Cock Fighting

Since we first arrived in the Philippines, we have been aware of the passion that Filipinos, mostly men, have for cock fighting. Cock fighting is legal here, though the fights are licensed and regulated. Unlicensed cock fights are illegal. On Panglao Island, we saw cocks at nearly every home, and there were a number of large breeders who raised cocks on a very large scale (see photo #1 at left.) But, for a number of reasons, we had never been to a cock fight. Part of it was squemishness, part fear of the unkown, and partly due to a reputation for violence among those members of the audience who've had too much to drink.

The cocks require a significant amount of training to strengthen their legs and prepare them for the fight. Most do not survive to fight a second match, though some may win many times. The men who own them put a great deal of time, effort, and money into their cocks. They buy special feed and medicines for them, and just before the fight give them a "fighting pill" to make them more aggressive. The well-to-do can purchase trained cocks for a few thousand pesos.

Here in southern Negros Oriental, we seldom see fighting cocks, and Jim asked our friend Nicky about it. Nicky said that the people who live in this area are mostly too poor to afford the luxury of raising fighting cocks, and cannot afford to bet on the fights. So there is only one cock fight a year, sponsored by one of the local land owners to celebrate his birthday. The location is very near our anchorage and the cock fight is scheduled for tomorrow!! So, of course, Jim had to go to photograph the event, but Jamie decided to stay away. This is Jim's report of the cock fight:

Nicky and I walked to the cock fight arena. It had been built of bamboo in the middle of a field of coconut palms. People came in large numbers, vendors set up booths to sell food and drinks, and the whole place had a festival atmosphere. The cock fights are all about gambling, and there are a variety of other games of chance to attract the bettors between the cock fights. We went early, and the atmosphere was very cheerful. And, although most of the gamblers are men, the whole family, including the kids, come out for the event.

The process begins with the men gathering to compare the cocks (photo #2). It is not easy to judge which bird will win. The whole point of the cock fights is to provide a reason for gambling, and the uncertainty adds to the appeal. The crowd (photo #3) is divided into big bettors and small bettors. This makes it easier to match up the bets, which can range from a few pesos to thousands of pesos (1,000 pesos = US$ 20). The betting can get quite energetic, and the fight officials keep records of all the bets.

The cocks are fitted with razor sharp blades that are strapped to their legs, over the spur that grows there naturaly. There is quite an industry associated with these blades. The ones that are imported from Malaysia are believed to be the best. Some men make a career of sharpening the blades, which is quite a lengthy process. When handling the birds, a sheath is tied over the blade, as you can see in this photo. I expect that it would be very dangerous to handle a cock wearing an unsheathed blade.

Before the fight begins, the cocks are excited (photo #4)) by being placed close to one another. Each bird is allowed to peck at the other bird's flaring neck feathers, which infuriates the bird whose feathers are being pulled. The bettors watch the process carefully to try to determine which bird will be the most aggressive, as this usually determines the winner. The actual fight can often last only a few seconds if one bird lands a deadly blow. In others cases the fight may last for a minute or two, until one bird gives up. The bird which remains aggressive to the end is the winner. The first fight of the day lasted for about a minute. Both birds were pretty beaten up, and the winner was obviously bleeding through most of the match.

In a long match like this, both birds can receive fatal wounds. Even the winner often dies later. The owner of the winning bird receives both birds, along with his gambling winnings. Some owners become so attached to their cocks that they perform elaborate burials for them. In this rural area, most men are too poor to afford this, and the dead birds are eaten. Nicky told me that they are a bit tough and need longer cooking. He said that they taste quite good, probably because of the excellent feed they are given. (I suppose they must taste a lot like chicken.)

So, that was my experience of the cock fights. I went early, and left early. I did not find the fights to my taste, but I can understand the appeal of the event for people who have little other entertainment — and a strong desire to gamble. I didn't go back.

UPDATE: I received an e-mail from Marino Alejandrino (malejandrino2000@yahoo.com), a Filipino who currently lives in the United States. He sent along a great story about his experiences at cock fights in both the Philipinnes and the US. It provides a nice contrast to my experiences. I hope you enjoy it.

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