| BULL FIGHTING IN KENYA. | | | | Iminyi's owner, Bonny Khalwale, a local member of |
| Khayega - In a football stadium tucked away in | | | | parliament and staunch supporter of the Luhya |
| western Kenya, the contenders pace and snort | | | | bullfighting culture known as "mayo", sees the |
| under brilliant blue sky as gusts of wind carry the | | | | matches as a potentially lucrative tourist draw and is |
| cheers of thousands and trainers fret in pre-bout | | | | seeking government funds to help promote it. |
| rituals. | | | | Mr Khalwale has requested the construction of a |
| Oblivious to the noise and bets being placed, "Iminyi" | | | | special arena, tarmacking of the roads to the stadium |
| and "Ingwe" prepare for battle, racing up and down | | | | and larger hotels and lodges so tourists can access |
| the pitch as if possessed before the match begins | | | | the area with ease. |
| with a sharp command. They charge in a cloud of | | | | Khalwale's efforts to obtain a one-million-shilling grant |
| dust and lock horns. The fight is on. | | | | from Nairobi, though, are currently stalled and not |
| This is bullfighting, Kenya-style; an altogether | | | | everyone shares his enthusiasm for the fights. |
| different version from the better-known and more | | | | Jean Gilchrist, director of animal welfare at the Kenya |
| controversial man versus toro Spanish bloodsport, | | | | Society for the Protection and Care of Animals, is |
| that is drawing huge crowds to this town about 500 | | | | particularly concerned at the rising popularity of the |
| kilometres from Nairobi. | | | | events. |
| One weekend a month, members of the Idakho and | | | | The organisation is trying to persuade people to get |
| Isukha communities of the Luhya tribe march their | | | | away from cruel animal sports and yet Kenya seems |
| prized fighting bulls to Khayega for the matches | | | | to be going in the opposite direction. She lamented |
| some local leaders hope to turn into a draw for | | | | the increasing crowds at the Khayega stadium, |
| safari-going foreign tourists. | | | | stating it was hard to stop it as people consider it a |
| Thousands of spectators troop to the bullfights to | | | | tourist attraction. |
| see the spectacle and place small wagers on the | | | | Once again there arises conflict over culture, animal |
| fights, a Luhya tradition for time immemorial. | | | | welfare and tourism. Is it really sustainable or not? |
| Bulls Duel In Kakamega, Khayega. | | | | Recently CAS International was informed on the plan |
| Bred for battle | | | | to build a bullring in Western Kenya. In this part of |
| The younger the bulls, the longer the fight, with a | | | | Kenya (especially in Kakamega) bullfights are already |
| match between adolescents lasting as long as a half | | | | organized in the fields. CAS International already |
| hour and a contest between older veterans usually | | | | campaigned against these bullfights. In December |
| over after four minutes, according to owners and | | | | 2008, they managed to prevent a bullfight that was |
| trainers. | | | | about to be organized in the Kenyan capital Nairobi. |
| The beasts are bred for battle, fed with | | | | In Kenya, they do not organize bullfighting Spanish |
| molasses-spiked grass and isolated from heifers at | | | | style (with a matador killing bulls), but they organize |
| age three — when they are ready for the ring | | | | fights between two bulls, surrounded by hundreds or |
| — to prevent them from mating and supposedly | | | | even thousands of elated men with sticks. |
| preserve their energy. | | | | Spanish Bull fighting. |
| On the eve of a fight, they are psychologically | | | | Forget the bullfighting of Kenya's Western Province, |
| prepared by dieting on remnants of a traditional brew | | | | in Afghanistan it is the dogs. Crowds surge forward |
| and other special concoctions believed to increase | | | | as two huge mastiffs launch themselves at each |
| their aggressiveness. | | | | other before one ends the bout by grabbing the |
| Great caution is exercised and the bull is guard all | | | | other's throat, and is then paraded in triumph. It |
| night to keep opponents from "bewitching" it, | | | | happens on every Friday between November and |
| otherwise it will be defeated in a very short time as | | | | March as a tradition at a makeshift arena in the |
| it is claimed by one bull owner. | | | | outskirts of Kabul. |
| Mixed opinions about 'tourist attraction' and Culture | | | | Dog fight in kaboul, Afghanistan. |