A Thousand Years of Horse Shadows

(GLO) - Who is going that way today? Whose red horse is it, whose hand is holding the reins?... While wandering through the Nẫu region of Binh Dinh and Phu Yen, I occasionally hear the clatter of horse hooves pulling carts carrying passengers and goods, and as if by some kind of automatic "auto-generated" sound, I hum these folk verses to myself.

- The pink horse has found its soulmate / Even though someone else already holds its reins! Just that much evokes lingering memories, intertwined with affection. What a strange land this is…

Going uphill through the mountainous region, one suddenly encounters a group of pack horses silently trudging along. Then comes the boisterous excitement of the spring horse races. Binh Dinh is now part of the eastern part of Gia Lai province; Phu Yen is now part of the eastern part of Dak Lak province. I often jokingly say: Binh Dinh is the Northern Nẫu, Phu Yen is the Southern Nẫu… Oh, beloved Nẫu land.

The black horse goes to Quan Cau.

Before the construction of National Highway 1 and the Trans-Vietnam Railway, people in the Nẫu region often traveled by horse or palanquin (officials and wealthy people), while poorer people mainly walked. After many changes, in some mountainous and rural areas of the Nẫu region, horses still toil alongside people for transportation, carrying goods, and pulling carts...

Across the Tuy An region, the lullaby still echoes: " Every evening, I borrow the horse of the village chief / I borrow the sedan chair of the soldier to take my lady home / She must not return empty-handed / The black horse goes first, the red horse follows behind / The black horse goes to Quan Cau / The red horse leisurely follows behind to Go Dieu…" A lingering atmosphere, both proud and familiar, of the days when horses and carriages traversed the valleys and mountains of this border region.

Horses returning from the fields. Photo: D.D.T.

Gò Điều and Quán Cau are two place names now belonging to Ô Loan commune, Đắk Lắk province. The place name Quán Cau is now a mountain pass on National Highway 1, overlooking the Ô Loan lagoon national scenic area. Along this semi-mountainous region, scattered residents still raise, trade, and use horses for pulling and packing.

Though not as bustling as in the Metal Age, hundreds of pack horses still quietly accompany the villagers, carrying unripe jackfruit down and flying fish up. Horse-drawn carriages carrying passengers now only sporadically travel on a few remote, difficult-to-navigate roads, and passenger buses are no longer a popular choice. Some tourist destinations have begun offering horse-drawn carriage services for visitors to explore and enjoy...

Tracing back through history, Phu Yen was once a famous land of horses. Because it had many good breeds that were fast and agile, horses from the Nẫu region were often selected as offerings to the Nguyen dynasty for use as horses.

According to the Dai Nam Nhat Thong Chi (Comprehensive Gazetteer of Dai Nam), horses were raised in all regions of the Nẫu area, and herds of horses traveled along village roads when people were trading and transporting goods; the women here were very skilled horse riders.

Many peasant uprisings in this region have always been associated with the use of horses, such as the Tay Son rebellion with its horses' hooves conquering the South and North. Through countless wars, generations of horses from the Nẫu region have gone on the road to carry goods and ammunition, sacrificing themselves like warriors charging into battle.

The magnificent horse welcomes spring.

After a year of hard work, many pack and draft horses, groomed and prepared, flock to the traditional Go Thi Thung horse racing festival on the 8th day of the first lunar month, a tradition maintained for hundreds of years. Go Thi Thung is located on the An Xuan plateau, Tuy An district, Phu Yen (formerly); now it belongs to Tuy An Tay commune, Dak Lak.

Go Thi Thung horse racing festival. Photo: D.D.T.

The race organizers here often refer to them as "the racehorses" because the dominant "gender" in the competition is always female horses. Initially, the organizers planned to hold separate competitions for male and female horses. However, there were only a handful of male horses, not enough to hold a separate competition.

In fact, around this area, people prefer raising female horses because they yield significantly higher profits; during the horse races, they become "female athletes." In the Go Thi Thung horse races over the past few years, only a few percent of the horses have participated. However, these "males" often disrupt the races, causing bursts of laughter.

It's like, in the middle of a smooth race, one of the riders suddenly veers off... after a girl. The climax of the disruption is when many riders compete for one girl. Some couples are so infatuated that, amidst thousands of onlookers watching the race, they still can't delay their... pleasure. Sometimes, unable to intervene, the two riders, the owners of the horses, simply shake their heads and give up...

In the past, the horse racing competition at the Tuy An District Sports Festival required 100% of the horses to be females, in order to avoid "chaos and competition for mates" among the male horses.

Mr. Mười Hân, a veteran horse breeder in the area, explained: "Here, raising female horses is more profitable than raising male horses. Because they can both carry goods and breed. With this red horse breed, male or female horses have almost the same physique."

Many mares have greater stamina and speed than stallions. And horses are known for their strong libidos, so the idea of ​​"male and female" horses competing together can easily lead to some "chaos," adding to the fun of the three days of spring. If a stallion gets "horny," some might even toss over a hundred kilograms of bananas off its back while carrying loads to chase after a passing mar.

Impressive farmer on horseback. Photo: D.D.T.

At 63 years old, Mr. Nam An is a renowned horse rider in Phu Yen province and the oldest rider in recent racing seasons.

"There aren't many horse races anymore. My friends and I, being passionate about horse racing, took up it. It's like people keeping ornamental plants, fighting roosters, or pets. My family raises horses to carry goods and make a living."

When a mare gives birth, I usually select a good-looking male and give him special care to train him for racehorses. This time, I'm reducing my workload and focusing on nourishing and training one of them.

"We're going to race at the Go Thi Thung race on the 8th day of Tet this year," Mr. Nam An said excitedly, then added: "My whole family supports horse racing. Because riding horses requires training and strengthening the muscles and bones, and avoiding excessive drinking. To ride a horse, you need stamina. If you're weak but eager to climb, it's very easy to... fall off the stage! My family always has 5-7 horses of all sizes in the stable. Of those, one or two are always ready to 'go into battle' during the spring race."

Horseman's Shadow Literature

Once upon a time, in the Nẫu region, people commonly traveled by horse, transporting goods, letters, and other items. It's similar to how people now travel by motorbike, car, or airplane. Therefore, folk songs and literature from the Nẫu region are filled with images and depictions of horses. Perhaps, horses are living creatures, capable of breathing, experiencing joy, sorrow, and even love…

Evidence of this can be found in the numerous folk songs of the Nẫu region: " The horse runs far away, disappearing from sight / A loyal lover will wait a hundred years"; "The chestnut horse grazes around the Cả Pass / The full moon on the night of the full moon casts its shadow towards the east / I'd rather urge the horse back empty / Than steal someone else's wife or husband"; "The black horse is tied before the pond / Hunger will endure hunger, it doesn't crave dry grass"; "The black horse doesn't ride, it rides a cow / It doesn't run on the straight road, it runs along the winding path"; "Who is going that way today / Whose red horse is riding, whose hand is holding it? / The red horse already has a soulmate / Even if someone else is holding it, so be it…"

Using horses to express feelings, to speak of life. Using the close companionship and loyalty of the horse to reveal both distant and close hearts. The melancholic shadow of the horse, the soul of the people of the Nẫu region amidst the Vietnamese sky and land.

Source: https://baogialai.com.vn/ngan-nam-bong-ngua-post580301.html