More than 70 per cent of the Vietnamese population are involved in some form of farming or agriculture. Because buffaloes are integral to work on the farm, most Vietnamese have daily contact with the strong animals.

Comedian Cong Ly.

At one time, the buffalo was considered to be a member of the family; its main source of wealth and subsistence and its means to happiness and hope for the future. Undoubtedly, it is the most valuable asset in any farming family.

The buffalo is not just a symbol of manual labour, with all its sweat and toil, but also of spirituality.

The buffalo permeates Vietnamese art. It can be found in its poetry, literature and art. To welcome the Year of Buffalow from north to south, many people paint folk pictures of buffaloes.

People of older generation say that, like good-natured buffaloes, people who were born in the year of the Buffalo are often diligent and slow. For these people, success tends to come late in life.

But these are just the musings of an older generation. Many artists born in the year of Buffalo have reached massive heights in their artistic careers through hard work and devotion.

Nguyen Cong Ly, a well-known comedian on Ha Noi stages, was born in 1973. He said, “Maybe I am so happy and fortunate because I was born in the year of Buffalo. But sometimes I feel so tired that I want to scream out loud. Other times I wish that I could relax for an entire day without thinking of jobs that need to be done, but I always end up needing to do at least one productive thing a day.”

“In brief, I’m full of contradictions,” Ly laughed.

Another familiar face on Vietnamese television is Nguyen Chi Trung, also born in the year of the buffalo, but 12 years senior than Ly. He said, “I am a buffalo in the truest sense of the word. I was lucky to be born in the heyday of Vietnamese stage drama, but I have found it difficult to persue my performance career.”

He added, “Once, all Hanoians were familiar with the name Chi Trung, the makers and traders of electronic goods and motorbikes, not me, the actor, Chi Trung. But the owner of the company was also a buffalo trader and his well-known name has boosted my career. People remember me easily. He was born in the year of the buffalo, too.”

The industriousness of buffaloes earns the admiration of audiences nationwide. Fellow actor Quang Lam spoke about his “buffalo” friends. He said that even though they both have unique, individual characteristics, both of them are dynamic and clear-headed and have achieved fame where other buffalo artists have not.

People often want to have children in the year of pig or the dragon – both are symbols of freedom and wealth. They see the buffalo as synonymous with hard labour.

Trung considers the buffalo a symbol of happiness and prosperity.

This Year of the Buffalo will see hardwork, dilligence and earnesty, all the virtues needed to rebuild the economy, which are traits US President Obama, now the most famous man born in the year of Buffalo, recently said in his acceptance speech.

VietNamNet/VNS