Wednesday 26 June 2013

The History Of Bullfighting In Spain

By Myrtle Cash


On a worldwide basis, Spain is associated with bullfighting. The history of bullfighting in Spain is based on the cultural grounds. Other countries that practice activity include Peru, Colombia and Mexico. The activity is so famous in the country in such a way that it attracts many painters and writers case in point the Lorca. In addition, this practice has formed an integral part of the Spanish culture. It features a great deal in the newspapers. Other people consider it to be a way of life while others consider it to be a sport.

Even though it is the most known culture in Spain because of its early establishment, it has been facing lots of criticism. Were it not for the existence of toro bravo the culture could not be as strong as it is now. These species of bulls dates back to the ancient races found in Spain.

These bulls also played a great part in religious ceremonials of Iberian tribes. These were tribes that existed during the prehistoric times. It is from these tribes that some features in the custom such as bullrings emerged.

As much as most of the people in Spain love bullfighting, there are protests from within the country and also from other parts of the world. Animals rights activists have come to the rescue of the animals. They protest against the inhumane nature of the participants. These activists state that this sport involves lots of blood shed due to the violent nature of the sport. Despite this, the fans encourage these activists to take the event as their own culture.

Some cards played during the ancient periods made the culture stronger. For instance, dictatorship made the event famous. This is because the dictatorial government considered bullfighting as a legal Spanish event. Francos dictatorial rule ensured strong existence of the art hence its fame. However, when Spain started to practice democracy, the culture began to weaken. The social government was against the custom of bullfighting. It even went ahead to discourage young children from attending such functions.

The practice as done in the recent years involves three matadors. These matadors fight two strong bulls of four years old or more. In addition, they were weighing 460 kilograms and 600 kilograms. During the eighteenth century, the Spanish started to fight bulls on foot. Men began to use capes to help the horsemen in positioning these bulls.

This activity was considered to be for the low leveled people in the pyramid of life where the ruling and educated considered this custom to be barbaric. The attempts to ban the culture never actuated. This was because the supporters of the game regarded it to be deeply ingrained. The beauty of the custom is the way the bull interacts with the man in charge. The main ideology behind the existence of the culture for long is about the demonstration of style, bravery and skills.

The history of bullfighting in Spain is associated with intelligent and strong bulls. Some of the activities that were taking place in the arena were appealing to the fans. If the matador had an exemplary performance, he or she would be given a standing ovation. This involves the throwing of hats into the arena.




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