Do Son Buffalo Fighting Festival is a long-standing and distinctive cultural activity in Do Son, Hai Phong. This is a characteristic of local traditional cultural, religious, and artistic activities that reflect the physical and spiritual lives of a community.

Do Son Buffalo Fighting Festival introduction

No one knows when the Do Son Buffalo Fighting Festival took place. It has long been a tradition since ancient times. Buffalo fighting festival is a traditional festival of thousands of fishermen in Do Son, Hai Phong City. The festival is held on the 9th day of the 8th lunar month every year.

The Do Son Buffalo Fighting Festival is an example of a unique combination of many local communities. Because each location will usually develop and maintain a particular festival. The Do Son Buffalo Fighting Festival, however, is an exception to this rule.

Do Son Buffalo Fighting Festival is a traditional festival in Hai Phong City

Here, there is an interference between aspects of the agricultural cultures of the delta dwellers and the coastal residents to the merits of the gods, praying for a year of peace and prosperity. The festival is also associated with worshiping the Water God with the buffalo fighting and offering ceremony. 

Besides, according to the concept of the people here, especially for fishermen fishing far from the sea, the moon is closely related to navigation. Buffalo horns have a curved shape, quite similar to the shape of the moon. The evidence of this tight relationship can be seen when two pairs of horns brush up against one another in the moonlight. Since then, the buffalo horns have come to represent the crescent moon and the God Doc Cuoc. This is the god that the people of the sea worship.

The festival is also associated with worshiping the Water God

After the final fight, the winning buffalo will be brought to the boat. They were carried far away from the land and then thrown into the sea to offer to the gods. However, that is just the old custom. At present, the winning buffalo will be brought to Nghe temple, where everyone will kill it together as an offering to the village god, praying for good weather, calm seas, and abundant fish and shrimp for the fisherman.

Meaning of the Do Son Buffalo Fighting Festival 

The Do Son Buffalo Fighting Festival is held to honor the virtues of the gods, maintain village discipline, and pray for good weather and tranquility. This celebration also shows the spirit of solidarity and community. The ancients believed that the village with the winning buffalo at the end will be safe for the entire following year and fishermen who go out to sea would be lucky not to experience bad weather.

The Do Son Buffalo Fighting Festival is held to honor the virtues of the gods

Preparing for the Do Son Buffalo Fighting Festival

Before the Do Son Buffalo Fighting Festival takes place, people in Do Son will prepare a lot of things.

Choosing, raising, and training buffalo

The selection of the buffalo is also extremely carefully made in order to win the competition, lasting several months. Even a year prior to the ritual, experts will travel to various nearby provinces, including Tuyen Quang, Bac Kan, Nam Dinh, and Thanh Hoa, to buy buffaloes.

People usually should choose a male buffalo with thick and firm hair on its head. Buffalo has a long neck, broad chest, and wide groin. The buffalo's back must be sufficiently thick and flat to resist a blow from another buffalo. The horns of the buffalo, considered to be its weapon, must be black and curved like a crescent moon.

People usually should choose a male buffalo to join Do Son Buffalo Fighting Festival

Buffaloes also need to practice running, wading through the muck, climbing mountains, and adapting to a variety of weather situations. Buffalo horns may occasionally be sharpened to improve fighting prowess and damage. In addition to improving attack techniques, the buffalo is also being taught how to defend itself.

Arena

The Do Son Buffalo Fighting Festival is held at the Do Son General Communal House. The arena is a sizable, open, and level space that measures roughly 80 by 100 meters. There are fences all around for protection. There are spectator stands all around the arena where fans may watch the game.

The Do Son Buffalo Fighting Festival is held at the Do Son General Communal House

Ritual of Do Son Buffalo Fighting Festival 

Do Son Buffalo Fighting Festival is held on a large scale and has many solemn ceremonies. It has two parts, the ceremony part, and the activity part. Starting from the first day of the month, the festival of Diem Tuoc is held at the General Communal House, followed by the ceremony of the Water God. The water bottle is changed once a year. The festival is held on the 9th of the 8th lunar month. Starting at 1 a.m., village leaders asked for permission from Thanh Hoang to bring buffalo to compete.

In the procession, the leader is Ngu Phuong team, gong, drum, and palanquin. Followed by the elders, the people with high positions in the village, and the buffaloes. There are two dancing boys with flags standing next to each buffalo. The procession is tremendously busy and loud with the music playing and the crowds cheering.

Do Son Buffalo Fighting Festival has many solemn ceremonies

The Do Son Buffalo Fighting Festival is an indispensable part of the locals’ spiritual life. It is a unique experience that should not be missed if you are visiting Vietnam during this time of the year.