Bullfighting

INTRODUCTION

Bullfighting, a spectacle as old as time itself, is a controversial tradition that pits a brave matador against a powerful bull in a ritualized dance of skill and danger. Originating in Spain, this spectacle has spread to other countries like Portugal, France, and parts of Latin America.

At the heart of bullfighting is the matador, a skilled performer who uses a cape to guide the bull through a series of passes, showcasing their bravery and control. The bull, bred specifically for fighting, is a formidable opponent, known for its strength and aggression.

The bullfight is divided into three phases. First, the bull enters the ring, and picadors on horseback use lances to weaken it. Next, banderilleros place colorful sticks with barbs into the bull's shoulders. Finally, in the climactic moment, the matador attempts to kill the bull with a single, precise sword thrust.

For some, bullfighting is a beautiful and artistic spectacle, a testament to human courage and the power of tradition. But for others, it is a cruel and inhumane practice that causes unnecessary suffering to the animals involved. Animal rights activists have long campaigned to ban bullfighting, and their efforts have been successful in some regions.

In Portugal, however, a different approach to bullfighting has taken hold. There, the bulls are not killed in the ring, but are instead led out and slaughtered later. This practice, while still controversial, is seen as a more humane alternative to the traditional Spanish style.

HISTORY

A form of bullfighting was practiced on Crete as long as 6,000 years ago.

Early Spaniards realized around 300 BC wild bulls could be incited to charge people. This was used for military purposes against the invading armies from Carthage.

Successive rulers of other nations tried in vain to ban the sport because of the danger. Spain and Portugal eventually became the center of bullfighting.  

In 1914, Juan Belmonte revolutionized bullfighting with his daring capework, practiced extremely close to the bull. Most other bullfighters soon began to copy Belmonte's dangerous but exciting style.

Pablo Picasso, like many Spaniards, was captivated by the Bullfight. The artist liked to attend bullfights at Nimes and the sport, was often featured in his art.

The Canary Islands was the first Spanish autonomous community to ban bullfighting, in 1991, while the Catalonia region did so in 2012.

FUN BULLFIGHTING FACTS

An excellent book about bullfighting is Ernest Hemingway's Death in the Afternoon.

Every bullring in Spain has a monument to Alexander Fleming whose discovery of penicillin is saving countless toreadors from dying of gangrene after being gored by bulls.

Traditionally in a bulfight, three matadors alternately face and kill six bulls over roughly two-and-a-half hours

The red capes used to taunt bulls in bullfights are the same shade of red as the bull's blood. That way the spectator can't tell it is covered with the bull's blood by the end of the fight. 

The matador uses their cape to manoeuvre the bull into position before stabbing it between the shoulder blades and through the heart with a sword.

The bulls used for Spanish bullfighting can fight only once; after a bull has fought, it retains the memories and its behavior changes.

Sources Daily Mail, Compton's Interactive Encyclopedia © 1998 The Learning Company, Inc.