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Originating more than 2500 years ago, cockfighting is one of the oldest documented sports in the world. It has continued to flourish despite bans against it in many countries. In "The Cockfight: A Casebook," folklorist Alan Dundes brings together a diverse array of writing on this male-dominated ritual.
Vivid descriptions of cockfights from Puerto Rico, Tahiti, Ireland, Spain, Brazil, and the Philippines complement critical commentaries, from the fourth-century reflections of St. Augustine to contemporary anthropological and psychoanalytic interpretations. The various essays discuss the intricate rules of the cockfight, the ethical question of pitting two equally matched roosters in a fight to the death, the emotional involvement of cockfighters and fans, and the sexual implications of the sport. The result is an enlightening collection for anthropologists, folklorists, sociologists, and psychologists, as well as followers of this ancient blood sport.
About the author
Alan Dundes (1934-2005) was professor of anthropology and folklore at the University of California, Berkeley, and published ten books with the University of Wisconsin Press, including
Parsing Through Customs: Essays by a Freudian Folklorist;
The Vampire: A Casebook;
The Blood Libel Legend; and
Cinderella: A Casebook. He was also the editor of
Recollecting Freud by Isidor Sadger.
Summary
The essays in this collection discuss topics such as: the intricate rules of cockfighting; the ethics of pitting two equally-matched roosters in a match to the death; the emotional involvement of cockfighters and fans; and the sexual implications of the male-dominated ritual.
