Chuck Kuhn's Asia in Photos: Fierce battles at spring buffalo fighting festival | Look At Vietnam

Monday, February 21, 2011

Fierce battles at spring buffalo fighting festival | Look At Vietnam - Vietnam news daily update

LookAtVietnam - In the warm weather, thousands of visitors flocked to the stadium in Hai Luu commune in the northern province of Vinh Phuc on February 19 to witness the finals of the buffalo fighting festival.

The stadium is packed with tens of thousands of spectators.

The Hai Luu buffalo fighting festival is the oldest of its kind in Vietnam. It is said that

the festival appeared in the 2^nd century B.C, when the Han dynasty invaded

Nam Viet (Vietnam today) of the Trieu Dynasty.

After the Trieu Dynasty collapse, General Lu Gia pulled his troops to Hai Luu.

After each victory, Lu Gia organized buffalo fights as amusement for his soldiers.

After the battles the fighting buffaloes were killed to give a feast to the soldiers.

After Lu Gia died, Hai Luu people worshiped him as the village god and since

then the buffalo fighting festival has been organized in Hai Luu.

The festival is held annually on the 16^th and 17^th of the first lunar month.

Battles are very fierce.

The owner of this buffalo has to cover his eyes to ease the rage of the winner.

Both the winners and the losers are killed for sale on the spot, and sold

for VND500,000 to VND700,000 ($25-35) a kilo.

Source: VNE

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“I can’t say what made me fall in love with Vietnam - that a woman’s voice can drug you; that everything is so intense. The colors, the taste, even the rain. Nothing like the filthy rain in London. They say whatever you’re looking for, you will find here. They say you come to Vietnam and you understand a lot in a few minutes, but the rest has got to be lived. The smell: that’s the first thing that hits you, promising everything in exchange for your soul. And the heat. Your shirt is straightaway a rag. You can hardly remember your name, or what you came to escape from. But at night, there’s a breeze. The river is beautiful. You could be forgiven for thinking there was no war; that the gunshots were fireworks; that only pleasure matters. A pipe of opium, or the touch of a girl who might tell you she loves you. And then, something happens, as you knew it would. And nothing can ever be the same again.”
― Graham Greene, The Quiet American

Tips on Travel to Vietnam

It's always warm in Southeast Asia apart from high mountains, so leave the heavy clothing at home. Cotton and breathable fabrics are always better than synthetics -- although cotton does wrinkle a lot when traveling! December through April is roughly the dry season in that region, although it can still rain a little. December is a good time to go in terms of temperature -- cooler than in the humid summertime. Either way, wearing more clothing (shirt sleeves and long pants) is always more respectful towards the Asian culture, especially when visiting temples and rural areas.