Bullfighting - how to nurture a bull for the fight and what the sport entails–tales from Kakamega

For rugby fanatics, Saturdays are meant for the rugby game.  For the married ones, the weekend is a fun-filled family outing day, while for a number of Kakamega county residents; Saturdays are amazing, more so when it starts off with bullfighting contests.

For these bullfighting lovers, they begin their day by flocking to different bullfighting venues, in groups, with bulls in tow, dancing to the reverberating sounds of isikuti. It's been a routine for decades and as much as other regions view the sport differently, for the locals, it's a contest that they value the most. Interestingly, in this part of the world, bullfighting is loved across all age groups.

And it’s not just the love of the sport that makes it special. Bullfighting adherents have invested their resources in the sport.

Breeding a bull from a tender age, in preparation for the contests is quite costly. It requires proper care, feeding and medication for a bull to be develop and meet the standards required for a fierce battle.  Alternatively, other people prefer to buy bulls that have been properly bred for such fights, f one is to avoid the long rigorous route of nurturing one.

One old man, Matekwa Mundumukhulu , an avid follower of the bullfighting competition, says that when he was young, the bulls were treated with herbs, mixed with substances from buffaloes, which served as boosters, making the bulls bigger and stronger. He says that multivitamin boosters are now available to help animals grow bigger unlike in the past. These days though some prefer to use both.

He however holds that the use of intoxications to make animals have the urge to fight still exists to date.

“In the past, our grandparents used to go to the forest, in search of Munyama and Luvungu (herbs) and used to mix with some substances that had been extracted from the buffaloes and after burning and mixing, the ash was given to the bull,” he explained, adding that, “Nowadays they are given multivitamins and they eat well. They are also given intoxicated with other substances that I cannot share at the moment," he notes in the course of the interview.

And it is not uncommon to see bulls being prepared for a fight in the larger Kakamega County. In fact, in Khayega, Kabras, Muranda, and Ikolomani, contests happen in the morning, and Matekwa says this is due to the fact that the bulls are fresh and have the energy for the contests. It is also believed that some bulls cannot sustain fights when the sun is up in the sky.

“Most of the fights are always in the morning because the bulls still have enough energy. They don't battle in the afternoon,” he explained.  “For the fights to happen, the owners of the bulls are notified in writing and they either agree or decline to participate," he said.

But what are the benefits of bullfighting, do the owners gain anything, say, if one’s bull wins?

Once the two parties agree to a contest on an agreed date and venue, just like with other sports, preparations start and hit fever pitch as the match day approaches. On the match D-day, the bulls are properly fed and given additives such as bhang to fire them up ahead of the impending battle.

The bulls are also protected to ensure they stay away from people with ‘bad intentions’. On the match day, they are led to the pitch amidst ululations, song and dance.

As soon as two bulls are on the pitch, the match is on. The winner is determined when the loser flees away. The duration of the contests is not fixed as some bulls scamper for safety in the opening seconds of the contest while, for some, the contest lasts much longer.

After the contest, the winner is awarded depending on the agreement reached before the clash.

“When money is involved, they agree on the amount that will be the prize money.  Whoever wins takes home the whole amount and he shares with those who helped him such as cheerleaders and his close people. They leave while singing and celebrations are extended to the alcohol dens,” Matekwa stated.

Due to the nature of the contest - battle-field usually overcrowded, there have been incidents where fans have been injured or killed. Matekwa says such an event is treated as an ‘accident'. 

“In cases where someone is injured or killed, rituals are done to cleanse and to ensure the animal does not carry the bad omen home,” he explains. “If the bull attacks and kills the owner, it is attacked and killed brutally. The meat is taken by people around but the close family members of the deceased are not allowed to take the meat.

However, as people embrace Western culture, there is fear that the bullfighting culture may be eroded and Matekwa wants the county Government of Kakamega to support the sport, to help in its preservation.

He believes developing pitches that are ideal for the contests, will not only help avoid injuries and deaths that occur but go a long way in popularizing the sport.

“I think the county should work to safeguard this sport. Proper bullfighting venues will help avert  deaths and accidents, and more people will be able to take up the sport,” he said “ I feel a number of people are willing to attend but fear they might be injured and may not be able to maneuver through,” he concluded.t’ and the animal involved has to undergo cleansing.