Water buffalo

The Passing of an Old Friend
For centuries the water buffalo has tilled the rice fields of Vietnam. Once, a ricefarmer who owned several
con trau was considered rich. When rented to a less fortunate landowner, a water buffalo was a source of
steady income. Its foot, adapted to mud, spreads like an umbrella as it steps and folds together as it
withdraws. Tied to a post by a rope fastened to its nose ring, it walks in a circle to thresh the freshly
cut rice. Water buffalo droppings were used for fertilizer or dried and burned for fuel. It could pull a
wagon or carry a load on its back.  At night, it slept in a lean-to by the house.

The water buffalo lived off the land, eating grass and even the rice stubble left in the fields. A fierce
looking animal with great curving horns, it was actually a gentle beast that was tended by small boys
when it was not working. The young herders often slept on the buffalo's back as it grazed. Con trau
does not stand heat well, preferring shade or lying in water until only its nostrils are visible. The work day
had to begin early and end in mid-afternoon as the heat peaked.

Now, a tiller has been developed that can plow a muddy field ten times faster than a water buffalo.
A new gas powered machine can thresh an entire rice crop in no time at all. These days, a rich farmer
owns and rents a tiller or a threshing machine.  School is compulsory now, so there are no herders. In
many areas of the Mekong Delta, the water buffalo has disappeared almost entirely. New rice varieties that
allow 3 crops per year instead of 2 have accelerated the loss. Now one can travel National Route 1 south
from Saigon all the way to Can Tho and not see a single buffalo. Soon you will be gone. Goodbye old
friend.
Anyone seen one lately??
-@williamherron13

We have a couple (at least) in the rice/grass fields behind our home in Cẩm Thanh, Hội An.

The new calf born earlier in the winter still gets a bit skittish when my wife and I pass by on our daily rounds.

There are also a couple of cows brought to graze out there.

I keep trying to get a photo of the terns hitching a ride on the water buffalo's back, but they always fly away just as I'm turning the corner onto the path between the fields.

That was a nostalgic picture of Vietnam. Industrialization has diluted many Vietnamese cultures that were beautifully illustrated in their lacquered paintings. This local artistic heritage has also been one of the victims of this ironical progress, thus, mechanizing its entire culture with computerized graphics and sounds.

it was a poetic reminder that fulfills our joyful hearts.  When we encounter it in a country road, we will tip our hats with a big smile.

(November 15, 2022, Cẩm Thanh, Hội An)

also, in the water (YouTube link)

...Now one can travel National Route 1 south from Saigon all the way to Can Tho and not see a single buffalo. Soon you will be gone. Goodbye old
friend. -@williamherron13

A very nice piece William.

Thanks for sharing.

I couldn't help thinking of a similar march of progress that happened in post WWII Southern California, along the corridor from San Diego to Los Angeles and beyond.

Before the construction of Interstate Highway 5 (I-5) began in 1956, the main thing seen on the drive on US 101 Highway from San Diego to Anaheim (Disneyland) was orange groves, sometimes as far as the eye could see in "Orange" County.

As I-5 developed, commercial & industrial concerns began taking over the citrus farmlands near the highway.

Sleepy little picturesque towns such as San Juan Capistrano were commercialized to the point that they lost the special charm they once had, replaced with tall business signs easily seen from the freeway.

Yet the orange groves didn't totally disappear overnight.

Instead, it became necessary to get off of the main highway and spend some time exploring the byways to find thriving citrus groves.

I see water buffalo frequently in the more poverty-stricken areas of Việt Nam, just a short distance away from the main national highway passing through Quảng Nam, Quảng Ngãi and Bình Định provinces.

Hopefully, when you are missing your old friend, he/she can still easily be found on a short day trip to the rural areas that are not so close the main highway corridor there in the Delta.

Cheers!

O.B.

Photo link from a public website

(vietnamtripsDOTcom)

Trang Bang 2008

wiliamherron13

nice article. It made me nostalgic, thinking about the things and ways that we (60+) were once used to have in our life and now are vanishing with breakneck speed. Vietnam is no exception, with all benefits, dangers and drawbacks of progress. Or "progress".  But the process is unstoppable, at least until some force beyond our control doesn't take over. Sometimes i am almost grateful for that little time i still have ahead of me.

In Philippines where i often go, the pace is, one can say, slower since carabao, as mga pinoy call water buffalo, is still common sight in rural parts. It is still considered great asset. And the friend of children. It is common to see children riding on its back and playing around. Heart warming. 

Back in the mid 70's, my family owned a rice farm and also was a former fish sauce factory cuz there were humongous cement tanks that were used to make fish sauce left on the farm. We weren't farmers so we had other people farm the land and they would give us a portion of the crop. The farm was used by my family to lay low before we try to escape the country. We are boat refugees. My brothers took many tries before successfully escaping. My sister and myself were lucky and only took 2 tries. Anyways, the farmers would use the water buffalo to till the muddy fields. I remember one day I got too close to the wooden tiller and got my leg caught in one of the tooth but luckily the man riding the water buffalo saw me and stopped the buffalo immediately and I was able to pull my leg out of the tiller without injury. Needless to say after that day, I did not get near them when they are tilling the fields. They are gentle giants. I too one day want a picture of me riding a water buffalo.

...Now one can travel National Route 1 south from Saigon all the way to Can Tho and not see a single buffalo. Soon you will be gone. Goodbye old
friend. -@williamherron13

A very nice piece William.

Thanks for sharing.

I couldn't help thinking of a similar march of progress that happened in post WWII Southern California, along the corridor from San Diego to Los Angeles and beyond.

Before the construction of Interstate Highway 5 (I-5) began in 1956, the main thing seen on the drive on US 101 Highway from San Diego to Anaheim (Disneyland) was orange groves, sometimes as far as the eye could see in "Orange" County.

As I-5 developed, commercial & industrial concerns began taking over the citrus farmlands near the highway.

Sleepy little picturesque towns such as San Juan Capistrano were commercialized to the point that they lost the special charm they once had, replaced with tall business signs easily seen from the freeway.

Yet the orange groves didn't totally disappear overnight.

Instead, it became necessary to get off of the main highway and spend some time exploring the byways to find thriving citrus groves.

I see water buffalo frequently in the more poverty-stricken areas of Việt Nam, just a short distance away from the main national highway passing through Quảng Nam, Quảng Ngãi and Bình Định provinces.

Hopefully, when you are missing your old friend, he/she can still easily be found on a short day trip to the rural areas that are not so close the main highway corridor there in the Delta.

Cheers!

O.B.
-@OceanBeach92107

I just came back from border run to & from Cambodia via Moc Bai & there well lots of Water Buffalo to be seen along the rout, in fact right on the suburbs of HCMC there was a field with about 50 of them in it.

Today

Cẩm Thanh, Hội An, Quảng Nam

(behind our house)

OB, wow, that is a great shot! Hope to see some on our visit coming up.

Thanks for sharing.

2008 Trang Bang on the track leading to Lan Thanh Nha Nghi (love hotel)

I had to pay those corrupt birds a lot of money to pose like that (today, Cẩm Thanh, Hội An, Quảng Nam)

I don’t think the water buffaloes will ever disappear as long as there are rice fields since it’s a culture thing. Texans don’t use horses for transportation anymore but there are still plenty of them ( the horses that is) around. There is annual trail ride in Houston to keep the old culture alive.