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Sep 08, 2019 / 15:33

Exciting Do Son Buffalo Fighting Festival

Ha An

Like other folk festivals in Vietnam, the Do So Buffalo Fighting Festival includes two parts which are the ritual and the festival.

The Do Son Buffalo Fighting Festival, which took place at the central stadium of Do Son in Haiphong city on September 7, gathered a sea of people cheering and watching the dramatic fights of 16 buffalos. 
 
"Mister" buffalos are led to the stage to fight.
Buffalos are led to the stage to fight. Photo: VNA
Like other folk festivals in Vietnam, the Do So Buffalo Fighting Festival includes two parts which are the ritual and the festival.
 
Life-and-death battle.
"Life-and-death" battle.
The event is held annually on the 9th day of the 8th lunar month with several practices, which are preserved throughout many generations. 
 
They use their strength of horns to attack rival.
They use their strength of horns to attack rival.
Before the fight, dozens of men and women dance with flags, beat drums and cheering excitingly. After the announcement, the buffalos are led to the stage and proceed to fight in pairs.
 
People tremble with excitement when watching the fight.
People tremble with excitement when watching the fight.
They use their strength to come full butt at each other, tighten the rival and lock the horns in the resounding cheers of local people and tourists. 
 
Blood is inevitable in a battle.
Bloody battle.
It is believed that the bravery and the resilience of the buffalos in the stage expressed the martial spirit of local people. 


 
Wishing to win the competition, owners of the buffalos spend a large amount of money and time to seek strong and beautiful buffalo breeds from Laos, Myanmar, Indonesia, and Malaysia, among others. 
 
Owner of the winner buffalo congratulated.
Owner of the winner buffalo congratulated.
An ideal fighter buffalo has some unique characteristics showing in its neck cavity, claw, tail, and vortex, among others. The buffalos also required to have a proper diet of good-quality grass, sugarcane, potatoes, and rice bran. 
 
Due to wartime, the festival was interrupted for a period and officially restored in 1990 and has become a significant cultural and tourism event in Haiphong. 
 
The Do Son Buffalo Fighting Festival was recognized as one of 15 official festivals at the national level in 2000 and a national intangible cultural heritage in 2012. 
 
Photos by An Dang/VNA.

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