Animal blood sports have a foundation in the culture and history of several countries. Supporters of this form of entertainment, often designated as an art, promote cultural roots as the right to inherit and continue tradition. Opponents of blood sports strongly disagree and allege that these so-called sports are sheer animal cruelty, erroneously masked as culture. Animal blood sports such as bullfighting, are facing increasing criticism.
Bullfighting – A Brief History
Bullfighting is an ancient blood sport still popular in certain countries. Sacrificing a bull for religious ceremonies dates back to prehistoric Spain and the Iberian tribes who dwelt there. Greek and Roman influences transformed the religious ceremony into a spectator sport, while the Moors are credited with creating the style known as rejoneando, the mounted form of bullfighting that quickly developed into a passionate pastime for Spanish nobility.
In Nov. 1567, Pope Pius V banned bullfighting for 8-years. Two-hundred years later, Philip V threatened nobles with excommunication for bullfighting and the sport fell to the lower classes. Bullfighting on foot became wildly popular and in 1726, Francisco Romero, seen as the earliest of the famous matadors, created the muleta, the bullfighter's red cape. His son Juan, is credited with developing the team concept of bullfighting known as cuadrilla and the sword (estoque), used in today's arena.
Bullfighting Culture Today
Humane Society International reports that modern bullfighting exists in nine countries including, Spain, France, Portugal, Colombia, Venezuela, Peru, and Ecuador. Spain exceeds Mexico in the number of bullfights per year, but Mexico boasts the largest bullring in the world, the Plaza Mexico in Mexico City, capable of seating around 60,000 spectators. The World Society for the Protection of Animals (WSPA), estimates that 250,000 bulls are killed for entertainment every year.
The USA is not exempt. Bullfighting does exist in the USA, but is alleged to be bloodless. In July of 2009, Msnbc.com hosted a report about an animal welfare officer who dashed into a Thornton, CA bullring after suspecting that the velcro tip of a banderilla contained a hidden barb. The claim could not be substantiated because the banderillas in question, disappeared before they could be inspected.
Portugal is another country to claim bloodless bullfighting, which is only partially true, sometimes the bull is slaughtered by a butcher behind the scenes, out of sight of public view. France's bullfighting is not entirely bloodless either, despite a 1976 act outlawing animal mistreatment. Nîmes in Languedoc-Roussillon, is exempt and kills it's bulls in the same fashion as Spain and Mexico.
Criticism for bullfighting is not new, there have been and always will be, vocal opponents to this tradition, and while protests largely originated on an international level, domestic opposition is gaining in strength.
Bullfighting is now Being Protested Domestically
Venezuela has been entertaining the idea of banning bullfighting for years. CAS International (Comité Anti Stierenvechte), documents the majority of the legal history of anti-bullfighting, dating back to the 1980s. Although several laws attempting to ban bullfighting have become snagged, some muncipilaties including Naguanagua, have been successful in banning the sport. In Ecuador, bullfighting is popular in the capital city of Quito, but has less support in other areas. WSPA reports that in 2007, Baños de Agua Santa city council declared itself anti-bullfighting, becoming the first city in the Americas to speak out against bullfighting.
In 2005, a ban on bullfighting was presented to the Catalan Parliament in Spain. In an historic vote, Catalonia banned bullfighting in July 2010. The ban takes effect in January 2012 and has received criticism for being a "political" decision rather than a humane decision. Jimmy Burns writes in his Aug. 05, 2010 article, "Life & Death in the Bullring," that to believe the ban is a simple case of anti-bullfighting lobbyists versus the establishment, severely underestimates Catalonia's political attitude towards Spain.
"Such a view understates the political context in which last week’s vote has taken place," says Burns, especially among, "Catalan politicians who are anxious to develop the region’s identity as distinct from the rest of Spain’s," concludes Burns at Jimmyburns.com; (accessed Aug. 21, 2010). Certainly many Spaniards believe the ban to be politically charged. In a poll commissioned by Spanish newspaper El Pais, 58% of respondents were of the opinion that Catalonia acted against Spanish tradition rather than for animal rights.
Bullfighting Interest Wanes Shows El Pais Poll
The attraction of bullfighting appears to be waning, alleges the WSPA citing a 2007 Gallup poll in which 72% of Spaniards said that they have no interest in bullfighting. The El Pais poll reported that 60% of Spaniards don't like bullfighting at all with 3% being undecided and 37% declaring it enjoyable. Incidentally, the poll results, reported by Paul Day of Reuters, says that even though the Spanish public declared its dislike for bullfighting, more than half of the respondents were not impressed with the actual ban itself.
It's highly probable that the average Spaniard views the ban on bullfighting as an attack on their culture and national identity, similar to the Japanese view of whale hunting. Bullfighting has a long and complicated history, as does the anti-bullying movement's push to ban it. Necks could easily be bowed and muscles flexed, as individual regions of Spain remove the people's right to choose, inadvertently providing a boost for the pro-bullfighting lobbyists attempting to keep the tradition alive, and a blow to anti-bullfighting organizations that are pushing even harder for a worldwide ban.
Only time will tell whether removing a nation's choice, particularly when interest in bullfighting is naturally waning, will weaken the framework and achievements currently in existence. Yet animal blood sports in modern society are becoming less tolerated. The WSPA believes, "That cultural heritage is no excuse for cruelty, and that this violent form of animal abuse should be banned worldwide." Cultural identity is important for any country, but when that identity is controversial, nations are naive if they expect not to be challenged and remain resistant to change.
Sources:
CAS International; Cas-international.org; accessed Aug. 21, 2010.
The World Society for the Protection of Animals; Wspa-international.org; (accessed Aug. 21, 2010).
Andalucia.com; "Ronda - Bullfighting History." (No date or author given; accessed Aug. 21, 2010).
Day, Paul. "Spaniards Dislike Bullfighting but Reject Ban: Poll," Reuters; Reuters.com; Aug. 01, 2010; accessed Aug. 21, 2010.
MSNBC; "Bullfight Melee Renews Animal-Cruelty Debate. California's exemption for Portuguese Tradition is Questioned by Some." Msnbc.msn.com; July 27, 2009; accessed Aug. 21, 2010.
Elizabeth Batt - Elizabeth Batt is a former large animal nurse, certified NREMT, lover of equines and conservationist.
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