Go to Phuxai Laileng to watch the bull fighting festival
(Baonghean.vn) - Located at the foot of Phuxai Laileng peak, Na Ngoi commune (Ky Son) is home to a large number of Mong people. In addition, there are a few Thai and Kh'Mu people. They are communities on high mountains but are very fond of arts and traditional sports activities. Every year, after the tomb-visiting ceremony on the first day of Tet, Mong people eagerly attend the Spring Festival. Boys and girls dress up to watch the bullfighting festival.
On the third day of the Lunar New Year, in the cold of the mountains, we traveled nearly a hundred kilometers of steep roads to 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 fun. Houses near the center of Na Ngoi commune suddenly turned into free parking lots with hundreds of cars and motorbikes of people going to the bull fighting festival. There were also guests from Laos.
Bull fighting festival at the foot of Phuxai Laileng peak - Na Ngoi commune (Ky Son)
Only on Tet holiday, the winding, muddy slopes along the Mong villages become bustling. Normally, they are on the ginger, taro, and rice fields. Old and young, men and women, whether from far or near villages, come to the festival with an indescribable excitement. After a year of hard work, everyone can have fun and enjoy themselves, everyone wants to go to the bull fighting festival. Young girls and boys want this opportunity to find a partner.
Under the thick fog, only the sound of boots hitting the road and the laughter of the festival-goers could be heard. And then they suddenly appeared in the fog.... Wearing boots was a wise choice for the Mong Na Ngoi people in the middle of the year-round foggy and muddy mountains. What is special is that when wearing boots, they are still very agile, because many of them have been wearing boots since they started running, jumping, and going to the fields.
When we arrived, it was time for the bull fighting festival. The arena was used as a football field of the commune. This year, 30 bulls participated in the race. According to the cultural officer of Xong Ba Denh commune, the bull fighting festival in Na Ngoi is not to compete for prizes but "for fun". After the competition, whether winning or losing, the bulls are returned to the grazing area in the forest and will "fight again" in the spring of the following year. This is completely different from the "buffaloes" who won the Do Son buffalo fighting festival (Hai Phong) - after the festival, the "buffaloes" are butchered.
Perhaps it was just for fun, so many pairs of bulls only competed perfunctorily, and some "competitors" only entered the arena to "get to know" each other and then... left! But there were also matches that satisfied the audience with the "competitors'" enthusiasm. These were usually matches that lasted from 3 to 5 minutes to determine the winner. There was a match between two bulls from Keo Bac village that lasted up to 12 minutes. These dramatic matches often received enthusiastic cheers from a large crowd of spectators standing around, and the bulls seemed to be fueled with fire.
After the contest, all the cow owners were invited to dinner by the organizers and received "lucky money" for the New Year. Although there was no first, second, or third place... everyone felt satisfied because for them, having fun was the most important thing.
Mr. Xong Rua Da, Vice Chairman of Na Ngoi Commune People's Committee, said that the bull fighting festival is also held on annual holidays such as National Day September 2 and every competition attracts many spectators.
You Wei
