Do Son Buffalo Fighting Festival

Buffalo fighting is a unique and traditional festival of people in Do Son District, Haiphong City. This festival is not only associated with the Water Goddess worshiping and sacrificing custom but also expressed the bravery, chivalry, and risk-taking spirit of people in the coastal city of Haiphong. The festival is annually and officially operated on the 9th day of the 8th month in the Vietnamese Lunar Calendar. The traditional buffalo fighting festival of Do Son (Hai Phong) is the interference between the agricultural cultural elements of the coastal residents and the inhabitants of the plains, commemorating the merits of the gods, and praying for the peace of the nation and the people. It is impressive because it represents the unique spiritual life of Do Son’s vernacular people, contributing to creating the unique lifestyle of this coastal area. First of all, 24 muscular young men line up into two rows, strongly and flexibly performing flag dance in the urgent sound of drums and cymbals. At about 8.00 a.m, after the opening sound of drums and gongs, the festival’s hosts called “Sir Buffaloes” joined the games and start the battle. After that, two buffaloes are led into the arena from two opposite gates. As soon as they immediately run into each other and start fighting. Each of these buffaloes uses trained gimmickry to attack its enemy until one of them runs out of the arena. I like this festival because it is not only a unique traditional beauty, honoring the martial spirit but also imbued with cultural and spiritual imprints with good meanings.