Cock Fighting - Pelea de Gallos

Cultural custom or not, I would never go.  I walked by one unintentionally, years ago in Mexico.  It's awful animal abuse.  :-(

It is a leftover from Spanish colonial rule throughout the Americas. Popular in Haiti too. 

Not everything Dominican is palatable for western expats even modern day Spaniards. Most never see the real DR. 

Every Sunday, whilst I abstain, I see the emotion and satisfaction it brings to folk in the campo and it uplifts their hard weekly toll working the land. We shouldnt judge too harshly. Their life is hard and killing animals for food is part of daily life not hidden in a factory. 

Yet, you asked for opinions,  and that is what I gave.  I do not judge them, they are wonderful people.  Education is different here, and with my knowledge, I just would not encourage or see it as a tourist attraction.

Cruelty to any animal is unacceptable...

Noting there is a big audience for UFC which pits man against man in a cage and is often bloody, I wonder if western society has a voice to complain about this national pass time? 

I see and hear their entertainment weekly but dont care to participate in cock fighting, dont much like it like you, nor do I care to object to a part of the culture. I am sure it will appeal to some expats though. 

The UFC is not forced to fight and die against their will

The more one researches this popular pass time you realize the extent it is engrained in the culture.

I have often wondered why the wealthy local farmers turn up every Sunday. It is because of the money in play. You need money to get involved in cock fighting. the owners put up large sums to fight their cocks - 10,000, 20,000 and 30,000 each participant is not uncommon in the campo. Good winnings if you win but a substantial loss if you lose. Those that have built the wood and tin or 'techo de cana' buildings charge 100 pesos to view and there is side betting. Women participate too.

The UFC is not forced to fight and die against their will

- @Steverino7777

It is the successor to prize fighting and western society has shunned mortal combat as entertainment.

I don't think we from western society should judge a 6000 year old popular pass time in so many diverse countries such as DR, Latin American countries and PR, USVI, India, Philippines, Indonesia and so on. After all we stun and kill so many animals for our food against their will.

Lets talk about Dominican Culture"

Cock Fighting- an Ancient Tradition

https://vivodominicana.com/2008/01/las- … naria.html

Cockfights are an ancient custom present in different cultures throughout history. The oldest fights that we know of took place in Asia. In China they were already celebrated 2,500 years ago and it is possible that they were held in India a thousand years earlier.

In Ancient Rome they were used to gain courage. Later, this practice was brought to America by the Spanish conquerors.

Cockfighting is legal in twenty countries, where it is considered a traditional show or even a "traditional sport" or hobby by some people, while for others it is a case of cruelty to animals.

Cockfighting in the Dominican Republic

In the Dominican Republic, cockfighting is a legal sport and is regulated by the city council of each municipality. In 1996, the Government, by law, prohibited the use of spurs made with tortoiseshell shells and plastic spurs were introduced for sale throughout the country. This measure was taken in order to protect the tortoiseshell, which is is in danger of extinction.

Cockfights are very common, breeders take their roosters to fight in the cockpits, money is bet; these bets are made verbally without any ticket or proof, only with respect to the word.

The Fighting Cocks are raised under vaccination, feeding and special care standards to achieve the ideal physical development for their encounter in the cockpit.

It is called a trabero who cares for or trains the rooster, a cockpit to the place where the fights take place, a lock to the place where these animals are trained and a colosseum to a cockpit of a much higher level.

In the country there are several coliseums in Santo Domingo and Santiago de los Caballeros. Gallistic coliseums regularly organize tournaments sponsored by millionaire companies with international guests, from Puerto Rico, Peru, Mexico, among others, who come to the country to participate in said events.

For Dominicans it is common to see Major League athletes, big businessmen and industrialists enjoying cockfights.

Roosters in Dominican culture

Cockfighting is deeply rooted in popular culture, where the figure of the rooster represents courage and audacity. The political life of the country has on several occasions been represented by roosters, one of the most memorable was when the two main forces: Jimenistas and Horacistas, were called bolos and coludos, respectively, using the jargon of popular cockfights.

In the modern era, the rooster has also been a great protagonist of the Dominican political scene, becoming the symbol of what was once the largest party in the country, the Partido Reformista Social Cristiano (PRSC).

There are dozens of songs dedicated to the cockerel, to a rooster, as a tribute to a cockerel, or to a fight in particular. Among the singers and composers who have dedicated their art to roosters range from Juan Luis Guerra, Luis "El Terror" Dias, Sonia Silvestre, El Ciego de Nagua, King de la Rosa, El Prodigio and many others...........

Its disgusting!!!! It's cruel to force and train any animal to do this to the death is indefensible!!!  It should not be tolerated period!

And don't compare this to UFC!  That is humans making choices!  

I dont care who makes money or who participates. It's absolutely wrong!

It is deeply rooted Dominican Culture whether you like it or not and don't expect it to change.

As expats living in DR we should try to understand the Dominican people and the enjoyment they get from their popular hobby and pass time rather than be righteous.

For me the UFC is much more disgusting being a bloody sport for for human enjoyment and indoctrination of violence with popcorn watching their TV. It is a personal opinion because it is glorified violence between men and we have too much maiming and killing of men in this world.

I am glad I posted this topic because it appears it is being overlooked by expats here and there are clearly emotions as perhaps expected. Understanding the differences between cultures, of which there will be aspects we don't like, is all part of the expat experience. As I always say you will not see the real DR if you stay in your bubble and don't travel around this lovely diverse country. 

Absolutely not!  I disagree.  Just because it's cultural it's okay?  So would we justify selling 12 year old girls into marriage?  It's cultural.  Would we justify owning other people? That was cultural!  I don't care how many years and years it's been done, it's not right! 

Why do Canadians stalk and kill deer etc. 

For enjoyment. Right.

Why cant Dominicans breed and pitch their cocks against other cocks which is legal and has a long tradition? 

We all have blinkers for something. 

Underage marriage and sex with a minor is illegal in the DR and being enforced now. 

We should understand the culture with which we indulge. People constantly say on this forum that they love Dominican culture but I wonder is it so selective? 

Be tolerant, respect their choice and understand is my point of view on this subject. 

@lennoxnev you continuously post things that ask for opinion and then shut everyone down.  Please open your eyes and have a wider view.  Animals have no say, so we are required to protect them, just as we are to protect children who have no voice, or to speak up for a human who is abused.  If one chooses to participate in this, they are perpetuating old mentalities, and customary or not, it does not make it right.  People in North America also used to participate in dog fighting, lots of money, highly exciting sport for those who participated.  Does not make it right for those poor animals who were forced to participate.  As for hunting, if someone hunts for sport....awful, but it they hunt as use the resource for food, I have less of a say, especially when it comes to our native population.  Also, the kill, they don't torture first.  I for one would want to die quickly, not a painful, drawn out, torturous end.  

I have two cocks in the chicken run and they fight all the time. One male has to be submissive to the other until his opportunity arises and he can defeat the other which is the law of the jungle.

It is something natural and the human element is the spur to speed up the fight, but a cock can retire and one loses if one is not successful after 30 minutes.

There is no shutdown of opinions by me, rather by others that consider the Dominican pass time of cock fighting to be 'cruel' and 'disgusting'. Your opinion is no different to mine - I do not wish to participate but then I am willing to accept what they choose to do and have done for a very long time. Being that this subject is an important part of weekly life for many Dominicans it is worth airing and sharing opinions but so far we only have opinions of cruelty and disgust and not much liking for anything in the contrary. I expected this to be frank because typically western expats want to change their chosen destinations to what they want and expect.

That is why prefer to live in rural DR and share and appreciate the good and the bad aspects of Dominican culture.

This raises a whole off topic subject about how we humans behave to animals and the mass production of meat in often very cruel circumstances. But I am not going there but there are plenty of documentaries on this whole cruel mass production process for meat on the supermarket shelf.

At least here in rural DR, the goat, hen, pig or cow has mostly led a free life before being pit to the knife and sold daily. 

Not all Canadian and agree with hunting for sport.  False equivalency! 

And I agree you have a habit of stating your opinions, asking for others opinions.  Then when they don't agree you simply will not let go.  

Lets just shut this down 

........let some others post on Dominican culture perhaps...or is Domijnican culture off topic?

It is others that are rejecting Dominican culture to which i have rebutted whilst I observe it and post information and links

I don’t judge the people of the DR for following a sport that’s as old as history I really don’t care either way about that  , but I will think hard about the way they treat the dogs here  it seems when they get tired of it it goes to the streets , I must see about ten a day sometimes lay on the side of the road and they look like they haven’t eaten in days and I mean eating garbage and if your going to get upset about the culture what about all the kids in the slums in puerto plata where they get one or two good meals a week when the papi says he has no money but he’s out on the street drinking and having a great party every Friday and Saturday night , never saw so many people who say they have no money but have a great time partying,  , I’ll  reserve my anger and disappointment for something more important then two chickens fighting….. 

There are folks in my village who prize their 'gallo(s)' and guard it like gold because it is gold to them. One big win pays for months of living. And they forgo other good things like partying hoping for that big win.

It is serious stuff in DR - two gallos went to trial in Ocoa this past week but interrupted hearings - see video:

https://cdn.com.do/nacionales/video-dos-gallos-de-pelea-fueron-a-audiencia-judicial-en-ocoa/

Two fighting cocks , presented at a hearing as corpus delicti, hindered the development of the judicial process, in San José de Ocoa . One of the roosters constantly crowed and this interrupted the trial.

Is there any bull fighting nearby !???

Seriously, the cockfights draw crowds that include the Nat'l Police

Yes - it's part of the culture..... I expect some African traditions would upset some people here

Here is  write up about cock fighting In DR from 'colonialzone'

Time for enlightenment including me........

https://www.colonialzone-dr.com/pastime … hting.html

The Fighting Cock, a type of domestic fowl, originated in
India more than 4,500 years ago. There are many different breeds, and they are
bred for strength and endurance. A Gamecock is not one of your typical farm
chickens. He is a strong, colorful, and territorial type of bird. Dignified,
wild, tough-bodied and bred to be very aggressive.

Like all roosters, they will fight over food, territory, or
mates. These birds are also used for hunting and are relatively easy to raise.
The gaming roosters are specially bred and trained for heightened stamina and
strength.

For a rooster to reach maturity it takes about 18 months.
During this time he is fed the best grains that the owner can afford, vitamins
(high grade multi-vitamin and vitamin B, usually administered by injection) and
minerals to secure its swiftness, strength and fierceness in the arena. The
roosters are treated better than many humans. They are highly pampered

The fighting cock is normally a very large, beautifully
plumed, and quite healthy (the complete opposite of the chickens raised for
food in USA). They do not look anything like the normal chickens you see on the
farm. They usually are missing their combs and wattles. To prepare for a fight
all the feathers and plumage around the chest and belly are removed. This is to
give them less weight to carry so they can have more speed. (My first time
seeing this it looked so strange The poor thing looked bald. As he sat nicely
on my lap, I could only pet the head and back, it felt to strange holding a
bald chicken. He was so calm and nice it was hard to believe he was a blood
thirsty killer)

Cockfighting is an old tradition in Dominican Republic and
considered to be a sport. It dates back to the pre-Spanish era. It is a
sporting event and not considered to be cruelty. It is a business, a hobby, and
a way to make some extra money. Cockfighting is enjoyed by all social levels.
Rich and poor alike enjoy a good cock fight. Also a way to have a good time
with friends. Going to the arena is defiantly a social event. All gather to
watch and enjoy the game, men (mostly men), women and sometimes children. Many
of the rings where the fighting is held are very nice. These may have a bar and
live bands playing for a retreat between fights or when one needs a break from
all the yelling and ruckus inside the arena. Some arenas are very primitive and
have just the basics.

The Fighting Cocks are brought to the arena by their proud
owners.  Here time is spent talking the
feed, raising techniques and who will win this days events. As the owners wait
for their birds to be weighed and inspected. Then the matching of the roosters
is done. This is done to make the fight be equal in all ways. They will have
equal fighting abilities, weights and temperaments. The odds are set. All that
needs to be done now is wait for the fighting to start. Seeing these birds in
their cages, they all look so calm. It was hard for me to believe that they
could be as blood thirsty as I had heard.

They get shampooed, massaged and held often. I have even
heard many instances where the Cock lives in the owners home. The birds are
said to be better treated than the wives and children. These roosters are
idolized and prized by their owners. If a breeder gains a good reputation as
the breeder of winning cocks, there is much money that can be made. Customers will
come from everywhere, even other islands, to buy their roosters. Dominicans are
known to breed some of the best fighting cocks around.

The United States is one of the largest suppliers of game
fowls for the cockfighting industry. 
Just go to a Farm Show or 4H gathering and see these fine birds on
display. The prices on these birds will shock and amaze. A prize fighting cock
can sell for as much as five thousand dollars. The better breed of bird
includes Miner Blues, Hatch, Claret, Black, Round Head and White Hackel. Not
every rooster has what it takes to be a fighting cock. The cockfighting or
"battle cock" has the durability and strength to fight, and continue
fighting, instead of surrendering.

When the action starts it does get quite exciting. Even if
you are just appalled at the violence it is something that one must experience.
The excitement, or maybe a better word is frenzy, from the surrounding crowd,
the adrenaline can surly flow. These games can become very loud. The owner
yelling, telling the bird what to do. the spectators yelling at the birds and
the owners. People calling out their bets. Bets are made on a rooster according
to the color of its leg band. When you want to bet you just shout it out.
Someone will hear you. Even with all the noise and commotion nothing seems to
deter the Roosters from their intentness on killing their opponent.

So if you ever find yourself around or in a cockfighting
arena check it out. It is an experience. Even if you don't stay in the arena,
the bar is interesting also. There is usually always someone to dance with.
Observe the people watching the fights. This alone is entertainment. At least
you will have a story to tell some day.

When the handler/ owner takes his bird into the arena they
remove the cover over the birds eyes. They speak to their birds, whispering
pointers to their cock. The handler holds his bird up for the audience to see
and cheer on while bets are called out. They let the birds see each other and
place them close

Together while still holding them, sort of trying to edge
them on. Once this happens the attitude of this once docile, calm, pet-like,
creature changes. The frenzy of the audience and the aggression of the bird
mean the fight is about to commence.

Then when the referee, called Juez de Valla, gives the
signal the rooster is positioned about a foot away from the line drawn in the
dirt and set free.  The game has started,
there is no turning back now. the birds may advance slowly, sizing up the
opponent, challenging the other to make the first hit. They may circle their
adversary trying to find the most unprotected, easily accessed spot to attack.
Many say that chickens are brainless. I think they might change their minds if
they saw this determined analysis of the opponent before making a strike. There
is a much more than just instinct and scent that initiates the battle. They
look like boxers in the ring. Once they attack it can be very exciting
watching.

The only thing for the onlookers to do now is to wait the
outcome of the battle, while yelling all the while. Hoping they made the
correct bet and that there will be money for the pocket. The judge only has to
officiate and hand over the money pot to the winner. The cock could receive out
of this ordeal, a broken lag, an eye blinded, a lot of attention (especially
from the hens as everybody wants to have this specimen) or death and made into
a good meal.

As for the owners, they will be able to brag about their
best fighter or mourn and dream on the next rooster they will enter into the
battle. A winner today may be the looser tomorrow. No cock, whether it is in
the lead or falling behind, is guaranteed to win. All it can take is one swift,
fatal blow and in just a few seconds things can change drastically.

The losing cock, if it has died, is taken home to be eaten
for dinner. Most of the time it is feasted upon right at the arena. 10 minutes
after a rooster is dead the roasting will start. This is why most arenas have a
chicken stand right outside their gate. The man I know that raises fighting
cocks can not eat his own birds. He raises them, they are part of the family,
and he just can't bring himself to eat one of his own.

The cock usually will only fight 1 or 2 times a month. If
they make it alive and intact for the 4-month distance, winning at least 9
fights, these survivors are among the lucky ones and are granted their rooster
names. The named rooster is a very valuable asset for its owner. The owners do
not give names to the roosters until they have won many of their battles. The
new contenders or the unlucky birds are only called by their colors such as
amirillo, carmelo and jabao (mixed colors). Once they have won many fights and
are popular among the crowds they are granted a name. These names vary but some
friends I know have named their winners Millinario (Millionaire) and Mujeriego
(men who really like women).

If you do decide to leave the arena for a break or a drink
you will know when something exciting happens. Each time a cock gives a blow to
the other one, you will know by the level of noise. Men and women stand up and
clap as their favorite is taking the lead.

The folks here in the deep Monte Plata campo are indulging in another Dominican cultural thing right now. after the 'pelea de gallo' they are enjoying Sunday party time with loud music albeit currently urban.

Now you appear obsessed to be right!  

Have at it!  You can be right. Feel better?  

The acceptance may change as Dominican society develops into the modern world. 

But right now 'pelea de gallos' it is a core part of the culture whether I or you like it or not. So why not try and understand it? 

Yes I live in a different world in rural DR to most who post here. Its not the world of real estate and expat comforts but perhaps it opens eyes to parts of DR and life many should try to visit. So I post accordingly. 

The real fact is real Dominican life and perceptions ain't so cosy as some apoear to think. 

DR is a super country with big issues but you have to expore to appreciate. It's ones loss if you don't explore widely. And the many that don't last time living here is testimony to a failure by them to understand and integrate more. 

The real question is did you get them vaxxed