As a unique traditional festival of the people of Do Son district, Hai Phong city, Buffalo fighting festival outside the list of the most popular festivals in Vietnam. Have you heard anything around this remarkable event? Whether the answer is YES or not, it is worth mentioning that this festival is related to the custom of worshiping and sacrificing the Goddess of Water. Besides, it is to uphold the courage, heroism, enterprising spirit of the people of the coastal city of Hai Phong.
Buffalo Fighting Festival – Enjoying General Tradition
The festival comes from the opinion of the Do Son people that Buffalo fighting favored with guardian deities; therefore, the celebration of this event arouses a great feeling of safe travels, bountiful harvests associated with healthy and wealthy individuals. in history, Do Son Buffalo Fighting Festival has long been performed in the region since 18order century. This amazing event takes place every year and officially takes place on August 9order month according to the Vietnamese lunar calendar; This means that the preparation of this festival requires participants about a year.
Once the right buffaloes are purchased, locals raise and train them – all of which requires hard work and constant effort. For example, the selection of a fighting buffalo must be elaborate with a series of requirements such as the buffalo must be 4-5 years old (at least), wide chest, bow-shaped horns, long tail, solid thighs. These selected buffaloes are then celebrated separately from the general buffaloes. Regarding the Buffalo Fighting festival, it consists of two parts: spiritual rituals and recreational activities. Here’s how it happens:
Since day 1st 8th dayorder In the first lunar month, the elders make sacrifices to the god Diem Tuoc with the contribution of all villagers with buffalos attending the festival right at the communal house, Do Son district. After that, there is a ceremony to worship the Goddess of Water, where sacred water is changed every year and transported to each village for worship at their communal communal house. After that, there is also a ritual to worship Thanh Hoang. After the ritual is performed, each fighting buffalo is officially named “Mr Buffalo”. “Mr Trau” represents the spirituality, wishes and beliefs of the local people.
Early in the morning on the 9thorder 8th dayorder In the first lunar month, the locals go ahead to the Village Festival to lead the “Mr Buffaloes” to the area filled with boisterous music created by traditional orchestras, colored palanquins and festive flags. On the same day, entertainment activities were held joyfully with bold Vietnamese traditional identity. At the beginning were 24 muscular young men standing in two flexible rows, performing the chess dance in the attractive sound of drums, gongs and cymbals. In such an urgent atmosphere, “Mr. Buffalo” is activated to fight more strongly.
Two buffaloes are led into the battle from two opposite gates to start the fight. They attack the opponent until one of them runs out of the battle. At the end of the day, the winning buffalo will be sacrificed or killed to the Goddess of Water. Note, the winning buffalo owner will be rewarded with a prosperous, peaceful and prosperous year. All for the sake of a life of abundance, happiness, luck and fortune.
