Controversy over Bullfighting in Spain
Linexpat,
November 2007
Although its author is not indifferent to bullfighting, this article tries to be neutral
For or against, one thing is sure; the subject of bulls in Spain leaves noone disinterested.
The bull is one of the most important symbols of the country. One even sees big hoardings of
Osborne's bull on Spanish roads. However, although the bull as a symbol of Spain is not a topic of
controversy, the festivals involving this animal most certainly are. Among them, the well-known
bullfights and the encierros (running through the streets) stand out.
What is a Bullfight ?
It is the most famous Spanish festival, and the oldest one in the world.
There are two kinds of bullfights: one where the matador rides a horse (which has no more commercial
value), and one where the matador walks.
Before entering the bullring, the bull spends 24 hours in the dark, so that when it goes out to the bullring,
it is puzzled by the light and the spectators' shouts. It is also administered various products to weaken it,
and when it goes into the bullring, it has fat put in its eyes to make sight difficult. Despite all this, if the
matador believes that the bull is still too strong, he can order the picador (who is behind the fences) to drive
a lance in the back of the animal, so that it bleeds, and is consequently weaker. The matador drives in
banderillas (thorns with small flags) and finally a sword, 80 cm long until the bull dies. It is at that moment
that the matador cuts off the ears and the tail of the animal.
What is an Encierro (Running through the streets) ?_ It is a Spanish tradition in which people run
ahead of a herd of bulls (or sometimes cows) through the streets of a town or village. The race generally
ends in the bullring. People have to run as near to the bulls as possible, avoiding falling or touching
them. During these festivals, professional runners take part in the race, but also tourists and people who
are not used to it, and who generally fall and create traffic jams, which can be very dangerous. It is
sometimes even fatal for a few of them. The spectators are behind fences watching the people and
animals run. The bulls sometimes runs towards them too and cause accidents, sometimes extremely
serious.
The most famous Running in Spain are :
the Sanfermines (Pamplona - Navarra, from July, 7th to 14th)
the Running of Sebastián de los Reyes (Madrid - August, 28th)
the Running of Cuellar (Segovia)
How is the Matador viewed in Spain?
The bullfighter is generally a celebrity, very famous, respected and admired by a lot of people. They tend
to be a regular topic of conversation on many TV gossip programmes for both their achievements and
misfortunes in their professional and/or personal lives. Most of them are also known by a nickname, kindly
chosen by their fans. For example, Jesulin de Ubrique, Francisco Rivera is nicknamed “Paquirri”, whilst
Francisco Rivera Ordoñez, Manuel Laureano Rodríguez Sánchez is nicknamed “Manolete”, among others.
When the matador is wounded in bullfighting, it is grounds for news on the television and in the press, and
many people follow the health of the injured bullfighter.
Detractors and Supporters
Two groups of anti-bullfighting people stand out: those who are only against bullfights (where the bull
normally dies in the end), and those who are against all festivals involving bulls.
Although there is a slight decrease in the number of followers (55 % in the 70s, 31 % in 2002), bullfights
and other festivals involving bulls are still a reason for gatherings and enjoyment for a lot of people, above
all in the South of the country, where 37 % of the population declare themselves openly as followers of
bullfighting.
Some people consider bullfighting a cultural expression and art of the country. Others (not only
ecological groups but also people who are in favour of animal rights), see bullfighting as an injustice and a
useless torture, which only enhances a human being's most primitive instincts; and that in the 21st
century.
Anti-bullfighting demonstrations
Whilst taking a walk in the streets of any town, it is not unusual to see stands with leaflets about
bullfighting and petitions to make these festivals illegal.
North, South, East and West, anti-bullfighting demonstrations follow one another across all Spanish
territory. In Barcelona, after the demonstration on 26th June 2007 called by PACMA, where more than
4000 people gathered (the biggest anti-bullfighting demonstration in history), people against bullfighting
took advantage of the city holiday to organise another demonstration on September 23rd in front of the
Monumental bullring, the current venue for bullfights.
Various artists and famous Spanish people openly argue against bullfights. Lucia Etxebarria (www.luciaetxebarria.com), journalist and writer, winner of the Planeta Prize
(http://es.wikipedia.org/wiki/Premio_Planeta) in 2004, is one of them. She considers bullfighting the
“science of the torture”.
What does the Government think of Bullfighting?
Even though there is an anti-bullfighting party (PACMA, whose head office is paradoxically situated in Bilbao
(Basque Country), one of the cities where most inhabitants are in favor of bullfighting, the Government,
whether right or left wing, mainly supports bullfighting. Many politicians think it is a cultural fact and that
it holds public interest.
What is more, the Spanish Government also finances it. Indeed, it assigns through its administrations more
than 500 millions euros each year in the form of subsidies (without taking into account the other
incentives given to cattle farmers). This amount represents more than 45 euros per inhabitant per year.
This year, for example, Andalusia (Southern Spanish region) has assigned 2,5 millions euros for
marketing around bullfighting festivals.
Other Spanish Festivals which use Animals
In Spain, there are many festivals where animals are involved. These animals are not only bulls (even if
they are 95 % of the ill-treated animals in folk festivals), but also cows, horses (many of the horses which
take part in the bullfights are injured or die, other festivals simply making them cross bonfires), goats and
turkeys (thrown from belfries), roosters (fights), ants (sprayed with vinegar,...), all of which add up to
the sacrifice and/or ill-treatment of about 60.000 animals each year.
Among these festivals is the festival of “let out the ducks” in Sagunto (Valencia), in which ducks are
thrown and people have to catch them however they can, even if they die. On October 5th, the Justice
High Court repealed the administrative resolution which authorised the celebration of this festival in 2005.
Public opinion is divided.
The Bull of la Vega is another festival, which has been celebrated at the beginning of September in
Vallisoletana de Tordesillas since the 15th century. People riding horses with spears chase a bull until
they kill it (until recently, the person who managed to kill it had the “honour” of cutting off the testicles).
The Fire Bulls are very typical of the regions of Valencia and Soria: in Medinaceli (Soria); the festival of
the exultated bull has been celebrated since the 16th century. A bull with horns enveloped in flammable
material is released through the streets of the town.
San Juan's Bull: festival which has been celebrated since the 16th century, and declared “of tourist
interest”, happens in Coria (Cáceres) between June 23rd and 28th: a bull is released in the walled streets of
the town, where it becomes the target to which all the participants have to throw soplillos (thick pins). In
the end, it is fired.
The following festivals have only recently been prohibited:
To throw the goat from the belfry, in Manganesos de la Polvorosa (Zamora) - now, they throw a goat
made of cardboard.
The roosters of Guarrate (in Zamora): men riding horses cut up roosters with a sword.
The turkey of Cazalilla (Jaén): a turkey was thrown from the belfry of the church of the village.
We must not forget the festivals still celebrated illegally, be they illegal bullfights or fighting cocks.
Greyhounds are another example of animal ill-treatment which exists in Spain. Thanks to their speed,
hunters buy these dogs for the hunting season, then get rid of them by hanging them when the season
finishes. Many of these dogs were found hanged on the branches of trees in the woods of Toledo, but this
killing happens across the whole country.
"Controversy about Bullfighting in Spain." Benvenute. Web. 20 Apr. 2010.
<http://www.expatclic.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=2049:controversy-about-bullfighting-inspain&catid=56:world-culture>.