It is also because it is an uninterrupted local tradition that the penal code still authorizes it to Martinique, Guadeloupe, Guyana, Reunion, Polynesia and Hauts de France. On the other hand, another article, the 521-1 of the same penal code stipulates: "prohibition to create new gallodromes". The fine planned for non -allowed Gallodromes is 30,000 euros, accompanied by a prison sentence. What to think about!
In the French West Indies, the cockfighting arena is called a Pitt. A small number of about twenty still survive in Martinique. Often passed down from father to son, and increasingly less economically viable, more than 140 pits have closed their doors and returned the hens to their backyards.
Cockfighting is an ancient tradition, originating in Asia, where it is still practiced today. A favorite pastime of the Greeks and Romans, it has conquered the world. Great Britain, Ireland, Spain, and Flanders in Belgium gathered around the arenas, or pits, to watch two roosters fight and often used the opportunity to discuss politics. The English brought it to the United States, the Portuguese to Brazil, and the Spanish to Latin America and the West Indies.
The rooster, the emblem of France, resembles man. He walks on two legs, protects his family, and proudly carries and defends his territory. Some even say that the fights were organized to settle problems between two men, without either of them having to suffer. Each would unleash his rooster, a kind of extension of himself, to attack his opponent.
The rooster trainer, or trainer, chooses his roosters. From birth, the male chicks are separated; five months later, they are permanently removed from the communal aviary and then isolated to prevent them from fighting. Roosters are instinctively combative. They are considered top athletes, receiving, among other things, a carefully prepared diet. The trainer trains them for fighting, building their muscles and making them run. He also massages them! Every morning, the rooster bathes and then dries in the sun before being massaged by his trainer with a rum-based balm. Around eight months old, the rooster fights for the first time, to see if the trainer can make him a champion. A second training fight takes place about two months later, and so on, with increasing frequency, until the first official fight. During these training sessions, everything is scrutinized by the professional. During these fights, the spurs are protected to prevent injury. There's no point in training champions only to feed them to the wolves!
In Martinique, there are three types of fighting roosters: the Bankiva rooster, also known as the "gros-sirop" (dark red); the cendré rooster, with black and white feathers; and the madras rooster, which is orange. Depending on its victories, a rooster can fetch up to €10,000.
There are three types of fights: speed, endurance, and a mix of both. Speed fights reward the rooster, armed with a steel spur, who strikes first. These fights generally last only a few minutes, just enough time for one of the opponents to swoop over the other and injure it. Endurance fights are more like boxing matches. The spur is covered with cloth or cut off. If the opponent is knocked out or retreats twice, the other animal wins. The third type of fight involves natural spurs. The rooster can inflict pain and must last as long as possible. It's worth noting that in Martinique, the fight doesn't necessarily result in the death of one of the two roosters. Instead, it allows bettors to both win and lose.
A fighting rooster weighs between 1 and 6 kilos. Of course, as in boxing, it fights against opponents of its own weight. Sometimes, the rooster handler trims its feathers to help it gain the few extra grams that will make it the king of its category.
Of course, cockfighting, although legal since July 31, 2015, has its opponents, just like bullfighting. Animal rights activists highlight breeding practices, the fight itself, spur clipping, and all other abuses. They also denounce the very conditions of the fight: spectators, bettors, and onlookers gather around the arena. The atmosphere quickly becomes heated, the lights bright, the noise intense. The rooster thus finds itself in an unfamiliar, stressful environment, facing one of its own kind. Corticosterone is a hormone that both humans and birds possess. While in humans it has little impact on behavior, in roosters it has a major influence on aggression. Arriving in an unfamiliar, noisy, and brightly lit place increases the rooster's stress levels, triggering a surge in corticosterone and, consequently, its urge, its need to fight. What does
the future hold for cockfighting? Between the growing voices of animal welfare organizations and the declining economic viability of the profession, one might think that the era of cockfighting is nearing its end. That said, official pits, adhering to the rules, are preferable to unsanctioned fights where the only benefit for the bird is financial.
Our photos were taken by @greeneyes in St. Pierre au Pitt, despite everything.
If you would like more information or to experience the event in a local setting, contact Masena on behalf of Alwego at 0696 95 47 16.
