The Water Buffalo Head

Weeks after the zhuiniu ends, the skull of the water buffalo is hung on the exterior of the family's house. It is a sign of honor and prestige on display for the community to see.

**Funding:** All badai were paid by the Xiangxi Tujia-Miao Autonomous Prefecture of Hunan Province in association with the Ethnography and Anthropology Department at Jishou University, Luo Kanglong, chair. My expenses while in China were covered by Jishou University where I was a visiting professor in Ethnography and Anthropology. My salary was covered by my employer, the University of Texas at Dallas and the Center for Asian Studies, Dennis Kratz, director.

**Institutional Review Board Statement:** Ethical review and approval were waived for this study. Jishou University determined the ethnographic research was exempt and posed a minimal risk to the participants and required no regulatory involvement. The author took every precaution with the participants to assure communication of information, comprehension of information, and voluntary participation.

**Informed Consent Statement:** All participants were fully informed and agreed to the objectives of the research project and gave either oral (for those illiterate) or written informed consent for interviews, photographs, and video documentation. All project documentation is held by the Xiangxi Tujia-Miao Autonomous Prefecture of Hunan Province Cultural Ministry, Jishou, China. Ma Mei, director.

**Data Availability Statement:** All interviews, photographs, and video documentation are available through the Xiangxi Tujia-Miao Autonomous Prefecture of Hunan Province Cultural Ministry, Jishou, China. Ma Mei, director.

**Conflicts of Interest:** The author declares no conflict of interest.
