8 - 14 March 2001
Issue No.524
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Al-Ahram Weekly On-line 8 - 14 March 2001 Issue No.524 |
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For shame or glory
Youssef Zaki, 55, is a building contractor by trade. But behind the seemingly innocent façade of his day job lurks a far more untamed calling: for the past 30 years, Zaki has bred roosters to fight for sport, training them to push themselves to the bloody end.
Cock-fighting was originally brought to Egypt from India, by way of the British colonial authorities. It quickly became popular with the Egyptian royalty and eventually spread to all walks of life. Although the sport has seen its heyday, a sure game can still be found on the second day of the two Islamic feasts (Eid Al-Fitr and Eid Al-Adha) and on Sham Al-Nessim, in the Delta town of Tanta.
Eid Al-Adha will begin on 5 March, so this weekend cock-fighting fans will be participating in the underworld of prize fighters locked in bloody battle; a crossing of unlikely gladiators and illicit gains.
Cock-fighting is prohibited in the Cairo governorate, mainly because of the attendant gambling and, more importantly, the fighting that inevitably erupts between spectators.
Hassan Amin, a Telecom Egypt employee, is another breeder of fighting roosters. In Amin's living room, several pictures of baby chicks he has raised are proudly hung on the wall. One of these chicks, named the "Canary" because of his colour, is fondly remembered by Amin as wild and strong, but kind-hearted. "During one match, the Canary went to console his opponent," recalls Amin. "The other rooster attacked him in the eyes, blinding him. Even so, the Canary went on fighting until he won the match. That day, I got LE100, which was a lot of money in those days."
Breeding a prize fighter is a long and careful process, beginning with selecting a suitable bird. "I attend fights all over Egypt in order to gather information on the available roosters," explained Zaki. "Each bird has his own style of attack that he inherits. Some go for the head, others for the chest or eyes. Some are skilled in attacking from the side, while others prefer to attack head on," he explains.
Once a potential fighter is found, you need to raise him properly -- a process that is more difficult than one would think. Zaki recounts how he once bought a rooster called "Pecker". The bird was so wild that it was impossible to enter him in competitions because he would attack the spectators.
Zaki explains that he decided to give Pecker what he described as "psychological treatment". "I let him out of his box, and, at first, he would look at me suspiciously. Then, I let him eat eggs out of my hand. While eating, he would peck at my hand, but I wouldn't pull my hand away, or show him that he was hurting me." Zaki says this was all Pecker needed to relax.
Once endowed with good manners, roosters can begin the expensive and time-consuming business of training to fight. They begin by fighting for 10 minutes everyday, and according to Amin, up to three weeks before a match, a rooster-in-training should be fighting at least four opponents for 30 minutes every day. Throughout training they are fed boiled egg yolks and washed with liquid soap.
Zaki laments that cock-fighting is on the decline in Cairo, "even though it is booming in the countryside, especially in the Delta." He suggests that the high cost of rearing good fighters in the city is a disincentive. Staple foods like egg yolks, wheat and fish are cheaper for farmers. The birds also benefit from access to open space, where they can bury and dig themselves out of the ground -- an exercise that strengthens the leg muscles.
Once the bird steps into the ring, the expenses shelled out on training can reap big rewards. According to Zaki, an owner can receive up to LE2,000 for a well-bred, well-trained bird that turns out to be a popular fighter. Aside from the big holiday fights, there is no real cock-fighting "season." Cockfights are basically organised on demand.
Because of local prohibitions, owners and spectators alike are usually pushed into unusual venues, tucked away from the authorities. "Cockfights still take place, but in remote areas, away from the police, such as cemeteries," said Amin.
To truly prove its worth, a rooster must fight until the bitter end. It is an honour for an owner for his bird to die in battle. On the other hand, if the rooster runs away from his opponent, the owner is shamed and breeders will shy away from buying his hens. Either way you look at it -- emasculated and shamed or honoured and dead -- the ending is a sad one.
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