Bullfighting

The bull's hooves pound the ground as its teeth grind and horns dash. The Matador (Spanish for
"The Killer"), taunts the raging animal to attack him and to demonstrate its power to the audience.
As the bull charges, ready to pierce the Matador with its horns, the Matador waves a Capote (bright
red cape) in front of the bull to distract it while the Matador lunges from the path of the beast,
inches from the knife-like horns. Once the bull charges again, the Matador does the same action
except this time he stabs a small but damaging spear into the bull's back. After several similar series
of events, the bull eventually runs out of steam and the Matador kills the bull, resulting in a
deafening roar from the crowd. This event may seem gruesome to some people, but around the
world it is celebrated as a historical ritual. Combined with many different aspects ranging from the
history and celebration of the event, to the intensity and skill needed to fight a bull, bullfighting has
become an iconic event throughout Latin America and Europe.

Bullfighting is comprised of several different rituals that vary according to the location and the point
in history the fight takes place. One aspect that all bullfights have in common is that they consist of
six bulls and three Matadors (Usama). The specially bred fighting bulls are at least four years of age
and weigh from 1100 to 1760 lbs (Usama). The majority of bullfights follow a ritual called the
Corrida. The Corrida is separated into three stages, each stage beginning with the sound of a
trumpet ("Bullfighting Ritual"). The first stage is called the Tercio de Varas (third of lances), where
the Matador taunts and observes the bulls behavior and sizes up the opponent to determine how
difficult the fight may be ("Bullfighting Ritual"). Stage two, Tercio de Banderillas (third of the flags),
begins when the Matador plants two sharped barbed sticks into the bull's shoulders, weakening and
infuriating the bull ("Bullfighting Ritual"). Tercio de Muerte (third of death) is the final stage in which
the Matador uses his Capote to make a series of passes where the bull charges at the
Matador ("Bullfighting Ritual"). The Matador has a limit of fifteen minutes to then kill the bull with a
sword by thrusting it into the bull's chest, instantly killing it. Other than specific rituals, there are
many other factors that determine the result of a bullfight. Depending on the performance of the
Matador, the audience will judge his skill and give him a standing ovation or not. The performance of
the Matador can depend greatly on the behavior of the bull. A wild, enraged, and vicious bull creates
more drama and excitement, allowing the Matador to execute key moves and passes during a
fight ("Bullfighting Ritual"). Just like religion is practiced differently throughout the world, different
aspects of bullfighting are celebrated more dominantly than others in different societies.

During the eight centuries of the Spanish War of the Reconquest (711 - 1492 AD), many warriors
including knights, Moors, Jews, and Christians, were reluctant to kill each other (Carrion). To prove
to local subjects who was the bravest warrior, hunting competitions emerged throughout the Iberian
wild-life (Carrion). While the killing of easy prey such as deer and boar became more or less,
unimpressive, knights and other contenders began hunting for the vicious Iberian Bull. Known for its
willingness to fight bravely, the Iberian Bull proved to be an excellent foe, allowing knights and other
warriors to demonstrate pure skill in order to finally defeat the bull and prove their courage to their
subjects (Carrion). As these competitions rose in popularity throughout medieval Spain, people
began to capture these bulls and organize events for knights and warriors to demonstrate their
abilities in front of an audience (Carrion). As the Spanish War of the Reconquest ended, Kings began
to use bullfighting to commemorate important events and to entertain guests (Carrion). As the
French Dynasty arrived in Spain, bullfighting lost  its place as a form of entertainment in the royal
court and was handed down to the plebeians who in turn recognized it not only as a practice, but as
a symbol of the Spanish way of life. Toreos (bullfights), with the rise of professional Matadores, have
since spread to Latin American countries such as Colombia, Ecuador, Mexico and several others
(Carrion).

Although bullfighting has retained its place as a sacred art in Spanish culture, some ideologies
question its status as an "art" and reject its unique celebration of the slow torture and killing of an
animal. Controversy concerning bullfighting dates back to the Spanish War of the Reconquest. An
example of intents to rid the world of bullfighting include Pope Pius V forbidding the fighting of bulls
and of any other beasts in 1567, which was eradicated by Pope Gregory XIII eight years later
(Carrion). Animal rights activists and associations such as the Asociación Defensa Derechos Animal
(Animal Rights Defense Association) have tried to abolish bullfighting from Spanish society since
2006 (Rob). Finally reaching success, the ADDA have persuaded a region in Spain, Catalonia, to
discontinue bullfighting (Rob). As bullfighting seems to slowly diminish in societies it once thrived in,
traditional ideologies and cultures are threatened. The "art" of bullfighting is displayed only when
someone understands the true meaning behind bull fights. Bullfighting is more than just the
execution of the bull, the technique and skill needed to accomplish such a task is incredibly detailed.
Bullfighting is not viewed as a sport in Spanish society because the Matadors do not "win" or "lose"
fights. Satisfaction comes from the grace, intelligence, and cunning from the human that triumphs
over the brutal strength of the bull (N.p). A successful bullfight occurs when the Matador has killed
the bull with exceptional skill and respect to the bull's sacrifice (N.p). This controversy will be an
ongoing factor, determining whether or not a symbolic tradition will be able to stand its ground
against a historical and growing opposing ideology.

Through thick and thin, the bullfighting tradition has made its mark in history of not only Spanish and
Latin American societies, but of every society out there. With various aspects ranging from historical
events to ongoing controversy, all the way to cultural traditions and uniqueness, bullfighting will
forever be a symbol that identifies the true and genuine Spaniard.