Go to Vo Liet to see the wrestling festival

(Baonghean) -Bach Ma Temple Festival is held on January 12 every year, attracting a large number of people and tourists from all over the world. Not only is it sacred, but coming to this festival, people can also enjoy the wrestling festival, a unique folk game of the people of Vo Liet (Thanh Chuong)...

An elaborate, rustic game

To better understand the wrestling festival, we met teacher Nguyen Thanh Phuc - who has made great contributions to restoring this folk game. According to teacher Phuc, the wrestling festival has existed since the beginning of the 15th century. This is a game that requires strength, dexterity, and endurance. Originating from the selection of strong, agile athletes to join the army of General Phan Dan - a young general of King Le Thai To (currently worshiped by the people at Bach Ma Temple), the wrestling festival gradually became a festival activity with strong folk characteristics, entering the cultural and spiritual life of the people of Vo Liet (Thanh Chuong), the place considered to be the origin of this game.

To prepare the best cu, before the festival day, people have to choose banana roots, preferably large seed banana roots, dig up and take the roots. Use a sharp knife to carve the banana roots into a circle with a diameter of 30cm, weight 5 - 7kg, then boil them in boiling water, take them out to dry in the sun. At this time, the cu has a dark color and is very flexible, not cracking when playing. The cu playing ground must be the alluvial land on the river bank, about 50m long, 25m wide. There are three forms of cu: cu gong, cu day and cu nuoc. All three of these ways of playing have the same scoring and arrangement, at the two ends of the field of each side are two baskets woven from bamboo, 1.5m high, 50cm in diameter (cu gong, cu nuoc), or dig a deep hole 50 x 50cm wide (cu dong). The side that wins and puts the cu into the opponent's basket (or hole) gets one point.

In cu gong, when the game starts, the two sides line up in the middle of the field, the top is placed on the ground; with the command of the leader (referee), the two sides begin to compete, snatch and pass it to each other... In cu go pushing, the top is buried deep in the sand in the middle of the field, when the command is given, the two sides compete to dig and get the top with their bare hands. When one of the two sides has the top, the players of the two teams stand behind the captain - the person holding the top - and start to use force to push through the top. The side that shows more strength through this push, forcing the other side to retreat, will win the right to hold the top, then very quickly and skillfully run and pass the top to each other to bring the top to the destination. Especially fun and exciting is the way to play cu tu nuoc. The cu tu nuoc playing field is a sandbank flooded with water about 30 - 40cm deep by the river, the top is buried deep under the sand flooded with water; At the beginning, both teams immerse themselves in the water to compete to get the top, then run and wade with the big, heavy top, while having to weave through the opponent who is trying to find a way to grab the top. People often organize top wrestling competitions between villages, the time of each game is not specifically regulated, and the number of participants on each side is not limited.

Over time, the wrestling festival has recently been lost. How to restore this unique folk game? In 2010, Mr. Phuc was the one who collected, researched, restored and brought wrestling back to the Bach Ma Temple Festival.

Wrestling in people's lives

Returning to Vo Liet village, considered the cradle of Thanh Chuong wrestling festival, I met Mr. Nguyen Kim Tinh (85 years old this year), the only remaining athlete of the old wrestling festival. Mr. Tinh said: Only strong, agile young men can participate in the wrestling festival. In the past, the festival was often held on the occasion of Lunar New Year, from the afternoon of the second day of Tet, the drums were beaten to open the festival, very bustling and exciting. People from all over the village, outside the commune, excitedly flocked to the land along the Lam River right next to the village entrance to watch. Old and young, men and women were all present. Then gongs, drums, flags, and fans, any house with participants would have the whole family and clan come out to cheer. To distinguish the members of the two teams, the organizing committee regulated the color of the loincloth or the colored scarf tied on the head. Although there were no specific rules, the wrestling festival did not accept rough and malicious playing. It was very fierce but also very friendly. The award is only symbolic and honorable, but everyone is excited and proud!

Illustration: Internet.

Talking with Mr. Phan Chinh Tam - Chairman of the People's Committee of Vo Liet commune, it is known that: In recent years, the wrestling festival is not held in the early spring but is included by the government of Vo Liet commune in the festival part of Bach Ma Temple Festival, on the 12th day of the first lunar month. At first, Vo Liet restored 2 participating teams, now there are 6 communes with wrestling teams.

Currently, only Vo Liet people participate in the wrestling game. In the coming time, we need to attract other communes to participate so that every commune has a wrestling team. In Thanh Chuong, we should organize a separate day for the wrestling festival.

Thanh Thuy