Highland bullfighting festival

(Baonghean)Every spring, when the sound of the panpipe and flute calling for friends echoes on the misty mountain slopes, the Mong people in Ky Son district also eagerly prepare to organize a bullfighting festival. The bullfighting festival in this remote border area is not as bustling as the Do Son buffalo fighting festival or the Bay Nui bull racing festival of the Khmer people in An Giang province, but it has its own unique features.

According to the village elders, the bullfighting festival of the Mong people began to form around 1925 until now and has been passed down from generation to generation. In recent years, the movement of raising cows of the people has developed strongly and the transportation is convenient, the bullfighting festival is not only within the scope of one commune but also has the participation of people from other communes, in five years people from Laos also brought cows to participate. There are many communes in the district that organize bullfighting, but the most crowded are still the two communes of Muong Long and Huoi Tu. Although the scale is not large, the bullfighting festival in the spring is truly a cultural festival of the Mong people here.

On the days of the bullfighting festival, from early morning, when the white mist still covers the hills, people in Mong villages in colorful costumes flock to the "arena". The "arena" is located on an open field near the commune center and is formed into a concave area like a large pond. When the organizers announce the list of referees and security guards (to prevent the bulls from disturbing the arena), the pairs of bulls that have been drawn lots in advance are led into the "arena" by their owners, and the winning bull will continue to be drawn lots for the next round. At the end of the festival, the two biggest and strongest bulls that have eliminated the most opponents will compete in the final round. Unlike other buffalo fighting festivals, in the Mong bullfighting festival, the champion bull will not receive a prize and will not be slaughtered to offer to the gods.



Bull fighting festival of Mong people in Ky Son.

Mr. Vu Giong Dia, Chairman of the People's Committee, Head of the Organizing Committee of the Huoi Tu Commune Bull Fighting Festival, Xuan Quy Ty explained: "For us Mong people, cows are a very close animal to humans. Along with chickens, cows are present in all important ceremonies and festivals, sometimes considered a measure of prosperity and success of each Mong family. When Mong girls get married, their parents often give them a cow as a dowry to bring to their husband's house to build happiness together. When the elderly die, their relatives often kill a cow with the most beautiful horns to perform a ritual. Especially in recent years, raising cows has become an economic development movement of our people. Raising cows is not only to participate in the fighting festival but also directly helps people to eliminate hunger and reduce poverty. Therefore, the winning cows will not be slaughtered but will be loved by the people, considering it a lucky thing that brings a lot of fortune to the people. bull fighting is not only a traditional festival but also represents the strength, resilience, solidarity and development of the community.

Along with the economic and social development of the ethnic groups in Ky Son district, the traditional bullfighting festival of the Mong people is also growing in scale and quality. During the festival, Mong boys and girls from many different places organize throwing balls and playing flutes to find their lovers. This is a unique feature of Mong culture in Ky Son and has a great impact on the spiritual life and encourages the movement of good cow breeding of the people in this remote border area.

Phung Ngoc Thang (HT: 5NK 129 Vinh)