Assignment 4A

Group 2

I - INTRODUCTION
Nowadays tourism is developing strongly and rapidly in Vietnam. There are more and more tourists visiting Vietnam every year. Tourists are attracted by Vietnam because our country has not only many beautiful landscapes with many great beaches, majestic mountains but also has many tasty ethnic foods, especially, Vietnam also has many attracting traditional festivals and folk games. All of them make an attracting Vietnam in tourists eyes. Traditional festival and folk games play an important role in Vietnameses spiritual world and are meaningful with tourism. Folk games are an essential part in festival such as cockfighting, buffalo fighting, boat racing and so on. And our groups responsibility is researching about buffalo fighting a game appeared very early and attracts many tourists to visit per year. This is an assignment we must do to have condition to take final exam. 1. Rationale This assignment includes two parts: writing report and oral presentation. Our group has four members: Nguyen Xuan Huy, Nguyen Thi Thu Hien, Bui Minh Quan and Pham Thi Lien. While researching about the folk game, we can learn more information, improve our knowledge about culture of our country and have more pride of our beautiful traditional. Moreover, researching this assignment, we will serve for our career in future in tourist because thanks to this information, we can answer some questions of tourists and guide them while discovering, we can make our conversation more interesting. Besides, we can know more about traditional cultures values to preserve, protect and develop them, especially in tourism. 2. Objectives of the study Throughout this assignment, we can know more about traditional culture especially folk games and know we must have responsibility in preserving and developing them. In other hand, we can not only improve our communication skills, presentation skills and writing report skills but also be more self-confident in presentation. Our group recognize this topic assignment is very interesting, so we try our best to complete it and try to receive good result. The following is some detail information about buffalo fighting our group collected.

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II - BODY
1. Brief description of the area where the folk game originated The buffalo fighting game was born very early. It is originated in many areas in Vietnam such as Hai Phong, Vinh Phuc, Phu Tho provinces; however, the buffalo fighting festival which is most famous and attracts most tourists is held in Do Son district, Hai Phong province. Do Son is a district of Hai Phong City. It is a small peninsula by Dragon Mountains spreaded to the sea about 5 kilometers with many hills. Do Son is one of the quite nice beaches, this place is an excellent combination between mountains, thousands of casuarina trees, pine, palm and the immense sea. Do Son has many visitors from all regions of Vietnam as well as international tourists coming this beach relaxing, hiking, camping, seeing beautiful ocean sunset, enjoying comfortable services in some modern and facility resorts, entertainment centers. Do Son is also beautiful because people here, any valuable historical relics as the Ho Chi Minh road on the sea, King Bao Dais villas, some beautiful landscape such as Nghieng Marina, Ba De Temple, Dau Island, Truc Dao Garden, Dragon Fall. Do Son is famous with some interesting festivals which play an important role in Do Son peoples spiritual world is buffalo fighting festival held every year. Buffalo fighting festival is a traditional festival of the people in Do Son district, Hai Phong province. It is officially organized on the 9th of 8thlunar month every year. There were two previous battles in the middle of May and the 8th of 6th lunar month. This is not only just a festival associated with worship water god custom and sacrifice custom but also show the martial spirit of the coastal people in Hai Phong province. This festival attracts many tourists visiting Do Son every year.

2. History of the folk game Buffalo fighting is one of the most popular folk games in Vietnam festival, especially, in Hai Phong province. The legend of buffalo fighting associated with an attractive story. Long time ago, a god has caused severe droughts, threating the lives of people and all animals. Each day, they looked toward the sea and prayed in vain. However, during the most difficult, they saw two buffaloes fighting on the wave crests. Since then, the rain start dropping and all living things revive. Another legend, buffalo fighting started 1000 years ago, in King Ly Thanh Tongs dynasty.Legend told that an oldest man of the village dreamed of the two buffaloes fighting on
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the sea waves. The next morning, he told everybody about his dream and that year the whole fishing village had a bumper season. Villagers thought that was a good omen and they built temple to worship. The local people organize it every year to pray for riches and happiness. Buffalo fighting festival has begun from that. The time ofthefestivalalong with the fish time to move from south to north, less influenced bytimeofstorm.

3. Preparations before playing the game

The buffalo fighting held on the 9th of 8th lunar month since the 18th century. Before the final match, the buffalo take parts in the fight have to pass through two qualifying rounds in midMay and the 6th lunar month to choose the nine best buffalo. This festival has joined of nine villages. The preparation for this buffaloes fighting festival is a complex and long process. First, each village must appoint a person who has experience in training buffalo. This person will buy a good buffalo from February in the market in Hai Duong, Nam Dinh, Thai Binh provinces. The competing buffaloes must be carefully selected and have to characteristics such as a long neck, short legs, red eyes, strong and goodlooking teeth, wide chest, big groin and bow shaped horns. Of course, this is a male buffalo. The buffalo must have from 4 to 5 years old. Then, they will be trained months before the festival and fed in separate cages to keep away from all the animals. Women do not care and close to the selected buffalo. They eat grass, bran and rice. All of them will mix a little fat python. Before the fighting, they are drunk ginseng. The cage must be clean. They are bathed every day. Training process for buffalo is quite elaborate. The buffalo has to practice running, wading mud, rock climbing, suitable for weather changes in order to improve endurance. Letthemget acquaintedwith the crowd, the sound of the festivaland awakentheirability todefend.Some the local people even hold pray at night before the game to wishes their chosen creature good luck.

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Assignment 4A 4. How to play the game The buffalo fighting is a form of cultural activities. It appeared from the 18th century and was held in many areas in Vietnam. Buffalo fighting festival takes place in two days. The first day, local people offer incense in temple and take water well to worship. Besides, this festival includes the folkloric procession. rituals such as tutelary

Group 2

On the morning of the two day, festival has sailing, performing arts, playing chess and buffalo fighting performing at a large stadium. First, chairman of the authorities will read the opening statement. A big chair is brought by six strong young men. The competing buffaloes cover with red cloth and horn tie pink ribbon, are taken to the stadium by twelve young men. Then, the young man will perform dances flag and call open battle with sound of drums and gongs. A person wears a top hat, the dress, waist how green back, white pants, wrap leggings will blow loudspeaker to begin the fighting. Next, a pair of buffalos is led to stadium and stand near two flags call Ngu Phung . As soon as the signal is released, the two buffaloes are led into the fighting circle and stop at a distance about 20 meters. The two leaders release the ropes that are attached to the noses of the buffalo. When the next signal, the buffalo rush into each other, using the horn and fighting skills to beat such as defense, attack and dodge pretty fast and flexible while the spectators shout. According to the rule, the buffalo which running out of the round is lose. The winning buffalo goes to the next round till find the final winner. Time of the match depends on the strength of the buffalo. The individual who owns the winning buffalo will receive 40 million dong. However, regardless of whether they win or lose, all of buffaloes are slaughtered to ancestors worship as well as its meat is sold outside the stadium. Many people who buy the fresh meat believe that it will bring them good luck.

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The buffalo fighting shows the martial spirit of the local people. In recent years, this festival attracted not only local people but also thousands of tourists come from everywhere in the world.

5. Some changes Buffalo fighting is an ancient game in northern of Vietnam. During the wartime, it had almost been forgotten. But nowadays, people brought it back and preserved it as an important aspect of Vietnamese culture. However, they just preserve most of this game. Buffalo fighting what we see nowadays is not like itself in the past. One thing is different from the original is in the way people raise the buffalo. In the part, raising fighting buffalo was a work of all people in the village. They chose buffalo together, fed him up together, trained him together and took care of him together. They all thought it was honor themselves. Now, they do this more professional. Raising buffalo has become the work of professional experts. A family have the most experience would be chosen to raise fighting buffalo by all people in the village for many generations. Sometime, in the same village, there is more than one person allowed to raise fighting buffalo. In fact, anyone can register if he has enough conditions to raise fighting buffalo. And sometime, people buy some strong buffalo and train them become fighting buffalo. Eventually, there things made raising fighting buffalo is not a sacred duty as it was. Another change in buffalo fighting is the viewer. In the part, almost viewers are local people. They really believe in their god and they think the buffalo fighting festival is the opportunity for them to show the respect for their god. Because of that reason, local people come to festival with all joy and faith. Now, it has changed so much. Still a large number of local people come to the festival but they are not as many as they were in the past, their life went by so quick and so hard and it made them easy to forget some traditional practices. Nevertheless, that fact is not too bad at all. Instead of local people, the number of tourist comes to buffalo fighting festival is rising up year by year. That is the good chance for local government and the manager develop tourism in Do Son. Besides there changes below, buffalo fighting festival is the good change for local people and local government to raise their income. They will earn from selling ticket, selling souvenirs and selling buffalo meat. In the part, meat of fighting buffalo would be shared for all people in the village after the final battle. They considered that it is the way to share luck and the blessing
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from god for every people. Nowadays, they have still shared it but in another way. After the buffalo battle, the fighting buffalo will be killed, and their meat will be sold out with high price. If someone want to have the blessing of god, they have to pay a large of money to get that glory.

6. Significance of the game The buffalo fighting festival associated with the worship so it became more and more divine spiritual. It is also show the sincerity with deities and saints. By this festival, people want to have a convenient sea voyages, a main crop more abundant than usual. Buffalo fighting festival is not only entertainment but also became the customs, the beliefs of people. It was hell to show the hope about happiness, riches and a peaceful life. To have a good buffalo to join in festival, there are many difficulties. Each village must appoint a person who has many experiences in training buffalo. That person will buy a buffalo from February in Hai Duong, Hai Phong, Thai Binh market. So, the victory will show the talent of the person who trained buffalo. The last winner buffalo will bring glorious for its village. Every people believe that the winner village will have a main crop more abundant than usual. After the festival, all of buffalo was killed. Its meat was used for worship and for sale. People buy it for food and for gift to bless and good luck. This festival shows the character of people. It is the martial spirit. When we join in festival, we communicate with a lot of people so we will feel that sense of community is growing up. This festival shows the strength of the village community, local or broader nation. They have general goal of solidarity to overcome hardship and have prosperous life and happiness. It is also an opportunity for people to come back to their homeland and their village. "D ai bun u bn u Mng chn thng tm chi tru th v D ai bun bn trm ngh Mng chn thng tm th v chi tru 7. Its importance in tourism development This festival is importance in tourist development, too. It is a specific culture in Hai Phong, Vinh Phuc, Phu Tho provinces and so on. It shows the character of people in there. So, this festival was contributed to Vietnamese cultural identities. It is a value of intangible culture. Each year, a thousand of tourists went to buffalo fighting festival. When we come to festival, we have to waste a lot of money. So this festival was revenue for tourism industry in Hai Phong province and for the national economy in Vietnam. This festival attracted a large amount of
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tourist and when tourist who comes from other country come to this festival, world will know about culture in Vietnam. To continue to be importance in tourism development, the buffalo fighting festival should keep the traditional way of organization. People in Hai Phong, Vinh Phuc, Phu Tho provinces should transmit to future generations to keep the traditional value.

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II CONCLUSION AND RECOMMENDATIONS

1. Conclusion Buffalo fighting is one of the most popular folk games in Vietnam festival. It held on the 9th of 8th lunar month. It attracts thousands of people gather at the stadium of Do Son Town, to witness the attractive performances of fighting buffalos. The reason made tourists come to that festival is meaning and feature it brings. Through the festival, People believe that their faith, their pray and their respect will be bring to the god whom they worship. It is really a feature of Vietnamese culture what every tourist want to discover. Besides that, Buffalo fighting still express the chivalry of Vietnamese people what we have built since thousands years ago. Moreover, Buffalo fighting festival is the excellent opportunity to promote tourism of Do Son and raise income of local people. Thus, Buffalo fighting festival that festival is really an invaluable tourism resource of Do Son as well as Vietnam. Knowledge about Vietnamese culture is very necessary with student, especial with student who leant about tourism. The assignment about Buffalo fighting festival come up with other folk game will help us improve our knowledge about Vietnamese culture. In the process of completing the assignment, we picked up a lot of information about folk game and feature of Vietnamese culture. They will be very useful for our job in the future. Moreover, with lots of information and experience we have after the assignment, we will find proud of our country much more. The assignment wrote about Buffalo fighting festival - a folk game of northern Vietnam. It will provide reader with the most general information about buffalo fighting such as description, preparation, rules, changes, etc. Besides, it is a useful guidebook for tourists or anyone who want to know about Buffalo fighting festival.

2. Recommendations

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Buffalo fighting is a special aspect of traditional culture as long as valuable tourism resource of Vietnam. It has an undeniable attractive with tourists. However, we do not exploit the full potential of this invaluable resource. We really need some specific measures to preserve and develop this traditional game. The following are some measures: First, we need find the way to preserve Buffalo fighting and make local people proud of it. If we want to do that, we should start from changing thought of the young. They are future owners of the country and the culture. In the future, they themselves are the persons who save traditional values. If we raise their love with traditional game come up with Buffalo fighting, we will never affair it fades away when the time goes by. To achieve the above objectives, we not only propagate but also let the young participates in the game as the player or member of organizer. Through that activities, they will find how interesting traditional game are and form conservation awareness in the future. Moreover, the young is abundant human resources for tourism in Do Son. Second, we should show Buffalo fighting with as many tourists as we can. Let them know about this festival, but all information is general. We will let them feel curious and come to watch the real festival. Television, newspaper, magazine will be effective tools to advertise Buffalo fighting festival with all people in our country come up with global. We should do that a long time before festival with many welcome activities to attract tourists come to Do Son, but not too long, because tourists will feel tired by waiting. Besides that, we also can make some plays, films, TV reports about this folk game or publish some book talk about legend of Buffalo fighting. Finally, we need improve quality of service in Do Son such as food Service, accommodation service, shopping service and security in festival by training staff and local human resources or build up security system. There things is the most important factor to attract more tourists come there. Buffalo fighting festival is held on the 9th of 8th lunar month, this is the season when people do not come to swim anymore. Therefore, we can use the rest of available resources for the festival. Developing low price hotel will be a good idea. Another suggestion is rising up the prize for winner, it will make many people register to fight and make the festival become more dramatic. In addition, we should hold some exhibition to show items relate to Buffalo fighting festival in the part or hold a fair to sell and advertise local product as well as local culture.

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REFERENCES

1. http://www.clicktovietnam.com/Vietnam-Travel-Festival/Do-Son-Buffalo-Fighting-

Festival.asp
2. http://www.vietnam-beauty.com/vietnamese-culture/festivals-and-ceremonies/15-festivals-

and-ceremonies/117-do-son-buffalo-fighting-festival-hai-phong-city-festival.html
3. http://www.haiphongtourism.gov.vn/plan-your-holidays/arts-and-culture-activities/pid39/do-

son-buffalo-fighting-festival.html
4. http://vietnam-culture.blogspot.com/2011/10/buffalo-fighting-festival.html 5. http://www.haiphongtourism.gov.vn/events/h15/sports-events/do-son-buffalo-fight-

festival.html
6. http://www.worldtravelguide.net/vietnam/do-son-buffalo-fighting-festival 7. http://www.iexplore.com/articles/2011/07/donson-buffalo-fighting-festival-unmatched-

vietnamese-experience
8. http://www.easternmirrornagaland.com/index.php/news/region/4317-assam-keeps-carnival-

date-with-buffalo-fight-festival9. http://www.asiarooms.com/en/travel-guide/vietnam/vietnam-festivals-&-events/do-son-

buffalo-fighting-festival-vietnam.html
10. http://www.footprintsvietnam.com/Travel_News/September07/Vietnam-Buffalo-Fights.htm

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SOME PICTURES ABOUT BUFFALO FIGHITNG FESTIVAL

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