Mong children compete in cockfighting at an altitude of 1400m

(Baonghean.vn) - For Mong children in the communes of Nam Can, Tay Son, Huoi Tu (Ky Son)... cockfights in the fog, at an altitude of 1,400m above sea level, are always an interesting thing.

Whenever she had free time, Tho Ba Vu played cockfighting with her friends. In winter, in the mist, pairs of fighting cocks fought each other like real fighters and the children in the Mong village watched attentively with excitement, anxiety but also fascination.

The fighting cocks of Mong children are usually smaller than those in the lowlands, but they are always taken with them wherever they go to take care of them.

Tham Hin in Nam Can commune, Ky Son district (Nghe An) is a Mong village located at an altitude of about 1,400m above sea level. From late autumn to early spring of the following year, the sun usually only appears from noon to late afternoon. The rest of the time, the village is covered in clouds.

Like Tho Ba Vu, cockfighting is a special hobby of Mong teenagers in Tham Hin. Cockfights often take place after school. Usually, before that, on the way home from school, the boys discuss the pairs. Vu said that just counting the fighting cocks of the teenagers, there are more than 10 in the village. The fighting cocks in the Mong village are usually smaller in size than the fighting cocks in the lowlands. In return, they are agile, flexible and somewhat clever in their attacks.

Each cockfight usually takes place in the village space.

The silence of the afternoon in the highlands was broken by the cheers and laughter of children and the flapping of the wings of two chickens. Unlike buffaloes that usually enter the fight immediately after being led into the fighting ring, chickens often probe their opponents by playing around and holding back. They wait until their opponents show signs of discouragement or inattention before attacking.

After the prelude, the fighters always use dangerous moves to make their opponents lose as quickly as possible. Some chickens lose after a few minutes of fighting. Some matches last for hours without a winner. The owners have to separate the fighters to avoid both sides getting hurt.

Fierce fight between two fighting cocks of Mong children.

Cockfighting is also a favorite pastime of Mong children in Tay Son commune, Ky Son district. This mountainous commune is also approximately 1,400m above sea level.

Vu Ba Po, a teenager from Huoi Giang 3 village who often wins cockfights, shares his experience passed down from previous generations on how to train a cock to be "fiery" when entering battle.

According to the boy, one or two days before a competition, the chickens are usually kept in cages. The cages are covered with dark cloth and only have a small gap where the chickens' food and water tubes are placed. Meanwhile, the chickens are still fed regularly. "Chickens that have been locked in cages for a long time will rush into battle as soon as they are released," said the 13-year-old boy.

After the matches, whether they win or lose, the fighting cocks are taken care of quite carefully by the highland boys in a very childish manner. They are constantly fed, let out for a walk, and are carried by the owners when they leave the house or go to the fields... The matches can also take place suddenly and are organized by the children's improvisation. Usually, there is no prize given to the winning cock. If anything, there is only the pride that often shines on the face of a boy whose cock is the champion of the match.

After each match, the fighting cocks are separated to be checked for injuries and given proper care.

Not only children, but also adults organize cockfighting competitions during spring festivals. Like bullfighting, cockfighting is very popular among the residents of the Mong ethnic minority villages in the highlands of Nghe An. The close combat between the roosters makes the first happy day of the new year more exciting./.

Huu Vi - Dao Tho