Wednesday, January 19, 2005

January 19, 2005 – Toro!

Author: Scott

Today leaves me with a slew of mixed emotions. I knew before embarking on this voyage that we would encounter cultural differences that would challenge my belief systems that have largely developed from my experiences living in San Francisco. Though I like to believe that I judge each new experience with clear objectivity, it is also safe to say that over time I have drifted to a fairly liberal viewpoint. So, today’s experience was quite a step away from my comfort zone.

A few weeks back as Abe, Amy, Pam and I rode in a PV taxi past the Plaza de Toros (bullfight ring) a discussion on the ethics of bullfighting ensued. Before any of us could climb up on our soapbox and pontificate endlessly on the cruelty of bullfighting, Abe was quick to point out the history and tradition of bullfighting in Spain and Mexico. We all held our tongues as Abe explained to us a little about the sport and his experiences attending bullfights as a child living in Mexico City. I decided that before I could condemn any aspect of a foreign culture I should experience things firsthand, and so it was decided that Abe and I would take in a bullfight.

First, bullfighting is not an inexpensive spectators sport. Abe and I each had to plunk down 300 pesos (about $30). The bullring itself was smaller than I had imagined with searing for about one thousand surrounding an outer fence that separates the crowd from the inner ring. There were venders selling everything from beer to cotton candy. We found our seats and as we settling in an American woman who looked as if she would be comfortable at a monster truck show or any WWF match told us that we were in the “blood and guts section”. With excitement in her voice she also let us k now that she had waited years to come to the bullfights. We looked around and we were surprised to see that the crowed consisted almost completely of Americans and Canadians. We arrived a few minutes late and the first bullfight was already underway. Abe told me that the fight was in the second phase. There are four phases to a bullfight. In phase one the bull emerges into the ring and the Matador and his helpers use red capes to provoke the bull to charge and display the spirit of the bull. We could feel the stands shutter beneath us as the bulls waited to enter the ring. In phase two, riders on horseback come into the ring and prod the back of the bull with spears to weaken the bull for the final face off. In phase three the Matador or his helpers pierce the back of the bull with banderillas (sticks with a sharp metal point) to further tire and weaken the bull. Finally in phase four the Matador faces the bull one-on-one. During the final phase the Matador lures the bull for a number of close passes that displays the Matador’s bravery to the crowd. After these passes the Matador brandishes his sword from behind his cape and ideally delivers a well placed killing blow. On rare occasions the bull is quicker than the Matador and emerges victorious, and even more rarely the bull will be spared because it displays an uncommon degree of ferocious will.

As Abe and I sat though four bullfights the crowd became more animated probably correlating with the more cervezas consumed. The Matadors skill level varied greatly. Only one of the four Matadors displayed what I considered to be skill and bravery, while the least skilled Matador was so untrained that I was greatly bothered with the excruciatingly slow and clumsy final kill.

After witnessing the bullfights and having some time to reflect on our experience I have come to some conclusions. First, I can appreciate the tradition and bravery of trained Matadors. Our experience gave us a glimmer of the valor and ceremony we may have witnessed in Mexico City or Spain, but my impression of the bullfights presented to us in Puerto Vallarta was that of a cheapened second rate tourist trap profiting off the curiosity and zest for violence and blood that is too often present in us all. I further think that the history of bullfighting should be preserved in museums and that this is a tradition that’s time should come to an end. I am thankful that I had Abe with me to educate me, I am sure that my experience was much more complete than the others in the audience around me.

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