It is probably safe to say that most people who did not grow up, going to bullfights and accepting them as the norm, may think of them as barbaric. Within a certain aesthetic, they would be correct. However, to understand why Spaniards and others of Mediterranean descent think of Bullfighting as an art, one has to understand the principles behind the seemingly violent display.
Simply put, bullfighting is an act of man v. beast. The bull is larger, stronger, and has horns. Those horns have the potential to do serious damage, and only the most young and the most agile of bullfighters can get out of their way. Many a bullfighter has had his stomach torn open, an eye taken out, or been gored in the leg or arm. Some of the injuries cause the bullfighter to face long periods of recuperation, or to leave bullfighting altogether. The average amount of time for this particular career is only about six years.
The thrill of bullfighting is the uncertainty of the outcome. It is a way for the bullfighter to prove his manhood, and to look Death in the face. A bullfight is like staring down danger itself. If a bull is extremely valiant, sometimes his life is spared and he lives his remaining years on a farm, in peace. However, the usual outcome is that the bull is weakened by placement of bandillas by the matador, and then is killed with a sword. The body of the bull is pulled out of the bull ring by a team of horses, and the meat is sold. In times past, meat was often given to the poor. At any rate, it is not “wasted.”
In Spain, for a number of years, there have been protesters who shout and carry signs that say: “Bullfighting is neither art nor culture.” “La corrida no es arte ni cultura.” The animal rights activists have been very clear about their position.
In this century, the “sport” or “local entertainment,” depending on how ones looks at bullfighting, is as popular as ever. Bullfighters travel all over Spain and fight 100-110 bullfights per year. The verdict is not in as to whether the practice will continue. Part of the draw is the pageantry involved from the matador’s commanding presence, his outfit, the colorful cape he carries, and the music that is played. It is a time of great celebration, and a time of joy when the bullfighter survives unscathed. Alternately, much anguish is experienced when he is hurt.
Some people can call Bullfights barbaric but the matador and the bull are both trained for their time together in the ring. A slight misjudgment can turn the tide for either of them, and that is what keeps the audiences coming back and cheering. I’ve seen only one bullfight and that was in Calahorra, Spain, not far from where I studied in Pamplona. It was fought in the “Portuguese style.”
Patricia Cummings
