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By Chris Hampson, NBC News' director of international news
LONDON — I was a student of Spanish when I went to watch my first bullfight.
I sat in the Las Ventas bullring in Madrid one hot and sunny evening, and watched this most emblematic of Spanish spectacles unfold before a 25,000-strong crowd.
To my side sat an old man — a true 'aficionado' of the 'noble art' — who had loved it all his life. He had absorbed it into his very bones, and talked passionately to me about every move, every pass of the bull.
His knowledge and passion were extraordinary — even more so because he had lost his sight with old age. He was blind.
His teenage granddaughter had become his 'eyes,' describing what she saw with a passion all of her own. Through them I saw the artistry and breath-taking courage. But the brutality of what was happening was lost to me beneath the cover of the matador's cape.
Fiesta
It was inconceivable then that a region of Spain would vote, as the Catalan parliament has now done, to ban 'la corrida' — the bullfight.
It has long been engrained into their nationally identity, a symbol of their tradition and culture.
Some weeks after that first bullfight, I found myself at another, this time away from the capital. I traveled on a humid and rattling bus to a small town a couple of hours from Madrid, where they were holding a fiesta to celebrate their patron saint.
In the centre of the town, a makeshift bullring closed off the square and roads leading into it.
At the appointed hour, the young bulls were run through dusty streets to the arena, the young men of the town running with them, showing off and trying not to fall victim to their horns or feet.
And there, one by one, the bulls were dispatched by six aspiring bullfighters, hoping to become fully-fledged matadors. Some, for sure, knew what they were doing. But to me it looked less World Series — more Slaughterhouse Works League.
Trail of blood
My most vivid memory is of a matador striving to kill an exhausted young bull. The man was as artless as he was nervous, and made several failed attempts with the sword.
As the crowd jeered and whistled, a stocky gray-haired man climbed over the railings from the public seating, grabbed the sword, and finished the kneeling, panting creature off.
As my friends and I left the square, we walked through the trail of blood to see the carcass lying in the street, its throat cut by a butcher.
It was indeed a spectacle, but it didn't look to me like sport, and I never again went to watch.
Those who love the bullfight — and there are many — say the Catalan vote will not affect the rest of Spain. This was politics as much as a protest against animal cruelty, they say, and they may be right.
But opponents are celebrating what they hope is the beginning of the end for a tradition they don't believe has any place in their image of a modern Spain.
Bullfighting may not be dead, but soon, they hope, it too will be on its knees.
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Back in 1979, I was in tenth grade and my parents, my three brothers and myself flew into Mexico City to celebrate Christmas (or the celebration of the Three Kings).
Off season for the bull fighting didn't mean no bull fighting. We went to the ring. Newbies trying thier hand in the off season aiming to make a name for themselves.
Same as above article. Bloody, amateur, awful.
I grew up on a farm. I have processed (slaughtered) animals... with compassion.
This was awful. Never again.
its about time, the entire spectacle is just stupid on so many levels. go to a soccer game!!!
No sport or art whatsoever. Seen if firsthand. The matadors are cocky and the bull starts the "fight" with two spears already in it's back. Totally inhumane and disgusting. I felt dirty being there.
It is a shame that more of thes "brave" matadors are not maimed or killed by the bulls. It is truly a disgusting spectacle.
I spent a sunny Sunday at Las Ventas in Madrid. Front row, in the shade, Cuban cigar. While there is certainly a bloody aspect to the event, there is something very compelling about the ritual, real danger and historic context. The bull dies trying even though the conclusion is foredrawn. Isn't that what we all, metaphorically, would want for ourselves.
No, it's not what we would all want for ourselves.
There's always something compelling about violence -- bull fighting, dog fighting, war, assault -- violence sells. That doesn't make it a sport to celebrate.
no
Although I have never seen a bullfight, I tend to agree with you in theory. Suffering and death come to us all, and while we may pretend that is not the case, we are only fooling ourselves.
On the other hand, the picture of you kicked back in the shade, watchig an animal die does not support an image of introspection or spiritual reflection.
So let me understand your point. Metaphorically speaking, we all want to be cut down in our youth, tormented and bled to the point of exhaustion, dispatched with a blade through our heart (and be lucky that's it's the first attempt), have body parts cut off as trophies and be dragged through the dirt to the local butcher. Really? This is what we all want? You make me sick. Metaphoically speaking, of course.
Saw my first, and only, bullfight in Barcelona when I was 12. It was horrifying to me. The bulls with their shoulders bleeding, the picadors on horses with pikes to harass and wound the bulls further. My 7 year old brother couldn't stand it and left the ring . . . only to watch the butchers cleave the carcasses "for the poor." Never again. A heartless, barbaric spectacle.
Yes, that is what I was going to compare it to -- dog fighting or cock fighting, boxing, Roman arena fighting. Even slavery. All cruel things must eventually come to an end, or we are less than the animals we train to kill each other.
you are right on the point that needs to be addressed
Taunt and torture the animal until it become too weak to continue from blood loss.......SPORT? NOT!
Went to my only bullfight in 1987. I was in the Canary Islands and took a four day stop in Madrid specifically to attend a bullfight. Knowing I was doing this I read Death in the Afternoon by Ernest Hemingway to prpare myself. I thoroughly enjoyed. I bought a large poster and it is in my bathroom and I am pleasantly reminder of this event every day.
Well glad you enjoyed that cawardly so called sport. its about time it start to come to an end.
Yeah, i totally love seeing an animal mocked and then tortured to death. What a great memory. /sarcasm/
Toros Forever
I would sit and watch while you read your book, tied to the train track while a train ran over you and I don't care for killing, but that would be a pleasant afternoon for me.
I think Matadors should put on a football helmet and spend a day as a tacking dummy in the NFL.
Maybe they would have a new prospective..
Well if they had stopped at what the sport is actually called - "bull fighting", then it would have been more fun to watch and to accept, but this is "bull killing" in front of thousands. Let the matadors go find jobs in the slaughterhouse instead...
Horrifying, disgusting, and just plain wrong. Ethnocentric or not, this is inhumane and should be outlawed.
I say make it a REAL fight! Bull and human. No lance, sword or anything artificial to jab into the bull. Only what God gave to each. Then it would be fight.
Well you know those tight pants wearing dudes wouldnt do it! why?.. maybe fiar that they will get a bull horn up their behind in a fair and square fight.
Its not just a sport one needs to look much deeper into the event realize and feel the tragedy and heartache
I too have attended one, and only one bullfight in my life. It was in Barcelona and I was looking forward to it. I did not see what I expected to see. The bull had lost before he ever entered the ring. Between the picadors and the toreodors(?), the bull was dying befiore the matador even walked out to a standing ovation. I had expected to see one man against one bull. That is not the case. There were at least ten men "softening" the bull up, so to speak. The bull had at least ten spears in him before the matador appeared. If it were one man against one bull, it might be a fair fight. But then, we wouldn't have near as many celebrated matadors in the sport.
I went to one when I was much younger. It is a barbaric sport (if you want to call it a sport) it is more reminiscent of the Gladiator games held during the Roman Empire. I have never understood why this ever held sway with so many people.
BRAVO!! To the Catalan Parliament for outlawing this totally inhumane and disgusting "sport". I am married to a Spaniard, have been to Spain many times, but by all means would NEVER attend to the killing of a defenseless animal. I hope that more regions of Spain ban this practice and maybe that will further set in motion for other Spanish-speaking countries to do so as well.
I am also married to a Spaniard. A Catalonian in fact. A couple of facts are being ignored in this discussion though. Such as cultural differences being the reason many can not fathom the love of this sport by most Spaniards. Catalans have long discussed banning bull fighting. In recent years only Barcelona was the only place in Catalonia that held bull fights, and those for the benifit of tourists.
Having traveled extensively through Spain, including having run with the bulls in Pamplona, I can factually tell all on this discussion board, that Catalonia is the only province where it will be banned.
What truly amazes me is how so many people who know little or nothing about bull fighting comment on it. Have any of you been to a Portuguese bullfight? Now there's a site to upset most Americans, yet I seldom hear anyone here comment on that style. For those who don't know, this style includes being on horseback. The horse nearly always dies from its wounds.
I suggest one runs with the bulls at either of the two runnings where the best of the best (bulls) are. Pamplona or Cordoba. Then, having actual knowledge as to the strength, beauty, and true desire to harm humans that these creatures have had bred into them, that would be the time to form a truly informed opinion.
Sounds like a lot of BULL to me.
I only hope that each time the bull does worse to the (humans - I don't think so) that they do to it. Kill em, bulls!
This practice started out as a proper sacrifice to the gods back in the Age of Taurus 4 or 6 thousand years ago. I find it amazing that they got stuck there and continued the practice when there was no need. What is done today isn't bullfighting- nothing of the sort. It is purely the tormenting of an animal before slaughtering it- and all very slowly. I've never been to one. I wouldn't give anyone who does this a penny of my money. I have seen it on TV and on the internet though, so I'm not exactly ignorant.
Although the death of the bull is a foregone conclusion I always have been on the creature's side and I cheer the bull whenever I hear that one of them has gored it's tormentor. For the life of me, I don't understand how anyone views this activity as sporting or even manly. When I look at it I see cowardly abuse of a helpless animal even though the animal is huge. It is about time that they rid themselves of this practice.
I took my wife, sister-in-law and my two year old son to the "Bull Ring by the Sea" in Mexico in 1972 to watch a bull fight. It was definately interesting, a bit bloody and very one sided event. Some of the bulls got in a hook or a jab on the Picadors's and a few horses got hit hard but they have padded blankets to protect them. We enjoyed this, we would go again. People, it all in your perspective, I personnally think whacking a monkey in the head that is stuck up thru a table top so you can eat his brains is pathetic behavior. To each his own.
There have always been people who have seen the truth, & others stuck in backwardness & ignorance. There were people who opposed slavery, bear baiting, public torture & the rest, & those who simply didn't get it. In the end, we progress, inch by inch. Now there are people who defend the slow maiming to death of a wholly undefended creature as 'art'. Pretentious c##p. Indulging such a spectacle is mere sadism & blood lust, & let's not try to dress it up as anything else. In 100, perhaps 50, years, no-one will even understand, let alone try to justify, the attempt to make barbarism into 'art'. Anyone who believes they have 'enjoyed' such a spectacle (let alone encouraged their children to do so) need to take a long hard look at themselves & their sickening instinct for cruelty.
you have that right June Courage it is cruelty, and people who see this differently are ignorant to the word of GOD,and cause others to except sick acts of abuse to animals
Tradition:
Just because you've always done it this way doesn't mean it's not stupid.
My Wife and I went to a Bullfight recently (June 6) in Barcelona at El Monumental. We both knew what to expect and had watched a Bullfight from Madrid on T.V the night before. We thought it was very artistic and the music was a big part of the event also. Out of the 3 Matadors, only 1 was very good but the other 2 werent bad. I dont think We would ever go to another, but it was a cultural experience and I think it is hilarious that the media wants you to think that only tourists go to this. The night We were there, it was about 80% locals and 20% tourists. All of the locals had the good seats and were yelling and really getting into it. The tourists all had the cheap seats and were just sitting there watching because they didnt know what was going to happen next. One of the Matadors did slip and almost bought the farm. I know its not a fair fight, but these are some very aggresive and large bulls, I was very suprised how nasty they were.
Of course they were aggressive and nasty...before the fight they are impaled with swords...they are in pain and are trying to protect themselves against the humans (I'm sure we all look the same to them) who are causing the pain.
True that most people don't have the stomach to see or accept Spanish style bullfighting. I'm not a big fan either. Much more interesting and less brutal (the bull is not killed in the arena but still ends up steak later that evening) is the Portuguese style of bullfighting. The Cavaleiro fights the bull sitting atop an unprotected beautiful Andalusian horse and then there are the Forcados at the end, that's always a blast. This new sport that's become so popular lately, what do they call it, MMA or UFC, much less brutal, right! Come on folks, If you are not from one of these countries with centuries old history and traditions you'll never get it. But I'm sure some of you are okay with watching an MMA or UFC event while eating your medium rare steak.
Lusitano horses. Portugal uses Lusitanos. Andalusians are Spanish. They once shared the same stud book but haven't for years. Dislike of each other and disagreement on introducing other breeds to the bloodlines; .such as Arabian was bred into the Andalusion
I lived in Spain for a few years in the 1970s-80s. I was as disgusted by this sport as anyone else can be. I was almost persuded bullfighting had merit as a sport when I happened upon a book about El Cordobes (I hope this is how it was spelled). I was also informed that the "Brave Bull" is a special breed of animal that would have been extinct many years ago (as it is fairly useless except as a fighting animal) if it were not for the Bull Fight. After all, sometimes the bull "wins and is granted its life, if it fights well enough". I have never gone to a live bull fight, either the one that is fought on horse back or the one that is fought on foot. I can see the grace and bravery but I am appalled by the cruelty. I don't think this is a sport anymore then foxhunting is sporting. I would like to see both banned but I am not hopeful.
"The greatness of a nation and it's moral progress can be judged by the way its animals are treated"
-Mahatma Gandhi