Bullfighting in Vietnam: the bulls fighting each other

Bullfighting in Vietnam: the bulls fighting each other

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Bullfighting and corrida among most people are associated with Spain, but such spectacles are held in Asia. In the northern Vietnam, in the city of Haiphong, located on the Do Son peninsula, is annually held Choi trau festival which represents the bullfights. Choi trau is the most important entertainment event of Haiphong that is being conducted with no less range and ardour as bullfighting in Spain. The celebration in honor of the fighting begins on the ninth day of the eighth month according to the lunar calendar. This year's bullfights will be held in Vietnam on September 27. But there are differences from the "classic" bullfighting. Firstly, Choi trau is a religious holiday, that is dedicated to the god of water, which, according to coastal residents, may go ashore only in the form of the mighty bull. Secondly, if the Spanish corrida is the opposition of bulls and people, at the Vietnamese festival the bulls are fighting each other.

The morning of the festival the Vietnamese devote to the religious ceremonies, for the god of water are made offerings: basket of rice, a buffalo and a pig. At noon to the place of fighting is sent a solemn procession. Accompanied by trumpeters and drummers to the arena are going twelve festively dressed elephant drovers and six selected bulls, which are thoroughly cleaned before the holiday, covered with red cloth and tied with bright ribbons. Traditionally, 3 bulls should be from the Do Son peninsula, and 3 from Do Hai. Before the battle the young participants of the procession perform folk dance, after a shot of a gun the first couple of bulls begin fighting. The fight lasts until the final victory of one of the bulls, which can happen as after 5 minutes as an hour later.

The fighting bulls are bred on special farms, apart from livestock, to preserve their wild character. There are at least 25 kinds of criteria by which the bulls involved in the fighting are selected. A month before the festival animals are trained to the festive atmosphere - beat on the drums, shout and blow up firecrackers. So on the day of the battle the buffalo are not afraid of background noise.

By the way, unlike the Russian version the Vietnamese proverb sounds like: "In life there are three most important things to do: to buy a bull, to get married and to build a house".

Date: 22/09/2009