It is said that the beginning of the last war of independence in Cuba is linked to an anecdote in a cockfight arena.

On February 24, 1895, the day of the Claim for Independence, one Cuban took advantage of a cockfight that was taking place in San Bartolo’s cockfight arena (in Baire -a town in Eastern Cuba-) and, in front of the audience, tore off the head of his cock just before his fight began.The gamecock came to the New World because Spaniards brought it . Cockfights have been linked to politics in more than one occasion, some governments have prohibited them, others, have blessed them. Spanish governments, which ruled in Cuba during the last century, suspended them in a certain way because they considered those games leaded to disobedience and conspiracy. The same occurred with the American intervening authorities by the end of 1998 war. On the contrary, in 1909, President José Miguel Gómez, a great fan of gamecocks, allowed cockfights again, also looking for sympathy among the people. In 1968, the Cuban government decided to prohibit cockfights, stating thatthere was corruption generated by monetary bets in the fights. But, on 1972, the cocks’ subject is reanimated although, this time, it had a new character: hobby and entertainment.

COCKFIGHTS

A cockfight is a show that can generate different reactions on the new audience; on one hand, certain rejection while watching two beautiful animals in death battle.There are also people who are moved by the blood covering the plumage. The cockfight arena is a circus; it is a Sunday party. Excellencies went to Alcona Club, located a few kilometers from Havana City. In one day of fair, the movement of cock trainers is special; they go from one place to another exhibiting their cocks.Cock trainers know each other although they are from different places. They exchange salutations and express the joy of the new encounter, the new challenge. Revenge among them? There might be rival feelings for a lost fight and this can develop a sense of retaliation but not revenge or hate. They will definitely meet as rivals for their cocks, each one will aspire for his to be the best, but one simple condition always unites them, their devotion and careful attention for animals.

COCK TRAINERS AND REMEMBRANCES

Agust!n Pupo Domenech is a cock trainer. He is also lawyer and engineer in Geology, and author of the book “Gallo fino Cubano”. He has obtained different awards in national fairs. His cocks have been exported to other countries in the America. “The fight of the gamecock is part of the deepest idiosyncrasy of the Cuban people” -says Pupo- “from our ancestors to present times, the gamecock culture is present in people’s behavior, mainly our countrymen. Since ever, every community has had a cockfight arena as well as a church. Cockfights degenerated in the 50’s. It wasn’t a clean “beak and spurs” fight anymore; people anointed some poisonous substances in the spurs of cocks to win at any price. All this cheating and corruption generated, gave place to the prohibiting law decreed in 1967. Today, we have re organized gamecock raising and have planned this great hobby as a sport in a sane manner. How is a chicken trained to develop it a gamecock? “Training a cock for fight requires experience first of all. It also requiresvocation, like, wish, ability and time. Chickens are recruited at 8 to 10 months of age. Then, they are cleansed from parasites, their health and strength is under observation to determine if it is worthy training them as gamecocks. They are also provoked to test their aggressiveness or calmness. The beards and ear lugs are cut and once cured, their comb is taken away. These two surgeries shouldn’t be done at the same time because the animal can loose too much blood. One indispensable condition to cut the cock’s comb is that the animal must be healthy. Many people believe that the best time to do it, is when it is in the decrease of the moon. Finally, the cock is plucked.” Pupo not only is a gamecock chronicler; he is also a scholar of Genetics, Veterinarian medicine and knows how to treat these beautiful animals. I asked him too about the training for fight and he states: “There are as many methods as cock trainers, but the most common practices are “el topetón”,which is selecting one cock among several to teach it how to compare itself. This cock is sort of a trainer, capable of forcing the novice to get prepared correctly. It is also used “la mona” on which the cock trainer uses the cockbeing trained to be the “stroke-bearer” within the group of cocks. Some people use a cock made of red cloth to attract more the attention.”