Spectacular buffalo wool season in Tay Ninh seen from above

Tay Ninh in the flood season is also the time when herds of buffalo move between the fields to find food, creating an impressive picture.

Every year, the flood season brings to mind the image of flocks of ducks running in the fields and the impressive buffalo herding season in the fields of the West. In Khmer, "len" means freedom, "len trau" means letting buffaloes roam freely in the fields when flooded.

Buffalo herding usually takes place from July to November of the lunar calendar. This is when the fields are flooded, there is not enough grass for the buffalo to eat, so the farmers are forced to move the buffalo to higher ground, creating an impressive scene associated with the childhood of many people in the West.

As a native of My Hanh commune, Tay Ninh province (formerly Long An ), Ngo Thanh Binh has been planning to take a photo series about the buffalo herding season in his hometown. "To get this photo series, I had to brave the rain and sun, follow the buffalo herd to the fields, watch for the flood season and wait for the moment the buffalo herd passed by to take photos. There were times when I was chased by the buffalo, I was both scared and happy, but it was also an unforgettable memory," Binh shared.

Spending nearly 2 years "hunting" for photos of the buffalo herding season, he went out to take photos many times but could not capture any satisfactory moments. "From my house to where the buffaloes wade through the fields of other people is about 7-8 km. However, there are some difficult sections, I have to leave my bike and walk," he said.

"I chose the theme 'buffalo wool' because buffaloes are closely associated with farmers in my hometown. Buffaloes used to be the main force in farming, from plowing rice, pulling peanuts... My childhood was also closely associated with buffaloes, in the afternoons after school I helped my parents cut grass and lead the buffaloes to the fields. In my hometown, buffaloes are like an inseparable part of life," Binh expressed.

At around 5:30 a.m., the buffalo herd leaves the pen and wanders into the fields and cajuput forests to find food. In the afternoon, around 4:00 p.m. to 5:30 p.m., the buffalo herd leisurely returns to the pen. The buffalo herders often travel by boat or wade to guide the buffalo to the intended location, creating a lively and picturesque scene.

"I take pictures of all the moments that move me, but my favorite is when the buffalo herd returns in the afternoon. When the golden sunlight shines on the buffalo's back, its round belly reflects the light, the scene creates a very special beauty."

With rustic, intimate photos, Binh has depicted a peaceful picture of the Western countryside.

Through the photo series, the author wants to preserve the beauty of an ancient cultural feature, a simple feature about the attachment of the buffalo to our nation.

The gentle, hard-working buffalo have been associated with the lives of Vietnamese farmers for generations.

"I hope that those who have left the countryside will look back and remember a dear childhood. That simplicity and rusticity still exist amidst today's urban development," Binh shared with Tri Thuc - Znews.

Source: https://lifestyle.znews.vn/mua-len-trau-tay-ninh-ngoan-muc-nhin-tu-tren-cao-post1586679.html