A DIFFERENT WEB, WITH ‘LOADED’ SPIDERS
Spider-fighting remains a popular activity for some teenagers (and some older aficionados, too), but it’s not exactly the same game an older generation knew. These spiders aren’t gentle like Charlotte, and they feed on energy drinks.
The traditional pastime of spider-fighting or “sabong sa kaka” is no longer what it used to be.
Forty-year-old Marvin (not his real name) has been a spider-fighting aficionado for three decades, a love affair that started when he was an elementary school pupil in Cebu City.
Every August, Marvin and his friends bought live spiders that were sold outside their school, then let the creatures do battle on a stick.
The rules were simple: whoever owned the spider that killed and ate the other spider, won.
Marvin eventually got interested in the gambling side of spider-fighting when he was in high school. After classes, Marvin and a couple of friends would go to a “ruedahan” or fighting ring to see others gamble in spider fights.
Back then, the “ruedahan” was a small table, padded with foam, with two pairs of sticks on both ends, which supported a 12inch stretch of abaca rope.
Marvin said the floor of the “ruedahan” had to be cushioned to protect the spiders should they fall.
Like cockfighting, spider-fighting has its own set of rules. A winner is determined if the losing spider either falls off the string two times or is eaten by the other spider.
A “kuyme” or referee oversees the fight.
Marvin said that back then, betting on a competitive spider fight would often reach P2,000. Now, the stakes have gone higher, even competing with traditional cockfights.
Some “ruedahan” would offer a P50,000 cash prize for winners. Gamblers have raised the stakes.
Marvin recalled that a local drug lord placed large bets on his spiders. “Mahibung gud ang mga mamustaay ato (The other bettors were puzzled),” Marvin said.
Even the “ruedahan” has changed.
Instead of just a small table, the present-day ruedahan features a single small table in the center, with elevated stages surrounding it.
Marvin said the elevated stages were needed to prevent cheating during spider-fights and to keep the viewers from getting too close to the ring.
But what changed most of all was how owners raised and prepared their spiders.
Tigers and ‘marka agta’
Marvin said that the best breeds of spiders are often caught in northern Cebu.
Spider sellers in Cebu like Maria (not her real name) said their best stocks were often caught in Borbon. Gamblers from Luzon and Mindanao would come to Cebu just to buy spiders from Borbon, she said.
With P20,000 as capital, Maria and her son, Arman, go to Borbon each week to get spiders. On their way back home, they would bring buckets of spiders placed in small plastic packs.
Maria said the spiders they sell can go for P5 to P300.
But for competitive gamblers, Maria said, some spiders can go for as much as P2,000.
The best fighters are the ones with attractive colors and
patterns. Maria said that spiders like “Tiger,” “Bisaya,” and “Yellow” or spiders that live in cornfields are considered aggressive breeds. Black spiders, locally known as “marka agta”, are common but least popular among aficionados.
Maria and her son also also sell a liquid energy drink for spiders, which they call “load.” It’s a concoction of energy drink and pulverized vitamins for roosters, but was reportedly introduced to spider-fighting in Cebu in the late 2000s.
The liquid is stored in a syringe and fed to a spider through a needle.
If you give a spider too much, it could suffer an overdose and become too groggy to fight, Arman explained. But administered in the right doses, the “load” can improve a spider’s performance. Arman claims a “loaded” spider will not shy away from pain during a fight.
The web they weave
For a younger generation, spider-fighting is one pastime that’s not likely to go away soon.
Ariel Belleza, a 15-year-old high school student from Barangay Tabunok in Talisay City, said that spider-fighting was a way for him to connect with his friends. As much as he wants to indulge in online games and social media, he doesn’t have the money to enjoy those things.
Instead, Belleza said he often spends some moonlit nights out with friends, catching spiders in grassy areas. He fields these in battles with small bets, competing against friends or other enthusiasts they encounter in the city.
“Kakwarta sad ta gamay. Bisag kanang mga baynti-baynti nga pustahanay, OK na kaayo na para plete ug pambawon nako (I make a little money. By placing P20 bets, I can win enough for fares and allowance),” Belleza added.