23/09/2023
Continuing The Buffalo Fighting Festival Tradition In 2023
The Do Son Buffalo Fighting Festival is a famous traditional event that closely attaches to the name of Do Son in the northern port city of Hai Phong. Like other festivals in Vietnam, the Buffalo Fighting Festival consists of two parts - spiritual rites and entertainment activities imbued with the identity of the estuary region. Besides other communal houses in the Do Son district, on the early morning of September 22nd, villagers gathered at the village’s communal house to perform the buffalo presentation ritual. This year, Ngoc Xuyen ward has two fighting buffaloes, officially called “Ngài Trâu” (Sir Buffalo), competing in the festival.
According to traditional rituals, the buffaloes presentation ritual is a small ceremony held at communal houses having buffaloes participate in the festival on Lunar August 8th. Ngoc Hai and Dinh Nam communal houses in Hai Son ward hosted a traditional procession ceremony. After the Great Ceremony, owners led their fighters towards village halls to carry out the Tutelary God Worshipping rite. For the seniors, this is an indispensable ritual.
On September 23rd, the 2023 Do Son traditional buffalo fighting festival will officially kick off, bringing with it wishes and prayers for a year of good weather and abundant crops as well as prosperity and happiness./.