Cow Fights in the Alps? Discovering a Centuries Old Swiss Tradition **Video**

Tucked away in the heart of the Valaisian Alps, a lesser known Swiss tradition continues to ring the bells of the hearts of the village citizens of this pastoral side of the Switzerland.

Swiss Cow Fighting.

Throughout the world people hold events that to some of the world might be considered rather violent. Take for example, bull fighting in Spain. To Spaniards, the sport has been a centuries long tradition that showcases bravery and honor for both the bull and the fighter. To the rest of the world, this tradition can seem barbaric and cruel for the animals involved.

When one hears the phrase "Swiss Cow Fighting", images can be conjured of cows running around in a violent display of gore and stampede. At least that is what I thought when I first heard the term. But to my surprise, the tradition is safe and displays the heart of Swiss culture and tradition.

Once, sometimes twice a year, villagers from several different locations along the Valaisian Alps bring their cow herds down from the high lush green pastures into the lower farmland valleys of these Alps. From the heard, the villagers examine all of their pregnant cows to see which one is the strongest and most angry. The villagers use pregnant cows because they are very territorial and are protective of their unborn calfs. Then they take that cow to compete in the ring.

The villagers join together in a paradisiacal like valley surrounded by lush green alp mountainside and flowing clear waterfalls and streams. The head of the competition creates an arena which is mostly a circle made with some twine and sticks formed like a fence. Then the regalia starts. Amidst some pomp, the pregnant bow vines are proudly lead one by one towards the bout by their owners down towards the arena. Each cow is painted with a number so that people can begin to bet on which one will win the day.

The objective of the cow fight is no more than pride, and little money for the winner. The winning cow is the one that out lasts all other cows that challenge it. The villagers compete for bragging rights about who has the strongest cow that will be the most dominate that year. That cow and owner becomes the pride of their corresponding village.

As the cows spread across the pastoral circle, 5 or 6 different "referees" step into the arena carrying large willow sticks. As the the time draws near to the beginning of the fight, the cows are extremely restless and already growling and stomping up the turf. With a blow of a whistle the villagers leave the circle and with a thundering vibration, the cows charge. A ruckus of Swiss cow bells erupt as the alphas begin to mark their territory.

As the cows lock horns across the arena, the referees use their sticks to whack any cows that look like they are going to double team a cow while it is fighting another. This is one of the rules, it is strictly a one on one battle.

Tourists, city folk, and villagers alike line the roped circle cheering on their favorite steer. Cows lock horns and throw each other around sometimes outside of the arena. Observing from afar, I witnessed a pair of cows locked in a heated battle push themselves unexpectedly towards the crowd and straight towards an older Swiss woman. As the cows came dangerously close to her, she, obviously a veteran spectator, slapped the cow on the hind end and shook her find while saying "No". The cows must have heard her because they began to push the fight away from her.

One by one, each cow, after being tested, began to bow out of the competition relinquishing its ground to the more dominate of the beasts.

The finale of the fight saw two cows that had been locked in a gruesome battle for over 45 minutes and had pushed themselves up a hill well out of the arena boundaries. Each cow had been the winner of the fights the two past years and they were at it again. When one of the cows finally gave up and trotted down the hill, the crowd erupted in cheers adulation as villagers hugged, shook hands, gave each other the customary Swiss double kiss and poured each other a stein of stout. It was another glorious victory for the two year reigning champion in setting of one of the most picturesque valleys in Switzerland.

These cow fights are just another example of why I love to travel. Discovering different cultures and their traditions fascinates me to no end. These traditions motivate me to explore other lesser known traditions not only of Swiss culture but of cultures all across the globe. These traditions teach us not only to honor the traditions from our own country but to learn more about ourselves from the world around us.

In your travels, what are some of your favorite lesser known cultural traditions that you have discovered?

Old Town San Diego: Preserving the Past

San Diego. Best known for its ideal warm climate, massive zoo, and yes of course, Sea World. Little do most people know that there are several other sparkling gems that lie in this southern California oasis. One of my favorites is the Old Town District of San Diego.

When most use San Diego for no more than a spring board to Sea World, Disneyland and a plethora of amusement parks that surround the area, many don't know that there exists Old Town San Diego.



The city has outdone itself to preserve the area where the first foundations of the city were laid. Upon visiting this area, one comes upon a down filled with history. Several pioneer replica buildings surround the half mile block. These buildings are meant to look the way they did back when the city was first founded. One can find various museums housing antique furniture, aged Wells Fargo wagons, and photographs of the early inhabitants and settlers of San Diego. Accompanying the museums are various tourist shops and markets as well as a general store and an old fashion candy shop where they arduously pull taffy in the window for onlookers to experience.

The city also is home to some of the best authentic Mexican food in the city. Situated a short distance from the Mexican boarder, San Diego is filled with the influential food and culture that the Mexican people have brought with them. We had the fortune of eating at one of these restaurants close to old town called Old Town Mexican Cafe. The restaurant, like many within walking distance, serves a huge variety of delicious authentic Mexican. I highly recommend the Molcajete, a cornucopia of marinated chicken, carne asada, and jumbo shrimp. If you are lucky you will be there when the mariachi bands are serenading patrons.

One of the most interesting places in Old Town San Diego was the Mormon Batallion Museum. Located a block just outside of old down, this museum was amazing. Owned and operated by the LDS church, missionaries and attendants take you back in time as you experience the journey of the Mormon battalion. Just as a little background, when the Mormon pioneers were making their way out to Utah in the 1840's, the United States Government ordered the formation of a battalion of 500 men to go combat the Spanish in the southern territories several decades before the actual Spanish American war. While en route to Utah, the U.S. army, with help of the church's leader Brigham Young, recruited nearly 500 men and there families for the battalion. Long story short, the battalion weathered several months of marching through the desert, starvation, and disease before arriving in San Diego. In the end the battalion did not firing a shot against anyone. The battalion helped the locals develop the city creating waterways and irrigation canals for farming and helping to build buildings and homes thus helping the city to become what it is today.

While walking through the interactive guided tour of the museum, you will move from room to room, all designed to look just like the locations that the battalion marched through. Some of the places include the prairie of Iowa, a general store, and the desert to name a few, all while videos of actors tell the story of the battalion and the founding of San Diego. It is interesting and fun for the family. At the end of the tour you can get your old fashion sepia tone picture taken as well as mine for gold (fools gold)  in their custom build creek bed. It is an good place to immerse yourself in the culture of the city.

Whether its strolling down the dirt paths alongside 1800 style buildings, chowing down on authentic spicy Mexican food, or learning about the town's past, Old Town San Diego is a great place for getting away from the crowds and experiencing history. San Diego is truly preserving its past and providing its visitors with a sense of culture and adventure.