- Title: VIETNAM: ANNUAL BUFFALO FIGHTING SEASON BEGINS IN VIETNAM
- Date: 9th September 1995
- Summary: DO SON, HAI PHONG, VIETNAM (SEPTEMBER 3, 1995) (RTV - ACCESS ALL) 1. SV TRADITIONAL PROCESSION 0.06 2. LV VILLAGERS WATCHING IN RAIN 0.09 3. SLV/SV BUFFALO FIGHTING / PEOPLE WATCHING IN RAIN (3 SHOTS) 0.24 4. SV SOLDIERS WATCHING / REFEREE (2 SHOTS) 0.31 5. LV SPECTATORS RUNNING WITH BUFFALO 0.35 6. SV PEOPLE WATCHING 0.39 7. SLV BUFFALO LOCKING HORNS, CROWD WATCHES 0.47 8. SV CROWD STEPS BACK AS BUFFALO COME CLOSE 0.51 9. SLV BUFFALO FIGHTING 0.58 10.SV CROWD 1.00 11.SV BUFFALO BREAKS WOODEN BARRIER (2 SHOTS) 1.15 12.SV CROWD / MAN PLAYING DRUMS (2 SHOTS) 1.20 13.SLV/LV FIGHTING / ONE BUFFALO ESCAPES AND IS PURSUED BY OPPONENT (2 SHOTS) 1.37 14.SV CROWD APPLAUDING 1.40 15.SLV/SV FIGHTING / ONE BUFFALO BLEEDING (2 SHOTS) 1.50 16.SCU PHOTOGRAPHER 1.52 17.SLV CROWD RUSHES INTO ARENA 1.56 18.SV CROWD WITH WINNING BUFFALO 2.00 Initials Script is copyright Reuters Limited. All rights reserved.
- Embargoed: 24th September 1995 13:00
- Keywords:
- Location: DO SON, HAI PHONG, VIETNAM
- City:
- Country: Vietnam
- Reuters ID: LVACVH23S55H98FJZIBOP9R6CMCL
- Story Text: The buffalo fighting season has begun in Vietnam, an annual event which takes place in the eighth lunar month. Locals believe that the community whose animal wins the tournament can expect prosperity in the year to come.
The fighting buffalo lock their horns in the rain and mud watched by thousands of spectators in a quiet resort town of Do Son, Hai Phong.
As they meet, they twist and thrust upwards with their horns.
Some buffalo lure their opponent to a sea of mud where they attempt to drown each other.
Do Son, a town of about 30,000 people on the gulf of Tonkin near the northern port of Haiphong, is about 130 km (80 miles) east of the capital, Hanoi.
Thousands of people come to watch and bet on the buffalo. The bets on individual buffaloes can be as high as several thousand United States (U.S.) dollars.
To the wild cheers of the audience, the animals lock horns and crack their heads together. Slipping around in deep mud, one pair, horns locked, crashed through the bamboo fence, sending the crowds squealing and scrambling for safety.
There were no injuries in this year's buffalo fights, despite the fact that they often carry their fight outside the surrounding fences, attacking and injuring spectators.
The tragic death of a young girl lies behind the tradition.
At the conclusion of the tournament, the champion buffalo is transported to Doc Island where the animal is taken on board a boat and pushed overboard as the sacrifice to the Gods to avenge the girl's death.
The first prize for the winning buffalo was ten million dong (one thousand U.S. dollars) and a new colour television.
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