Bullfighting
is certainly one of the best known, Spanish popular
customs. This Fiesta could not exist without the Toro
Bravo, a species of bull that is only conserved in
Spain. The Greek island Crete is quite well-known for
them. In the religious ceremonies of Iberian tribes
living in Spain in prehistoric times bulls played an
important part. The origins of the Plaza, bullring,
probably are not the Roman amphitheaters but the
Celt-Iberian temples where those ceremonies were held.
While the religious cults to the bull goes back to
Iberians, it were the Greek and Roman influences that
converted it into a spectacle. During the middle-ages it
was a diversion for the aristocracy to torear on horse's
back. That was called suerte de cañas. In 18th century
this tradition was more or less abandoned and the poorer
population invented the bullfight by foot. Francisco
Romero was a key-figure in laying the rules for that new
sport. For its fans La Corrida is of course rather an
art than a sport, not to speak about the challenge of
the man fighting against the beast. It is an tradition
that has survived in this country, just as the Toro
Bravo has done.
LA CORRIDA
(The Bullfight)
A
Corrida starts with the paseillo, with
everybody involved in the bullfight entering the ring
and presenting himself to the public. Two
Alguacilillos, on horse's back, direct
themselves to the presidency and symbolically ask for
the keys to the "puerta de los toriles". Behind that
door there are the bulls. With the door being opened and
the first bull entering the ring the spectacle starts.
It consists of three parts, called tercios, being
separated by horn signals. There are three toreros
(Matadors) in each Corrida, by the way, and each will
have to torear (To Taunt) two bulls.
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In the
first tercio the bullfighter uses the capote (cape),
a quite large rag of purple and yellow color. Now
enter two picadores, on horse's back and armed with
a sort of lance.
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The
second part is la suerte de banderillas. Three
banderilleros have to stick a pair of banderillas
into the attacking bull's back.
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In the
final "suerte suprema" the bullfighter uses the
muleta, a small red rag. He has to show his faena,
his masterity to dominate the bull, and to establish
an artistical symbiosis between man and beast.
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The
Corrida ends with the torero killing the bull by his
sword.