Sport of the Common People

One of the most popular sports in Cuba, cockfighting, has been engraved into the culture since Spanish colonial times. Although gambling in Cuba has been illegal since Fidel Castro banned all forms of it in 1959, many fights take place in non-state run venues. Cocks are treated like athletes, trained every week to build up their stamina and agility, preparing them to fight. They are groomed, washed, and given vitamins. The tradition is to fix detachable natural (non-artificial) spurs to both legs after the natural spurs are trimmed. The arena is filled with passionate people yelling and hoping for a bit of luck.