Guide to Barcelona

Bullfighting in Catalunya

Donnerstag, den 16. September 2010 um 10:56 Uhr

Barcelona Information

Bullfighting  is a traditional spectacle of Spain, Portugal, southern France and several Latin American countries, in which one or more bulls are ritually killed in a bullring  as a public spectacle. It is often called a blood sport by its detractors but followers of the spectacle regard it as a fine art and not a sport as there are no elements of competition in the proceedings. In Portugal it is illegal to kill a bull in the arena, so it is removed and slaughtered in the pens as fighting bulls can only be used once. A nonlethal variant stemming from Portuguese influence is also practiced on the Tanzanian island of Pemba.

Many supporters of bullfighting regard it as a deeply ingrained, integral part of their national cultures. The aesthetic of bullfighting is based on the interaction of the man and the bull. Rather than a competitive sport, the bullfight is more of a ritual which is judged by aficionados (bullfighting fans) based on artistic impression and command. Ernest Hemingway said of it in his 1932 non-fiction book Death in the Afternoon: "Bullfighting is the only art in which the artist is in danger of death and in which the degree of brilliance in the performance is left to the fighter's honour." Bullfighting is seen as a symbol of Spanish culture.
The bullfight is above all about the demonstration of style, technique and courage by its participants. While there is usually no doubt about the outcome, the bull is not viewed as a sacrificial victim—it is instead seen by the audience as a worthy adversary, deserving of respect in its own right.

Despite this, animal rights campaigners celebrate as Spain's most emblematic sport is banned by Catalan parliament starting in 2012.
Demonstrators gathered outside the Catalan parliament in Barcelona before legislators voted to outlaw the sport in one of Spain's most famous semi-autonomous regions.

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