Fiesta de San Fermín
The Fiesta de San Fermín is celebrated in Pamplona, Spain. Pamplona is a city in
northern Spain in the province of Navarra in what is sometimes referred to as
the País
Vasco (Basque Country). San Fermín was the first Catholic bishop of Pamplona.
He died
a martyr way back in the 3rd century. It was customary for Spanish towns to
have a patron
saint whose feast day then became a holiday. Often these holidays were
celebrated with
corridas de toros (bullfights). San Fermin’s feast day is celebrated on July 7th in
Pamplona.
According to legend, the encierros (running of the bulls) started years ago when
the toros
(bulls) were herded through the street on the way to the arena for the corrida
de toros.
Young reckless boys would dash out in front of the toros, teasing them until
they
charged. Since 1591, the Spaniards have celebrated the Fiesta de San Fermín
with the
wild, crazy and dangerous custom of the encierros. Spaniards saved from death
and
injury give thanks to their patron saint, San Fermín.
The opening ceremony now begins at noon on July 6th and is called Chupinazo
(a loud
bang or shot referring to the noise from fireworks rockets). The mayor of
Pamplona
usually opens the ceremony with a few words, including “Viva San Fermin!”
(Spanish
for long live Saint Fermín) and “Gora San Fermín!” (Basque language for long
live
Saint Fermín). Then, a fireworks rocket is shot into the sky and at the same
time the
crowds gathered in the Plaza Ayuntamiento (Constitutional Square) open their
bottles of
champagne and spray each other. Others, looking on from the balconies above,
may
throw water on those below. The opening celebration often includes the singing
of an old
folksong called Uno de Enero. This song is sung many times during the festival.
The
encierros (running of the bulls) actually begins the next day, July 7th (the 7th
day of the 7th
month).
Here are the lyrics to the song “Uno de Enero”.
Uno de enero, dos de febrero, tres de marzo, cuatro de abril
Cinco de mayo, seis de junio, siete de julio, San Fermín. (repeat)
A Pamplona hemos de ir
Con una media, con una media
A Pamplona hemos de ir
Con una media y un calcetín.
© 2014 Caroline Marion (updated)
(translation) First of January
First of January, 2nd of February, 3rd of March, 4th of April
Fifth of May, 6th of June, 7th of July, San Fermín.
To Pamplona we must go
With a stocking, with a stocking,
To Pamplona we must go
With a stocking and a sock.
Before running with the bulls, some runners chant a short prayer for safety
before a small
statue of San Fermín.
“A San Fermín pedimos, por ser nuestro patrón, nos guíe en el encierro,
dándonos su
bendición.” (“To San Fermín we ask, as he is our patron saint, that he guide us
in the
running of the bulls, giving us his blessing.”)
At 8:00 in the morning on July 7th, the gate to the corrales (corrals) opens and
a cohete
(fireworks rocket) is fired. Then, a second cohete signals to the crowd that the
six toros
and six oxen are in the street. The barricaded streets are lined with daring
participants,
some dressed in the traditional white shirts and slacks, accented with red
pañuelos
(scarves) and sashes.
Thousands of spectators stand at windows, on balcones (balconies) and behind
the
barricades. People from all over the world come to run with the toros. The
writer, James
Michener, was one of the many foreigners intrigued by the encierros and was
frequently
seen observing the madness from a certain doorway which became known by
some as
Michener’s doorway. He wrote about Spain and the encierros in his book
“Iberia”
(published in 1968). Another famous writer who wrote about the Fiesta de San
Fermín
was Ernest Hemmingway, in his book “The Sun Also Rises”. It was through
Hemmingway’s book, published in 1926, that Pamplona’s Fiesta de San Fermín
first
gained worldwide attention. (There were no YouTube videos back then.)
Most of the runners are young men, but there are some older men who return
year after
year, even though they’ve been previously injured by the toros. Participants
must be 18
years old and sober! Women are now allowed to run but at one time they were
banned
from running with the bulls. However, there aren’t many women that run with
the bulls.
Runners stand at different locations along the route and take off running the
minute the
toros appear. Runners sometimes carry a rolled up newspaper. Then, if a bull
gets
dangerously close, they wrap him on the nose with the paper to distract him for
a second
so they can leap to safety.
10
© 2014 Caroline Marion (updated)
Runners must use caution as they approach a dangerous curve in the bull run
which has
caused many injuries as bulls often fall taking the turn at high speeds. It has
earned
various names like “Hamburger Wall” and “Dead Man’s Corner”.
The run is only about a half mile (.8 kilometers) in distance and ends in a few
minutes
when the toros reach the arena at which time a third cohete is fired to signify
that all the
toros are now in the arena. It is there that the six toros will face the matadores
(bullfighters) later in the day.
Even if one is an excellent runner, this is a very dangerous sport because
runners trip and
fall, causing others to fall. Although this event began in 1591, records of deaths
have only
been kept since the early 1900’s. These records show that 15 people have died
from
injuries. In 2013, over 200 people were injured in the encierros. What draws
people to
risk their lives in this crazy manner? What do you think?
In the afternoon, there are desfiles (parades) featuring bands and gigantes
(giants) made
of paper-maché. The streets are filled with dancers, singers and drinkers
consuming large
quantities of vino (wine) and cerveza (beer).
The corridas de toros taking place later in the day, starting at 6:30 p.m. Each
toro that ran
in the encierros that morning faces a matador. The bullfight starts with the
matador
making a few passes with his cape at the bull. Then, men on horses called
picadores
come into the arena and plunge lances into the bull behind his neck, making it
hard for
the bull to lift its head. Next, come men on foot called banderilleros. They stab
the bull
with darts to weaken it. Finally, the matador takes over, using his cape and
sword to
cause the bull to charge. This dramatic fight ends with the death of the bull.
Note that the popularity of bullfighting as a spectator sport in Spain has
decreased in
recent years. Bullfighting was once the number one spectator sport but soccer
is now
number one. There are many people in Spain and the world who are against
bullfighting
because it is seen as cruelty to animals. In fact, animal rights activists are often
seen
protesting at the Fiesta de San Fermín and other bullfights. Bullfighting
aficionados
(fans/enthusiasts) support bullfighting saying it is part of their Spanish
heritage.
11
© 2014 Caroline Marion (updated
After the corridas de toros, the partying continues late into the night with
fuegos
artificiales (fireworks) and more singing, dancing and drinking. Wild celebrating
crowds
fill the streets of Pamplona. Early the next morning, the bands will roam the
streets and
the weary crowds will get ready for the second day of the encierros. And so it
goes until
midnight on July 14th.
On July 14th at midnight, crowds gather again on the Plaza Ayuntamiento for
the closing
ceremony called Pobre de Mí (Poor Me). The mayor again appears on a balcony
to
announce the end of the fiestas. People sing the folksong Pobre de Mí and light
their
candles.
Pobre de mí, pobre de mí,
Que han acabado las fiestas de San Fermín.
(Poor me, poor me. The San Fermín fiestas have ended.)
Then, people take off their red pañuelos and wave them in the air to signify the
end of the
Fiesta de San Fermín.
San Fermín Questions (student worksheets)
Answer the following questions over the Fiesta de San Fermín reading.
1. In what city do they celebrate the Fiesta de San Fermín? __________________
2. What are the encierros? ____________________________________________
3. What is the date and the time of the opening ceremony for the Fiesta de San
Fermín? ________________________________________________________
4. What is the Basque translation of Viva San Fermín? _____________________
5. What folksong is usually sung at the opening ceremony? __________________
6. How old do you have to be to run with the bulls? ________________________
7. How many bulls run in the streets in the daily run? ______________________
8. What does the 2nd cohete going off signify to the runners?
_______________________________________________________________
9. What are the traditional colors worn by the runners? _____________________
10. Why do runners sometimes carry a rolled up newspaper?
______________________________________________________________
11. Who wrote about the running of the bulls in his book “The Sun
Also Rises”? __________________________________________________