Finally, yesterday, I went to a REAL cock fight in Bonao where Jan grew up in the middle of the country. What an experience. Mom and Jan stayed and talked with good friends of Jan´s in Bonao. Lenny, Jan´s brother in law took me. It was his first time to attend as well. He is 36 and has never been interested in attending but accompanied me on this experiential journey. Also three young ladies, daughter of Jan´s friend, Ariella and her two friends, Annie and Kayla joined us too. We could watch from outside the caged area for 20 pesos or 75 cents but...I splurged and bought ringside seats for 1250.00 pesos or $40USD for the 5 of us. I am sure I paid more because I was a gringa and no one knew the real prices but this happens every day to me in different situations.
The little arena with cages are next to the road. There were many motorconchos (small motorcycles) and lots of fancy SUVs there. This type of sport is illegal in the US and for years the USA has tried to ban it from Puerto Rico but it is still much alive in Puerto Rico as well. We arrived early so we had seats just two rows back from the inner circle. Picture a boxing ring on the ground with a padded mat around the perimeter that the cocks cannot really jump over easily to run away. The birds are plucked from the waist down and their crown is clipped as well. The birds are weighed in burlap bags on a scale hanging over the ring. An announcer and a few helpers put spurs on the feet of the birds, sharp .75 inch sharp little knives actually. The betting is insane and lots of money, 1000 and 2000 or $30 and $60 bills are rolled up and tossed to this one and that one. There is alot of hype naming the birds by color, rosa (red), blanco (white), negro (black) and asking for bets very loudly screaming shouting yelling from everywhere. The first fight we saw the birds were not really interested in each other but the second one was intense. Well as intense as two birds pecking at each other can be. Kicking each other madly and flapping their wings.
As close as we were to the ring it was hard to see the injuries each bird was causing the other. My understanding is that they fight for 15 minutes maximum or until one cock falls down or until the death. I am not exactly sure how it works but it was clear during the second fight that the blanco one was going to win and the fight continued becuase the black cock did not fall down. Once the black cock did fall it was practically dead and while the owner groomed it before it was handed over to be put in the ring, he picked it up like a dead fish and hauled it out of the ring. Not sure if the cocks are immediately killed after that much brutal suffering or if it is just tossed aside to die on it´s own before becoming someone´s dinner.
The girls were more interested in being seen in the inner circle than in the fight. Fair enough. We watched three of them. The men cheer and snort and count the number of times each cock pecks or pulls feathers or meat off the other cock. And they count the number of times each cock kicks each other. It can be quite a fight. Sadly the eyes are also often pecked out of the other bird. It is disturbing to witness.
Do I support this as a sport? No. Was I curious? Absolutely. Lenny translated for me to tell the girls that this was illegal in our country. He translated that I do not support the torture of animals, that my boyfriend is a veterinarian and would probably be a little upset with me that I attended such an event. I did tell them I felt badly for the cocks but I wanted to attend because it is an aincredibly strong tradition and custom of the DR men and so I did.
Honestly I understand the power of testosterone with sports events and competition but watching two cocks fight just doesnt seem to have the same effect as a wrestling match or a boxing match between two men. I rather see two grown men who can make their own decisions and have a mind fight than two animals trained to hurt each other. So it was good for me to witness to help me understand betting, competition, and witness the desensitization of humans for animals.
I am desensitized when I walk by starving yes STARVING dogs and cats or maybe sick from mange or fleas or worms who knows. I wish Bill were with me and he could easily euthanize (sp?) each one so it would peacefully slip away. I wish I had the nerve to kill them quickly myself but I do not. I know that traveling to developing countries on a yearly basis has contributed to my desensitization. It doesnt mean that I dont feel bad for them I do. I used to cry and get sick and now I feel badly but I dont get as emotional about it as I used to. Same when walking by people who cannot stand and beg for money or people with disfigured facial features that would be whisked into plastic surgery in the USA.
This is an expensive and extensive sport for men of this country. Many own lots of cocks and have trainers and take them all over the island to fight. Fights are different days in different towns and usually start at 2pm DR time so...245pm until like 7pm. You can buy beer and soda and snacks and I believe out of a few hundred people there were 4 women in our party and I saw only one other woman.
Ok.........oh......I didnt take any photos and havent for many weeks because my camera broke frozen open.
Have a good day! Georgie
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