Hai Phong is a land with many historical relics and landscapes bearing bold characteristics of the sea. Among these cultural heritages, the highlight is the Do Son buffalo fighting festival. This is a festival with many unique features of cultural and historical customs, leaving many impressions for visitors from all over the world.
Do Son buffalo fighting festival expresses the cultural identity and martial spirit of the coastal people. According to legend, the buffalo fighting festival dates back to the 18th century, and was held to pray for happiness and prosperity for the local people. Do Son people still pass on the story of the buffalo fighting festival: One full moon night in August, coastal people saw a fairy who was passionately watching two buffaloes fighting each other. Since then, the buffalo fighting festival has become a special part of the spiritual life of the Do Son people.
Do Son buffalo fighting festival is held on August 9 of lunar calendar every year. At this time, when the rice is in the field, the girls and fishermen have just finished the fish season, everyone is eagerly preparing for the buffalo fighting festival. The fighting arena to fight buffalo is a large field with a moat surrounding it. The buffalo are carefully selected to participate in the contest. Buffaloes must be healthy male buffalo with shiny skin, smooth hair, especially buffalo horns as black as ebony, pricked up like sickles. Like many other festivals, the buffalo fighting festival also has 2 parts: ceremony and festival. The ceremony with traditional and solemn ceremonies includes the Sacrifice of Diem Sacrifice, followed by the procession of bowls and tributes. Part of the ceremony was bustling in the drum sound, the five colors flag fluttered. The festival takes place on the main day of the festival (August 9) with many attractive activities, imbued with national identity. The opening dance is the opening dance of 24 men who is both flexible, powerful and flexible. After dancing the flag, the two buffalos were led into the pond in the sound of drums and screams, and there were people hiding and dancing the flags on both sides. When the two buffalo men are 20m apart, the men pulled them back. Two buffalo completely free to attack each other violently. The buffalo battle took place extremely fierce, fierce, making the viewer breathless. This is an opportunity for the buffalo to show off all his skills and experience. The strength and tenacity of the buffalo is also a symbol of the courage and martial spirit of the Do Son people. The winning buffalo brings a lot of honor and pride to the buffalo owner. At the end of the festival, whether they win or lose, the buffalo will be slaughtered to sacrifice to heaven and earth, pray for favorable weather, favorable crops, quiet waves for seafarers to catch luck and convenience. .
in the North, fighting against the American imperialism and the Saigon government in the South (1954-1965)
The buffalo fighting festival not only brings joy to the viewers but also is a unique custom and belief, rich in cultural and historical values. Do Son buffalo fighting festival is recognized as 1 of 15 national festivals, is an attractive destination for many tourists.
Do Son buffalo fighting festival is a festival imbued with national identity, carrying many values expressing historical traditions and qualities and souls of coastal people. We need to have the responsibility to preserve and further develop the good identity of the buffalo fighting festival to contribute to preserving the long-standing cultural values of the nation.
