In a popular neighborhood outside of Mandalay we meet Ko Win Nainz around a small cafe restaurant table. Ko Win Nainz is a combat cock trainer. He says he is not a professional, but apparently he spends more time on it than his job as an auto mechanic. He is 55 years old and has been doing this work since the age of 12.
His stature and physique are very impressive. Corpulent, It has a very dark complexion, the bottom of the eyes red blood and teeth also tinted red to chew leaves of betel mixed with areca nuts. Black hands of filth and clothes matching his hands.
We discuss for a moment with Ko Win Nainz and with the one who acted as an intermediary to meet him.
He speaks quite easily about the world of cockfighting and I even feel, and I tell him, that he has an “affective” relationship with his birds. They tell us that times have changed and that at the time of its debut a cock was worth about $ 200 now prices have become crazy sometimes and climb up to $ 5,000. In addition some trainers do not hesitate to drug their cocks with opium for example. He explains how to prepare a cock in combat, the massages he makes to improve their muscles, the veil that he puts on the cage the day before for them to be well rested, and so on. It also explains the characteristics of a good fighting cock, the ideal measurements of the legs. Then we go to the river where it has more space to see a fight.
It is the cock of the monk of the corner that will face the cock of Ko Win Nainz. They test them before to see if the two animals are ready to compete. Then begins a duo of feathers, pecks and paws. This can last up to two days with a break between two if none takes the advantage. On this fight after 10 or 15 minutes, one of the cocks no longer opens an eye, it seems to have lost the advantage over his opponent. The verdict is returned and the owner of the losing rooster must give his cock to the winner. Thus goes the life of cock fights. Bets are frequent with sometimes large bids, but spent $ 100 it becomes illegal. So you have to get the favors of a policeman, with financial help, so that he closes his eyes and that the fights with large auctions can proceed serenely.
Cockfighting in Mandalay.
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