Do Son Buffalo Fighting Festival, Vietnam, is held every year on the 9th day of the 8th month of the lunar calendar. It is one of the popular Vietnam festivals & events in Haiphong City. The preparations for this buffalo fighting festival however begin from the 5th and the 6th lunar month itself. The competing buffalos are selected and methodically trained months in advance of the Do Son Buffalo Fighting Festival, Vietnam.
According to the norms of Do Son Buffalo Fighting Festival, Vietnam,there should be six fighting buffalos between 4 and 5 years of age, who will participate in the final fight. The buffalos are chosen on the basis of good appearance, wide chest, big groin, long neck, and a bow shaped horn. The selected buffalos, after all the elimination rounds, are kept in separate cages separate from the common buffalos.
Do Son Buffalo Fighting Festival in Vietnam begins with a colorful procession with an octet and a big procession chair, carried by six strong young men. The chosen buffalos, covered with red cloth and red band around their horns, are taken to the fighting ring by 12 young Vietnamese men, from each side dressed in red. The young men dance and wave flags as the two teams of troops take their positions in the fighting ground.
With all the excitement and anticipation building to fever pitch, the Do Son Buffalo Fighting Festival begins with a riot of noise and color. With the release of the right signal a pair of buffalos is led into the fighting circle. With well practiced movements the buffalos rush into each other while the spectators shout and urge on the fighting buffaloes. The winning buffalo goes to the next round till the final winner emerges.
Do Son Buffalo Fighting Festival, Vietnam, is a traditional festival of Vietnam attached to a Water God worshipping ceremony and the “Hien Sinh” custom to show marital spirit of the local people in Do Son, Haiphong.