Dear young Vietnamese people,
Hello, my name is Phuong Nhi. Growing up in the countryside, I used to have a memorable childhood when climbing up on the back of buffaloes to play with my friends, or cooling off in the summer rain with them. And it’s because of this commitment that I have an impulse to write this letter to all of you – the future of our country.
Surely you are no stranger to buffalos pulling the plough, right? For Vietnam, associated with long-term wet rice agriculture, the buffalo is known as a precious friend and symbol of the village and countryside. Not only be likened to a farmer’s confidant, but the buffalo is also even more honoured to have appeared at the 22nd Southeast Asian Games SEA Games held in Vietnam.
So do you know in Vietnam, is there any festival with the participation of buffaloes? For those who do not know, it is the Do Son buffalo fighting festival.
The Do Son Buffalo Fighting Festival takes place on the 9th day of the 8th lunar month every year. The festival has a combination of cultural and agricultural elements in the mainland with the culture of coastal residents, associated with worshipping the water god with the ritual of fighting and sacrificing buffalo. And I have once participated in this festival.
I remember that occasion, the whole family returned to my hometown, Nam Dinh, and conveniently drove to Hai Phong to join the festival. There, we had a chance to see the procession, the flag dance ceremony. Truly majestic! And finally…, the two buffaloes faced each other. The moment the two pairs of horns collided with each other with a thud, in the endless cheers of many people, I was filled with mixed emotions. Before the buffalo looked so gentle, however, it suddenly became aggressive then. About ten minutes later, suddenly a loud voice said: “That buffalo is bleeding, it must be losing. Another 500 thousand dong loss.” After the efforts, the poor little buffalo lay down with blood all over its two broken horns. I couldn’t hold it anymore and burst into tears on my dad’s shoulder…
Whenever I talk about the buffalo fighting festival, my heart still has so many feelings. Buffaloes, carrying a gentle nature and being considered the “head of fortune”, are now brutal, trained to fight with their kind, not to mention they have also become a bet. Looking at the buffaloes at first had a dignified, heroic demeanour, then they were stunned and hurt because of the pain of losing one of their horns after the battle. Is it possible that from the original beautiful core of promoting national values and preserving the homeland’s identity, now the organization of the festival has begun to show signs of commercialization, bringing violence to part of the teenagers who come to watch the show, even causing fatal accidents? One of the most typical examples is the incident that happened on July 1, 2017, at the buffalo fighting festival. The buffalo number 18 showed an abnormal and aggressive expression, but was still allowed to enter the competition field and rammed its owner to death. And what’s even more sad is that all buffaloes participating in the festival, whether they win or lose, are slaughtered to offer God. If so, how do you feel about this?
Not only the buffalo, in Vietnam we also have other festivals using animals. Typically, the Pig Cutting festival in Bac Ninh, the Nightingale Fighting festival in Ha Giang …
More and more festivals using animals are taking place. And it is these festivals that are indirectly bringing bad thoughts about animals to the young generation. I have read and agree with the sharing of Master BUI VIET THANH, Faculty of Cultural Studies, University of Social Sciences and Humanities – VNU-HCM:
“It can be said that violent and bloody festivals are not lacking in the world. However, as civilization developed, these festivals were gradually boycotted.
Festival culture by its mobility can be changed flexibly, that is how civilized society behaves with tradition. Violent, bloody festivals will have to be changed into appropriate forms, such as replacing the live goat with an effigy like the way in Spain did.”
So carrying on our youth and enthusiasm, let’s, the young generation, join hands to protect animals from violent festivals in Vietnam. Uncle Ho once said: “You can do small things at a young age, depending on your strength.” And I believe we can accumulate small to large. From there, it spreads to the consciousness of the people around. Mahatma Gandhi once said, “The greatness of a nation and its moral progress can be treated by the way its animals are.” Let’s protect animals from violent carnivals! Let’s put an end to the suffering of animals being used in festivals today in Vietnam!
Link to the contest is here!
Be the twinkling stars,
Nhi Bui