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An Giang province, home to a large population of Khmer people, boasts a rich and distinctive cultural heritage. The Seven Mountains bull racing festival is one of its unique cultural highlights. Every year, during the Don Ta festival at the end of the 8th lunar month to the beginning of the 9th lunar month, the bull racing festival is held to showcase the community's bond and as a form of mass sports. Don Ta festival, also known as Sene Dolta or Ancestor Worship festival, originated from ancient beliefs in the Phum Soc community of the Khmer people before Mahayana Buddhism spread to Vietnam.
Don Ta Festival
The southern region of Vietnam used to be submerged in water, and traditional rice cultivation followed the flooding cycle. Planting season begins with the Khmer people's traditional calendar, and the Don Ta season marks the end of the planting season. During this time, when farmers have leisure time, they visit distant relatives, offer local produce, or hold ancestor worship ceremonies to honor the ancestors who pioneered the land, praying for blessings for the prosperous Phum Soc community. In Khmer, 'Sene' means worship, 'Dol' means grandmother, and 'ta' means grandfather. Sene Dolta festival, similar to the Vietnamese Vu Lan festival, expresses filial piety towards the deceased. During this festival, families clean their homes and altars, prepare traditional dishes, usually simple local dishes characteristic of the Khmer, to offer to their ancestors. Additionally, families send some members to the temple to assist in temple preparations for the festival day.
According to ancient traditions, the Sene Dolta festival spans about half a month, featuring various ceremonies at homes and temples such as the Rice Wrapping Ceremony 'Bonh Canh Benh', the Spirit Festival 'Banh Pchum Benh', the Farewell to Ancestors Ceremony 'Bonh Chun Dolta', and the Necta offering...
The locals plant rice and contribute to the temple with the participation of monks during the Don Ta festival.
Today, the festival has been shortened to 3 days to better suit modern life. On the first day, after families finish cleaning their homes, they light incense and invite ancestors to join them for meals. In the evening, a new feast is prepared to honor the souls of ancestors before inviting them to the temple to listen to the monk's teachings. At the temple, the rice wrapped offerings are distributed around the main hall for the lonely souls after the monks recite prayers. On the second day, families bring rice and cakes to the temple at noon for a collective offering ceremony. At the temple, monks recite prayers for the ancestors of all families in the community. In the afternoon, after enjoying lunch and socializing at the temple, families escort their ancestors back home to witness the lives of their descendants. On the third day, families invite relatives and monks to recite prayers, bid farewell to the ancestors, and perform some farewell rituals before sending them back to the other world.
Seven Mountains Bull Racing Festival
During the Don Ta festival, the Seven Mountains bull racing festival originated from a long process of settlement adaptation to agricultural production conditions, reflecting the cultural values of wet rice civilization such as the use of plowing and animal traction on hilly terrain in the place of residence.
The cattle parade around the racetrack
The Khmer people in the Seven Mountains region primarily use cattle in agricultural production, so they highly value the raising and breeding of cattle. Plowing with cattle in fields mixed with sandy and waterlogged soil is the main idea behind creating this sport.
Checking the hooves and checking the tether for the cattle before entering the match.
Bull races often take place in fields near temples, organized by monks who also award prizes to winning pairs of bulls. These pairs are usually chosen by the owners who use them for plowing the fields for the temple during the annual planting season. The racing bulls are typically purebred, tall, agile, with firm muscles, balanced sharp horns, and a good temperament to avoid being frightened by the noise during the race.
Awaiting the draw for match pairs
To participate in the race, bulls must go through one or two rounds of selection, receiving careful care such as bathing, mosquito nets, feeding on young grass, and rigorous training. The racetrack is a flat field well plowed with waterlogged areas, and the finish line has an escape route to ensure safety for the bulls.
The organizers record and announce the draw results
To conduct bull racing, pairs are selected in order, with the leading bull's teeth trimmed short to provide a grip for the controller holding the reins and a sharp-headed whip to urge the bull forward. The controller typically stands with one foot on the plow frame and the other on the wooden bar connecting the bull's yoke to the plow frame. Skilled controllers know how to distribute force to keep the bull steady while skillfully directing it.
The pairs of bulls display true courage, immense strength, and grace in the race.
Bull racing is divided into 2 rounds: the Warm-up round and the Sprint round. In the Warm-up round, pairs of bulls run slowly to warm up and familiarize themselves with the track. In this round, if the trailing pair steps on the plow of the leading pair, it is considered a loss. The Sprint round, also known as the Final round, is a sprint to the finish line about 100m away. If the trailing pair steps on the plow of the leading pair or overtakes them, it wins. Technical errors such as breaking the plow, violating the track, or the bull controller falling off the plow in the Sprint round result in a loss. The winning pair advances to the next round, competing in direct elimination matchups until the final winner is determined in the championship round.
As the race nears its end, the atmosphere becomes increasingly tense.
The area around the bull racing arena is always bustling with lively festivities, attracting a large crowd of people. Each bull race takes place amidst a joyful and vibrant festival atmosphere.
The lively atmosphere around the bull racing arena attracts a large crowd of people.
The Don Ta festival and the Seven Mountains bull racing festival are significant spiritual occasions for the people of An Giang, deeply rooted in the traditions of wet rice agriculture. Especially, the bull racing festival is a folk cultural activity full of excitement and beloved by the locals. It represents a distinctive aspect of the regional culture that captivates tourists both domestically and internationally. Come to Seven Mountains, An Giang during the Don Ta festival (around the 9th lunar month every year) to experience this lively and captivating festival.
Author: Phung Thu Hien
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