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most popular of Northeastern festivals with foreign tourists is the
Surin Elephant Round-up which is held annually in November. The people
of Surin have long been renowned for their skill in capturing and
training wild elephants and the round-up. In the past wild elephants
lived in the forest areas of nearby Cambodia. |
Unfortunately, these areas
have been inaccessible due to civil war in Cambodia. The greatest event of the Surin round-up is a beautifully organised
display of the talents and abilities of these superb beasts. The
round-up first took place in 1960. It begins with a mass procession of
all the elephants taking part, usually 120-150, ranging from calves only
a few weeks old to the well-trained elephants with many decades of
experience.
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During the show, hundreds of the huge animals demonstrate their prowess
at moving legs, playing soccer and winning a tug-of-war against human
teams. Other demonstrations are designed to show not only the great
strength of the elephants but also show they can be very intelligent,
gentle and obedient. The show concludes with a mock battle illustrating
what was formerly an important part of their duties.
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The round-up in those days was an annual state ceremony preside over by
the king himself. There were prayers and citation for the ceremony and
for the taming of captured elephants afterwards. In recent times, the
event has been revived and has become a major tourist attraction for the
country, with the province of Surin as the main centre of activities.
The event draws more and more visitors each year.
The event is the occasion for great fun in which the visitor is welcome
to join. It also offers superb opportunities for learning about the
distinct folk culture of the Northeast.