Los Toros

I only have two full days left in Sevilla, and as usual, I'm way behind on my blogging. But even though I'm a couple of weeks late, I have to give you the 411 on "Los Toros."

Bullfighting has been a part of the culture of Spain for many many years. When most people think of Spain, they immediately think of the gigantic bulls and glittery costumes associated with the bullfights.

We had the opportunity to attend one of these bullfights, and even though I found it difficult to watch the matadors kill the bulls, I'm glad I was able to experience a taste of the culture of Sevilla.

Dr. Douglas Inglis, the director of the TTU Center in Sevilla, gave us a little bit of information about Los Toros before we attended the fight, so hopefully my explanation and my pictures will help describe my experience.

I have to start with the two main rules of the bullfights (according to Dr. Inglis, of course).
Rule number 1: Whistling=bad,
Rule number 2: Clapping/waving a white handkerchief = good.
(This came as a surprise to us Americans who are accustomed to whistling when we approve of something).

The fights begin with the "aguaciles," or marshals, who begin by entering the ring and asking the president for permission to hold the bullfight. Of course, the president says yes.

I really enjoyed the ceremonial aspect of this part of the bullfights.



You will notice the bullfighters wear a beautiful outfit called la "Traje de luces" which literally means, "Suit of lights." My pictures aren't great, but seeing the different suits was definitely my favorite part.



The pink and turquoise was my favorite. : )



As most everyone knows, the bullfights begin when they release the bull from tunnel. The bull, a little disoriented after spending several days in the dark, usually walks around a while before he realizes he is not alone in the ring. (Most of the bulls usually weigh between 1200-1400 pounds). These bulls are bread for bullfights and until the day they enter the ring, they never see a two-legged animal. Thus, when the bull sees a human for the first time, he feels threatened.



There are three matadores and six bulls per fight. Each matador kills two bulls. The picadores (men on horseback) and the sequitos (men with yellow/pink capes) injure the bull before the matador enters the ring. The primary goal of the picadores and the sequitos is to weaken the neck of the bull, so he is not able to hold his head up when the matador enters.

This picador knelt directly in front of the gate where the bull was released. Brave or stupid? You decide.



Here are some more pictures of this part of the fights.









Every bull that enters the ring will be killed, unless the president pardons the bull. Very seldom does this happen, but should a bull be pardoned, he must have shown exceptional bravery and stamina during the fight. The only reason the president will pardon the bull is because he/she believes the bull will be good for breeding other brave bulls.

During the fight we attended, one of the bulls broke his horn on the wall. The president ordered that the bull be dismissed from the fight, so several cows were released into the ring, and the bull was killed immediately upon entering the tunnel.



The artful display of the matador's fight with the bull is truly spellbinding. The matador must study the steps of the bull, so he knows which way to rotate. He must learn whether the bull steps with his right foot or left foot first. I especially enjoyed watching the matador wave his muleta (red cape). He must keep the cape very close to the body, yet turn in a small enough radius to avoid being injured by the bull. This is the key of bullfighting: a man can easily turn inside his radius, a bull cannot. The matador continues turning and enticing the bull until the bull's head is low enough for the matador to pierce the heart with his sword. It is considered a good kill if the bull dies within a short amount of time after being stabbed.

Here are a couple of pictures of the skillful matadors.





Matadors who perform exceptionally well are given an ear from the bull after the fight. I didn't have the opportunity to see this (thankfully), but it's an interesting tradition.



As I said before, I found it very difficult to watch the bullfights. Even though we weren't allowed to cheer for the bull, I secretly wanted him to win...but doesn't everyone root for the underdog?

Until next time! Ciao!