cockfighting

what better time

home • b&w • colour • special projects • photo essays & more • photo log • my blog • links • info • contact

Cockfighting in the Philippines

wagering

| photoessays |

02›

It was a brutal experience. The cocks peck furiously at each other, trying to draw blood, bring the other cock down, eventually kill the other. The animals will naturally stop fighting before death occurs, but they are forced back into battle.

The crowd pushes in, waiting to see if they have successfully predicted the outcome. I think the anticipation of knowing if you won or not is the driving force behind this act of brutality. The fighting itself is a bit underwhelming. Their natural instinct to fight, but only briefly makes the battles very stop and go.

The referee will bring the birds back together to again face off once they have turned from each other. At the beginning of the fight they are brought face to face to each get an initial peck, so their aggression is turned on. Then they are let loose.

In reality, the end result is rarely death. A cock is an expensive

creature. The owners don't want their investment to go out the window. However, the incentive to continue to the point of death is there in the form of winnings and side bets. I was able to get to the front of the crowd and crouch low for a number of shots. However, during one battle a man came and stood directly infront of me. When I moved, he also moved. Then, another man tapped me on the shoulder and told me that they didn't want any more pictures taken.

I respected their request and stopped photographing the actual fights. I was able to get a few more interesting shots of the crowd.

I'm glad to have had an opportunity to witness the cockfight, and I'm not about to judge the impoverished of the Philippines, but I do wish that another, less brutal means of placing bets was readily and as cheaply available as the cockfight.