Buffalo Stabbing Festival

Overview of Buffalo Stabbing Festival in Highlands

Every year, at the end of the crop (year-end), ethic minorities organize the greatest festival of the year to offer sacrifice Ndu God and other gods and genies to express their gratitude to the gods who have provided the villagers and tribes with a prosperous year with many lucks and a good crop. This festival is name Sarơpu (buffalo eating Festival) and commonly called Buffalo Stabbing Festival.

The first thing to do is putting a tree called ‘Neu’ which indicates their desires for wellness and happiness indispensable in this festival.

The Neu is made from bamboo with a wooden phoenix sticked on the top. The trunk of Neu tree must be decorated all of these pictures including beehive, swift, people and tintinnabulum.

When the dawn appears, it’s high time for people call ‘Rice God’ and cry for the buffalo which will be kills. Then, the magician puts a copper pot in front of the house, standson it and worships. When the sun rises, people bring a small small wine jar and a killed chicken to worships the buffalo. Then, the well-built young men of the village take turns stabbing the buffalo with sharp-head spears in their hands until the animal die.

Buffalo’s blood is applied on participants’ foreheads to wish for luck and happiness. Buffalo meat will be broiled over hot coal. The broiled meat is served at the site and the rest of meat is distributed equally to the families in the village.

Source: Patriarch of hamlet 3 – Lieng Sron commune. TIPC Lamdong recorded