INTRODUCTION:
Cockfight was introduced into Greece in the time of Themistocles (c. 524–460 BC) and it spread throughout Asia Minor and Sicily. Although opposed by the Christian priesthood, it nevertheless became popular in the Low Countries, Italy, Germany, Spain and its colonies, and throughout England, Wales, and Scotland. Occasionally authorities tried to repress it, but cockfighting remained a favourite pastime of the English royalty and gentry from the early 16th century to the 19th century [1].
At first cockfighting was partly a religious and partly a political institution at Athens; and was continued for improving the seeds of valor in the minds of their youth, but was afterwards perverted both there and in the other parts of Greece to a common pastime, without any political or religious intention.
However, cockfight is a blood sport between two roosters (cocks), or more accurately gamecocks held in a ring called a cockpit. The first documented use of the word gamecock, denoting use of the cock as to a “game”, a sport, pastime or entertainment, was recorded in 1646, after the term “cock of the game” used by George Wilson, in the earliest known book on the sport of cockfighting in The Commendation of Cocks and Cock Fighting in 1607. Therefore, Cockfighting is a very old sport-some even claim "the oldest" (Dundes, 1994, p. vii) [3]. In 386 Saint Augustine used a description of a cockfight in his "De Ordine" to illustrate evil in the world. Cockfight the bloody was popular in ancient times in India, China, Persia, and other Eastern countries 10]. The cockfight continued into the twenty-first century as a vision. However, it would be a mistake to assume that it acts as simply an excuse to bet and engage in rough, vulgar, lower-class kindliness [2]. Cockfighting has been a very meaningful activity to its practitioners, who spend untold hours caring for hundreds of cocks, studying breeding lines, and engaging in complex networks of trade and reciprocity [6].
Cockfighting is a blood sport due in some part to the physical distress the cocks inflict on each other. While not all fights are to the death, the cocks may endure significant physical trauma. In areas around the world, cockfighting is still practiced as a mainstream event; in some countries it is regulated by law, or forbidden outright [5]. Advocates of the "age old sport" often list cultural and religious relevance as reasons for perpetuation of cockfighting as a sport [9].
Clifford Geertz’s “Deep Play: Notes on the Balinese Cockfight” is one of the most recognized modern literature on cockfighting. Geertz’s use of thick description to analyze the motives behind the actions of Balinese cock fighters is an important methodological approach in understanding cock fighting around the world. Geertz’s essay, although crucial in its pioneering use of thick description, cannot be used as a universal source on cock fights. Geertz continued by explaining that the relationship between Balinese men and their gamecocks was not just metaphorical [4]. They spent large amounts of time with their gamecocks which led to an even stronger identification between the two. Cock fighters in the Midwest identified just as much with their gamecocks as the Balinese did but they also emphasized the importance of breeding and as a result stressed the significance of hens. In the Midwest, cock fighting was more than just a cultural practice [8].
Cockfighting is an ancient sport that has deep roots in rural parts of the India as well as West Bengal. The cock-fighter regards the modern India around him as messy and stressful. A cockfight would usually be a bloody affair and almost always ended in the death of one of the chickens [11]. The events occurred as noisy happenings in which betting, shouting and all sorts of ancillary activity developed on the sidelines. At the turn of the twenty-first century cockfighting remained fully illegal in India as well as West Bengal [12]. Although cockfighting is not universal, it may be the closest to a universal sport, occurring almost everywhere. Therefore, in Foringdanga village the cockfight might be playing a fundamental role in Santal Society.
MATERIALS AND METHODS:
The present study was conducted in Foringdanga village where majority of the populations are santals. The village located under Siromoni Gram Panchayet of Sadar Block in the district of Paschim Medinipur, West Bengal, India.
For the purpose of present study the Santals residing in a Foringdanga village under Kotwali police station of Paschim Medinipur district. Since the Santals are well known for their participation in cock fighting anywhere they live. Subsequently the Hindu caste people play some significant role during the cock fighting. For the collection of data standard anthropological methods like household census survey, participation observation method, interview with the structure and unstructured questionnaire, group discussion, case history method were adopted to know some of the issues that were not incorporated in the schedule.
PLACE OF THE FIGHT:
The santals residents from the Foringdanga village are used a particular field/ place for the fight. Since 1990s they used this particular place for fighting purpose. This particular field is located just beside the village. The place of fight is surrounded by almond tree.
The place of fight can vary to day by day as per the events of fight and also the special holidays. Without any permission from the fighting committee nobody not ever arranged the cock fights. Therefore, the fighting committee played is very significant role during the time of cockfight.
Almond gardens up to specially construct outside of the arenas (galeras) with air and shadow of those almond trees. The shape of arena of cock fight is oval shaped but center of the fighting area looks like square arena like a boxing ring and measuring square arena about eight meters per side. In the fighting day, around the arena of the cockfight seen various types of junk foods stall such as ‘alur chop’ ‘ghugni’ ‘fuchka’ ‘papad’ ice-cream and also seems local made alcohol stall like Haria, Mahua, Chullu and others.
THE FIGHT:
The bloody game Cock Fight
The bloody game i.e. cockfights has been held into cockpits. The shape of the cockpits is ring or squares shaped. Usually the fight held two times in a week during winter season at the cockpit of Foringdanga village. The fight started from 2 P.M. to until sunset. However, the fight runs three to four hours in a day where approx. twenty separate fighting matches encompass fighting day. Each of the fighting matches has been precisely followed by the fighters. Kathkars (locally called): the man who attaches the spurs also provides the fighter cocks, and the spurs are affixed by winding a long length of string around the foot of the spur and the leg of the cock. Most of the time, the cocks fly almost at one another in a wing beating, head-thrusting, leg-kicking on the opposition cock. In that time, within a moment one or the other drives for solid blow with his spur. Before the combat the fighting spirit of cocks gets stimulated by bringing them together, so that they go in feint attacks. This feint attacks gives an impression to the audience, which cock is the favourite. They become visibly exited as the two handlers enter the pit with Kathkars in hand. The cocks are raring to fight, with neck feathers erect, feet clawing at the ground and fire burning in their eyes. Suddenly they are released. The fighter cocks fly up against each other.
The crowd reacts with each blow delivered. Each peck, slash and heart stopping leap elicits a grunt from the now standing audience. Both fighter cocks fall on the arena of fighting ground. One of them is injured, its feathers tainted with red, but it carries on the fight. Therefore, spirit of the fighter cocks has been ended when the cock fallen into death at the cockpit or battle ground. Feathers fly. Blood flows. It is all in a matter of seconds. At that moment blood rushed into their tiny brains, their anger flashed like lightning and with all their natural courage they hurled themselves impetuously upon each other, beak against beak, and breast to breast, steel spur against its fellow, wing to wing: but the blows were parried masterfully, and only a few feathers fell. Blood soaked the ground of the pit; the brave encounters were repeated again and again; but victory remained uncertain. At last, in a supreme effort, the wining cock hurled itself forward to give a final blow; it nailed its spur in one of the looser cock's wings. The looser cock, bound to it by the wing, remained standing beside it, but little by little its own legs crumpled and eyes closed.
After the Fight Wining Cocks
After the Fight Death of Loesser Cocks
If the fight has several rounds it may happen that the Kathkar sucks blood from the throat of a wounded hurt cock in order to make his cock fight-fit again. A fighter cock was declared as dead, when it gives no life sign after three times lifting. A dead cock can be declared as the winner if he dies in an offensive attitude. If a cock kills his opponent, he is not yet a winner automatically. A regulation demands, that he must peck still twice the defeated cock. If the pecking does not take place, because the fighter was injured too strongly, he loses the victory and the draw is declared.
RESULTS AND DISCUSSION:
Table Showing Ownership Pattern of Fighter Cocks:
|
No. of the Cock |
Ownership of the Cock-fighter |
|||||
|
Male |
% |
Female |
% |
Total |
% |
|
|
1 |
11 |
45.83 |
3 |
12.50 |
14 |
56.33 |
|
2 |
5 |
20.83 |
1 |
4.16 |
6 |
24.99 |
|
3 |
2 |
8.33 |
0 |
0.00 |
2 |
8.33 |
|
4 |
1 |
4.16 |
0 |
0.00 |
1 |
4.16 |
|
5 |
1 |
4.16 |
0 |
0.00 |
1 |
4.16 |
|
5+ |
0 |
0.00 |
0 |
0.00 |
0 |
0.00 |
|
Total |
20 |
83.31 |
4 |
16.66 |
24 |
100 |
Bar graph showing the Distribution of Ownership of the fighter Cock:
Ownership of the Fighter-cock
The chart presents the ownership of the fighter cocks is generally higher in the single number of the cock, the percentage is the 56.33 where male ownership is 45.33% and female ownership is 12.50% The striking feature is where participation of female is prohibited in the game or fight but the distribution of the ownership is shows that some of the female have ownership of the fighting cock and their percentage is 16.66 Number of the two cock ownership is 24.99% but the number of 3(8.33%) and 4 and 5 (4.16%) cocks ownership is comparatively very low. The distribution of the ownership pattern of the fighter cock shows one of the striking features that is the female persons ownership because female persons does not allow in the arena of the cock fight. Female person’s participation is restricted in Foringdanga village. In spite of the female have number of fighter cocks. One the other hand basically single number of cock ownership is large proportion that indicates their nurturing of the fighter cock is not wealthy or their caring procedure of the fighter cock is not sweet able or they have not enough capacity for the able of more number of cocks ownerships that’s why single number of cock have large proportion of the ownership of the cock. On the other hand more than three number of the cock owner is very rare in this population of Foringdanga village because the owner of the does not properly maintain their fighter cock, that why these proportion of ownership of the fighter cock is very low from the rest of population of the ownership of fighter cocks.
Table Showing Distribution of the Cock-fighter.
|
Age group |
Population |
|
|
Male |
% |
|
|
<10 |
1 |
1.70% |
|
10-14 |
3 |
5.08% |
|
15-19 |
7 |
11.87% |
|
20-24 |
11 |
18.64% |
|
25-29 |
9 |
15.25% |
|
30-34 |
13 |
22.03% |
|
35-39 |
6 |
10.17% |
|
40-44 |
2 |
3.39% |
|
45-49 |
5 |
8.47% |
|
50-55 |
1 |
1.70% |
|
>55 |
1 |
1.70% |
|
Total |
59 |
100% |
Pie Chart showing Distribution of the Cock fighter according to their age group: according to age:
The distribution of the cock-fighter according to their age shows those are less than ten years and the age group of 50-55 and also the greater than 55 years aged cock-fighter percentage are very poor that is 1.70 % But most of the cock-fighter belonging in the age group of 20-24 (18.64%), 25-29(15.25%), 30-34(22.03%) years. One striking feature of the distribution of the cock-fighter according to their age shows that the below of the 18 years of the cock fighter are not very low, below of the 18 years of the cock fighters percentage is (1.70%+5.08%+11.87%) 18.65. The proportion of the cock-fighter of 35-39(10.17%) and 45-49(8.47%) are comparatively higher than the age group of 40-44(3.39%). So this distribution shows that number of child or below the 18 years aged children easily participate in the fighting arena with their fighter cock where cock fight is prohibited but those age group of children easily come in near at the fighting area. That means the population of the cock fighter are generally illiterates. On the other hand the age group of 50-55 years and greater than 55 years aged people also come in the arena of the cock fight with their fighting cocks. That means these aged people have some interest of the Cock Fight. However, it reveals from the table that the below 18 years of age group child has also the interest for participating the cockfight. Apart from that, it’s also noticed during the study that some of the women has the number of fighter cock. However, in game cock fight has a rule i.e. never any woman does not attend the fight. Whereas, the data shows that some of the women has the number of fighter cock in Foringdanga village that’s why the below 18 years age group child attended the game cockfight as a re-presenter of those women who have the fighter cock. However, during study time it clearly noticed that there has an unofficial interpretation that attending of the game cock fight means you belong respectable social status in Santal society at Foringdanga village. On the other hand, cockfight is illegal and forbidden game in India as well as rural parts of Bengal. Whereas, in Foringdanga village the attending of the cock fight is maintaining the social status into santal society. That’s why those people who are related with the cock fight generally they always want to attend the cock fight.
A Child Cock Fighter
Adult Cock Fighter
CASE–1:
One of the informants named Mr. Ratan Hembram (Name Changed), 52 years old who lives in Foringdanga village. He is the secretory of the cockfight organizing committee who serving this post from last five years and additionally he was a good cock-fighter who has the good number of fighter with good quality. According to him, “in Cock-fight the fighter’s selects two types of fighting cock— one is called Desi Morog and another variety is called Pahari Morog. Social dignity of santal society depends on the game cockfight. Only Santal males and some children get the chance to participant the game.” He also said, “most of the cock fighters in Paschim Medinipur have adopted that the participating in the cock fight as symbolic view because if they participating in the bloody game then their social status might be high compared to the other members of the santal society who does not participate in the cockfight. Moreover, the game cockfight openly organizes in foringdanga village where the bloody game had a social value into the Santal society. May be or may not be local governments do not worry about the social disruption about the game. Some of the santal participators are well educated and they are working on different government institutions. But they also participated in the bloody game for the reasons behind social value. Frequently I have seen cock fighters with misty eyes leaving the pit cradling their limp, winged champions. However, nostalgic fact in the game cockfight when the cocker may feel about his fighter cocks.” He also added, “It’s clear that the cock fighter views on the fighter cock into several levels such as fighter cock as totem, and perhaps symbolic sacrifice. Where cock fight as a social myths as well as a symbolic status.”
CONCLUDING REMARKS:
Most of the cock fighters in foringdanga village under Paschim Medinipur district has been adopted the participating in the game cock fight where participating and social dignity refers as a symbolic status Social dignity into the santal society because if they participate in the game cockfight then their social status might be high. However, cockfighting is an illegal game in India and as well as the rural parts of West Bengal. On the other hand, The bloody game is the part of entertainment among the audience entertainment; the fighter cock was regarded as worthy animal, butthe Santaldrawing respect to game cock because, the cock is closely associated with their social hierarchy or status.However, at present, the high court and the supreme court of India have declared illegal in this game due to criminal sanction and informal social disapproval. Although, cock-fighters has been use among themselves to developed their rationalizations through this game.
ACKNOWLEDGEMENT:
I express my deep senses of gratitude to the santal populations who are living in Foringdanga village under Kotwali Police station of Pashim Medinipur, West Bengal, India for their heartiest co-operation during my field among them for collecting information about Cock Fight and the cock fighter.
I remain grateful to my teacher Professor Falguni Chakraborty (Retd.), Department of Anthropology Vidyasagar University, who spent his valuable time by way of supervising my research work.
REFERENCES:
1. Abacherli, L. “The Gamecock.”(1991, May).
2. Dundes, A. “The cockfight: A casebook” (1994). Madison: University of Wisconsin Press.
3. Darden K. Donna and Steven K. Worden. “Marketing Deviance: The Selling of Cockfighting”. (1996) white Horse press, UK.
4. Geertz, Clifford, “Deep Play: Notes on a Balinese Cockfight,” in the Interpretation of Cultures, Basic Books. Press Books Group. New York, NY, 1973
5. Hawley Fred, “The Moral and Conceptual Universe of Cock fighters: Symbolism and Rationalization.” Louisiana State University
6. Daniel M. Peniston, “Between a Cock and a Hard Place: Cockfighting in Bali”.(2012)
7. Eiseman, Jr., Fred B. “Cockfighting: a Loud and Raucous Sport,” Bali: Sekala & Niskala Vol. II, Essays on Society, Tradition and Craft. Pickell, David. Bali: Periplus Editions, 1990.
8. Daniel M. Peniston, “Between a Cock and a Hard Place: Cockfighting in Bali”.(2012)
9. Lukk Hans, “The History of Cock Fighting”. Copyright 2014.
10. Wanni Wibulswasdi Anderson, “Beyond the Cockfight: Masculinity and the Thai Dove-cocking contest”.
11. Chakraborty P. & Chakrabarty F.; “Social-Cultural Aspects of Cock Fight: A Study among the Santals of Foringdanga, Paschim Medinipur, West Bengal, India.” Imperial Journal of Interdisciplinary Research (IJIR) Vol-2, Issue-10, 2016
12. Chakraborty P. & Chakrabarty F.; “Cock Fight: A Symbolic View of Social Status”; International Journal of Social Science. Vol. 6 -No. 1-March 2017 IJSS: 6 (1): 39-43, March 2017 DOI: 10.5958/2321-5771.2017.00005.9
Received on 01.05.2018 Modified on 12.06.2018
Accepted on 16.07.2018 ©A&V Publications All right reserved
Res. J. Humanities and Social Sciences. 2018; 9(4): 754-758.
DOI: 10.5958/2321-5828.2018.00126.2