥🚨BREAKING: This young man named Dika has taken over the Internet on all platforms for 'legendary aura farming' he can be seen dancing on the front of boat races in Indonesia to boost moral.
The viral kid stealing hearts at Pacu Jalur, His dance isn't just moves, it's pure… pic.twitter.com/awify23gFh
— Dom Lucre | Breaker of Narratives (@dom_lucre) July 7, 2025
The Story Behind Aura Farming
To understand aura farming, one must know what "Aura" is. It is a term often used by Gen Alpha to quantify somebody's 'cool factor'. For example, my friend Ana is cool, as she has a lot of aura.
Meanwhile, the term "farming" comes from gaming, where players collect resources or points. Aura farming applies this concept to collecting social admiration. It's like collecting cool points.
Aura farming refers to striking a dramatic pose, often in reference to an anime character, to exude epic energy and doing something impressive while acting like it's nothing. The trend is about looking unbothered, confident and charismatic.
The trend went viral after a video of Rayyan Arkan Dikha, an 11-year-old sunglass-wearing boy in Indonesia, was spotted doing a cool dance while balancing on the tip of a long racing boat. The internet made him the "ultimate aura farmer" in the eyes of the young generations because of his calm demeanour and fluid hand gestures.
"I came up with the dance myself," Dikha told the BBC. "I came up with the dance myself," he added. "It was just spontaneous."
"Dancing at the tip of the boat is not easy," Indonesia's minister of culture, Fadli Zon, told reporters at an event earlier this month. "Maintaining balance as a dancer who motivates the Pacu Jalur rowing team is truly not simple. Perhaps that's why children are chosen instead of adults - because it's easier for them to keep balance."
The trend has caught the attention of celebrities like Steve Aoki and Wiz Khalifa, who have recreated or referenced Rayyan's dance. Even the Mumbai Police got in on the trend, posting a reel with the caption: "Farming aura since 1935".
The trend, however, concerns Dikha's mother, Rani Ridawati, as she told BBC: "The main concern is that he might fall," she said, but added that he was a strong swimmer."