Go to Phuxai Laileng to watch the bullfighting festival.
(Baonghean.vn) - Located at the foot of Phuxai Laileng peak, Na Ngoi commune (Ky Son district) is home to a large Mong ethnic minority population. In addition, there are a few Thai and Kh'Mu people. These are high-altitude communities who are very fond of arts and traditional sports. Every year, after the ancestral tomb visitation ceremony on the first day of Tet (Lunar New Year), the Mong people eagerly participate in the Spring Festival. Young men and women dress up to watch the bullfighting competition.
On the third day of the Lunar New Year of the Year of the Dragon, amidst the biting cold of the mountains, we traveled nearly a hundred kilometers along steep roads to reach the people of Na Ngoi, Ky Son district.
...This year the economy is a bit more difficult... but that doesn't mean the spring festival is any less lively. Houses near the center of Na Ngoi commune suddenly turned into free parking lots for hundreds of cars and motorbikes belonging to people attending the bullfighting festival. There were even visitors from neighboring Laos.
Bullfighting festival at the foot of Phuxai Laileng peak - Na Ngoi commune (Ky Son district)
Only during Tet (Lunar New Year) do the winding, muddy roads along the Mong villages become bustling. During the year, they live in their ginger, taro, and rice fields. Old and young, men and women, from villages near and far, all come to the festival with indescribable excitement. After a year of hard work, everyone wants to have fun and enjoy themselves; everyone wants to see the bullfighting festival. Young men and women seek this opportunity to find a life partner.
Beneath the thick fog, only the sound of boots tapping on the pavement and the laughter and chatter of the festival-goers could be heard. And then they suddenly appeared in the mist... Wearing boots is a wise choice for the Hmong Na Ngoi people in these mountains, perpetually shrouded in fog and mud. Remarkably, they remain remarkably agile even in boots, as many of them have worn them since they were toddlers, from the time they learned to run and jump, to work in the fields and on the farms.
We arrived just as the bullfighting competition was about to begin. The arena was repurposed from the commune's football field. This year, 30 bulls were participating. According to the commune's cultural officer, Xong Ba Denh, the bullfighting competition in Na Ngoi wasn't for prize money but rather for "fun." After the competition, win or lose, the bulls are returned to their grazing areas in the forest and will "re-compete" the following spring. This is completely different from the winning buffaloes in the Do Son (Hai Phong) buffalo fighting festival – after the festival, the buffaloes are slaughtered for meat.
Perhaps because it's just for fun, many pairs of bulls only compete half-heartedly, with some "competitors" just entering the arena to "get acquainted" and then... leaving! But there are also matches that provide spectators with a truly exciting experience thanks to the fierce competition from the "competitors." These matches usually last from 3 to 5 minutes before a winner is decided. One match between two bulls from Keo Bac village lasted up to 12 minutes. These dramatic matches often receive enthusiastic cheers from the large crowds surrounding them, and the bulls seem to be further energized.
After the competition, all the cow owners were invited to a meal by the organizers and received New Year's lucky money. Although there were no first, second, or third place winners, everyone felt satisfied because, for them, having fun was the most important thing.
According to Mr. Xong Rua Da, Vice Chairman of the People's Committee of Na Ngoi commune, the bullfighting festival is also held on annual holidays such as National Day on September 2nd, and each competition attracts many spectators.
Huu Vi
