Tuesday, November 6, 2007
Cockfight - real entertainment?
Mostly “bloggers”,like me in this section, publish a write up and get some, or even a lot of comments - opinions, critics or appreciations from the readers. From time to time I would like to try it this way: Allow me to ask a question, and then I am really curious about the incoming comments. While living in the Philippines
Related Posts:
Idiotic TelevisionLove is in the air…
Do video games mean something?
Friends forever?!
Men don’t cry?!
Winter in the Philippines?
Silent night…
Points to ponder
Loving our Politicians? Really?
Social weaklings and handicapped people
# 1 chris said:
Not for me. But of course, the Philippines is hardly unique. Think of the bullfights in Mexico and the “running of the bulls” in Pamplona, and the Colosseum and Circus of Nero in Rome. Maybe such “entertainment” is more common in places where traditionally there have been social problems of some kind (high unemployment in Spain and Mexico, inequality in ancient Rome).
# 2 Bruce said:
Klaus,
I have never seen a cock fight in person, and actually the only exposure I have had was on the old american TV mini-series “Roots”
When I was there in Davao last summer, on the motorcab in the Subdivision, I looked to the rear and there was a man with a fighting cock in his arm.
I am against cruelty to animals, so cock fights or dog fights are something I would be against. But I guess to some, it is like boxing. Seeing whos animal is the best. The only thing different is the loser is dead after the fight.
I would guess, if worse comes to worse, if your cock loses, you could at least make soup.
# 3 Klaus said:
Hi Chris and Bruce, thanks for your comments. I totally agree with you.
# 4 Richard said:
Klaus,
Recently while on the web I chanced upon a site that was about breeding cocks for cockfighting. Don’t recall how I happened across the site but you know how it goes sometimes when you follow links from links from links. I was amazed to see this site had well into the double thousands of members. These people were trading prize cocks just like horse lovers trade/sell top male horses for the racing industry to breed top runners. If I remember correctly this site came from the Philippines as well.
Personally I’m not into blood sports.
# 5 John H said:
Well I never realy liked seeing anything suffer. I have hunted a lot and always wanted it to be quick so the animal dosent suffer. I have never been to a cock fight, I might someday just to be sociable but I doubt I would enjoy it.
However for me one of the big attractions of the Philippines is the lack of nuicence laws. I would never consider backing a law of any kind that limits what people do with thier property. And all domestic animals are property. When they start giveing animals rights here I will be looking for yet another place to live. It’s a a slippery steep and long slope when you start takeing peoples rights away for any reason but to do so for animals seems like a slap in the face to humanity. Like saying you are less than an animal you can’t even decide to do what you want with what is yours.
# 6 anthony said:
This is an interesting subject for me as my Philippine experiences are in the provinces, immersed in the local culture, where it is rare to see any westerners. When I first visited the Philippines I was invited to attend the local cockfighting (sabong), and I accepted with trepadation not knowing how I would feel about it. I took the opportunity to explore the whole experience by watching how they match the birds before the fight, fit the blades to the birds and prepare the cocks for the fight. Then there is the betting on the cocks, which is an experience in itself, which adds to the whole atmosphere of the day. Because I had family members participating it made it a more intimate experience, and observing the delight of owning a winning cock was very satisfying. Another point was the care that was given to the cocks was far more than the other domestic animal and fowl, (believe it or not the owners are sad when their cock loses) Also when I visited the Philippines earlier this year during the election campaign, and attending sabong,the local candidates were very happy to attend the event to sure up support. So my conclusion is ; why should outsiders tell another culture how to live! These people really dont have much else in their lives . Live and let live
# 7 Rey said:
Hi Klaus,
Most of my family is an afficionado and we even have a sort of breeding farm for this cocks. Personally, I don’t like this so called sport including the gambling part and I hate being inside the cockpit arena especially during derbys.
It’s actually good business (15K-30K Php for a Trio*) as I know there are some american people who are into breeding figthing cocks there in the Philippines also but not highly recommended if you ‘re not into cockfighting.
The only enjoyment I really get from this is when I make “Tinola with malunggay” with this birds as they’re more tastier than any other farm raised chicken. You should try the soup Bruce!
*2 hens + 1 cock
# 8 Klaus said:
Hi Richard, thanks. And my opinion: I am also not in bloody sports. Where are the boundaries?
Hi John H, even following my opinion, I also agree with you, I would never tell other cultures, how to live. Live and let die.
Hi Rey, more or less agree with you. And, I also tried the soup. Sorry, it’s not my type… Live and let die…
# 9 Bruce said:
Klaus,
After reading all the coments, I had a new thought in a different direction.
Fighting cocks are raised just for fighting. Even though I am against pain even in animals.
I realized this next item that no one complains about except animal rights groups and Vegans. Steers, and pigs are raised just to grow up, get slaughtered and eaten. There only purpose is to be on our plate. So I guess it is ok to raise an animal to feed us, but not to give us entertainment.
Now I put myself in a debate. If I have to fight myself over this, I will let you know which Bruce wins and how bloody I am.
# 10 Bob said:
Hi Klaus - I consider myself to be an animal lover. However, I don’t really object too much to cock-fighting. Maybe that’s two attitudes that don’t match up, I don’t know. The way I look at it, all of the cocks that don’t win end up providing a nice chicken soup or other dish for the winner! Chickens are animals that we raise primarily to eat, not as pets and such. In one way or another they get eaten - eggs, meat, etc. So, if people can get such enjoyment out of them before they are eaten, I personally don’t have a problem with it. Will I be raising some cocks for fighting? No.. that’s not for me. But, if Juan and Dodong enjoy it, I’m OK, and I’ll even help eat the chicken soup on Sunday evenings!
# 11 Klaus said:
Hi Bruce and hi Bob, “each coin has two sides”, as a German saying goes. I don’t know if that’s the correct translation. Bruce, let us know, who became the winner.Bob, I agree with you. I love chicken…
Thanks to all of you sharing your comments.
# 12 macky said:
not a big fan of cockfighting. it’s animal cruetly to me.
it is a deeply ingrained in the culture though, much like bullfighting in spain as mentioned above (then again, if i were spanish, i’d be against bullfighting too — so it’s my own opinion her and does not reflect the majority opinion in the philippines).
it is said that cockfighting is the #1 “sport” in the philippines. comparable to basketball.
# 13 Louis said:
Like Bob I consider myself an animal lover, however I have owned a fighting cock. He won the fight but we didn’t know the opponent was owned by the barangay captain’s son so my cocks wounds were not stiched properly and he died. Pretty bad, and I was pissed about it but you don’t mess with the baabgay captain. When I have a house and some land I will start raising chickens. I lived on a farm before and I know how to do it. I’ve got a family member who will train the cocks to fight and we plan to make some money off of it. It’s a real dichotomy in me, I cry if my cat dies but farm animals like chickens and pigs I am detached from.
# 14 Lawrence J said:
Oh my, this is a really good topic! One of those where you must bare a little more than outside life usually asks of you. Well, my answer to this question is a bit barbaric because, like Louis, I possess a selective detachment to domesticated animals and my pool of protected species became a bit more shallow on the chicken’s end during my latest trip to Leyte.
When I arrived in the airport in Manila I considered all forms of animal cruelty that didn’t serve some worthy purpose (food, shelter, self-defense) to be wrong. When I got to Leyte to stay with Marleen’s family for a few days, her father gave us both a room to ourselves. Sadly, this room had a glassless window where, 2 feet from the sill, was perched the most aggressive rooster in the provinces. To make a long story short, the rooster crowed from…. well, let’s just say all day/night long! I was curious as to why they were all staked out and tethered and Marleen explained that they were fighting cocks. I was stunned. After 4 days of nearly jumping out the window to throttle that thing, I developed a curiosity to the idea. This carried over to our return to Cebu City where I had the opportunity to buy a rather professionally done DVD of cockfighting matches. When I got back to the states, I watched it and was transfixed… not horrified or charged with sadistic glee… just genuinely intruiged. All of my family members were astounded that I could find it so engrossing.
Having told my little experience, I will tell my point on cockfighting. I am neither for it or against it, but in a pinch, I would say that I am more for it than against it. I say this because this animal cruelty issue when used by cultural reactionaries and public figures in bigger, richer countries it is intended more as, I see it, a rally point to demonize another culture that their fan base doesn’t fully understand. There are much bigger and more pressing issues that these crusaders could attack to bring enlightenment to humanity. Cockfighting also serves a minor social function. By strapping razor blades to a rooster’s foot, a poor farmer stands a chance of making enough money to feed his family for a week if he wins and for a night if he loses.
# 15 Bob said:
Hi Lawrence, it is my understanding that the winner takes the dead cock in addition to any prizes. So, the loser wouldn’t be able to feed his family for one night if his bird loses!
# 16 Klaus said:
Hi to Macky, Louis, Lawrence J and Bob, thanks for visiting my blog and thanks for your comments. All you guys gave me some points to think about, which I haven’t done yet. My opinion contents a little bit out of everything.
# 17 Louis said:
You never eat your own bird (goodness I almost said cock)… it’s bad luck and the other birds you own won’t win. Lawrence when you watch a cockfight there are little things you watch for to who the winning bird may be. Like they always hold the birds together before the fight… the more aggressive one will try to peck first. The real thing is if you are the winner you don’t win as much as you’d think from it. You have to tithe certain people like the gaffer (the one who ties on the gaffer hook), the handler, etc. The real money comes from being able to sell a winning cock. Once a cock has won 4-5 fights it’s usually retired and used for breeding.
# 18 Lawrence Johnson said:
Louis,
Oh my! I never knew all of that! Makes the benefits of the game a lot less worth the effort. lol If ever I found myself doing any raising or chickens… I guess I will be the selfish one and keep them out of the ring… I like chicken! If I lost a match and my dinner…
# 19 Klaus said:
Thanks Lawrence