Battle of the Chickens (choi ga)
Cock fighting, a long-standing form of popular entertainment, is
organised during traditional festivals throughout Vietnam.
Raising roosters for cockfighting requires heavy investments
in time and labour. Professional trainers choose young
chickens carefully, individually preparing their food and
drink, bathing them, separating them from hens, and training
them in fighting positions. A fighting cock must be so
acquainted with its owner that it will allow only the owner
to hold him. Fighting cocks, which come from three main
species, are colloquially called "sacred chickens" or
"combat roosters". Black roosters with a red comb and a long
neck are full of stamina and will fight to the bitter end.
White roosters with ivory-coloured feet and round yellow
eyes are hot-tempered and perform "lightning battles". Also
popular are "five-coloured cocks" coated with black, yellow,
brown, red and blackish blue feathers. They fight with
flexibility and often run away if they lose.
The owners prepare a 1.5m-wide ring walled by a 20cm-high
bamboo screen. Spectators stand outside the screen. Only the
owners of the fighting cocks are allowed to enter the area
to care for their animals. A rooster loses if it leaves the
ring twice and does not return.
Before a cockfight begins, owners agree on the terms among
themselves. They compare the size, weight and combat
achievements of their roosters. If one rooster has longer
spurs, its rival is allowed to wear artificial spurs. After
the discussion and agreement, the owners bring their birds
into the ring. The cocks are kept in two separate halves of
the ring until a signal is given to start the fight. Cocks
usually attempt some trial feints to gauge their
competitor's reactions before giving mortal thrashings: a
double kick against the rival's body, a cut to the neck
using spurs, or pecking out the rival's eyes.
The fight continues until one bird is defeated. Contestants
time the rounds by burning an incense slick or draining
water can with a hole in it.
Vietnamese cockfights have two forms of compensation. In one
version, the loser pays an agreed-upon sum lo the winner; in
the other, the loser forfeits both money and the defeated
bird. |
