Buffalo fighting is a unique and traditional festival of people in Do Son District, Haiphong City. This festival is not only associated with Water Goddess worshiping and sacrificing custom but also expressed bravery, chivalry, and risk-taking spirit of people in the coastal city of Haiphong. The festival is annually and officially operated on the 9th day of the 8th month in Vietnamese Lunar Calendar; however, its preparation takes participants nearly a year to process. From choosing the right buffaloes to buy, raising and training them—all of which require hard work and ongoing effort. For example, selection of fighting buffaloes only must be in great meticulosity as they must meet a wide range of requirements: at least 4 or 5 years old, wide chest, bow-shape horns, toned thighs, and long tail. Also, these buffaloes are kept separately from normal ones, and so on. The festival derives from the belief of Do Son’s locals that buffalo fighting is in favor of their guardian gods and hence a continuity of this activity brings them safe voyages, abundant crops as well as healthy and wealthy people—signs of prosperity and happiness.
Buffalo fighting is a unique and traditional
festival
of
people
in Do Son District, Haiphong City. This
festival
is not
only
associated with Water Goddess worshiping and sacrificing custom
but
also
expressed bravery, chivalry, and
risk
-taking spirit of
people
in the coastal city of Haiphong. The
festival
is
annually
and
officially
operated on the 9th day of the 8th month in Vietnamese Lunar Calendar;
however
, its preparation takes participants
nearly
a year to process. From choosing the right buffaloes to
buy
, raising and training them—all of which require
hard
work and ongoing effort.
For example
, selection of fighting buffaloes
only
must
be in great
meticulosity
as they
must
meet
a wide range of requirements: at least 4 or 5 years
old
, wide chest, bow-shape horns, toned thighs, and long tail.
Also
, these buffaloes are
kept
separately
from normal ones, and
so
on. The
festival
derives from the belief of Do Son’s locals that buffalo fighting is in favor of their guardian gods and
hence
a continuity of this activity brings them safe voyages, abundant crops
as well
as healthy and wealthy
people
—signs of prosperity and happiness.