| Pages:
1
2 |
windgrrl
Super Nomad
Posts: 1336
Registered: 9-2-2006
Member Is Offline
|
|
No, but I rode a mechanical bull once for 2 minutes on a dare once and I share the launch with this feller and his 13 pals everytime we go
windsurfing!
[img] [/img]
When the way comes to an end, then change. Having changed, you pass through.
~ I-Ching
|
|
|
Steve&Debby
Nomad
Posts: 335
Registered: 12-18-2007
Location: Colusa,California/ Percebu
Member Is Offline
|
|
No ,but I have ridden a bull or should I say been thrown off a bull
|
|
|
Iflyfish
Ultra Nomad
Posts: 3747
Registered: 10-17-2006
Member Is Offline
|
|
I had the amazing good fortune to see one of the greatest matadors in the history of the sport fight in TJ. It was my first bull fight and is etched
in my memory.
The name of the bull fighter was El Cordobés, he had an extraordinary athletic build and his work looked like the ballet of Baryshnikov.
I was mesmerized by the sheer spectacle of the thing and the amazing artistry of his movements. He appeared to hypnotize the bull, walked up to it,
touched it’s head between the horns, backed away, dropped to his knees and turned around to walk away from the bull, on his knees, cape dragging
dramatically in the sand! His passes were razor close and he pirouetted around the bull as it passed, huge animal, within an inch of his body.
Having had that experience I have attended other bull fights and never again saw the sort of mastery that I saw on that warm afternoon in the Plaza de
Toro’s in Tijuana. I have seen terrible fights where the matador was booed out of the arena, I have seen bull fighters thrown over the heads of the
bulls, I have seen Picadors booed and cushions thrown at them! Never again did I see the beautiful cape and foot work of the great El Cordobés.
I know how disgusting Bull Fighting can be and fully understand those opposed to it, I can only say this, I saw the best and it was good, very good.
It was interesting to learn that the bull fight is a highly choreographed drama and represents the mastery of the feminine over brute masculine
energy. The matador is actually dressed as a woman and her charm masters the raw physicality and power of the male energy of the bull. She seduces and
eventually kills him in an all too familiar drama. There is much more to this event than meets the eye of the novice to the spectacle.
I have now seen my fights and doubt that I will go no more. I am just fortunate enough to have seen the best and to have experienced this dying
cultural phenomenon at it’s best.
I had the same experience with Sauterne; my first taste was a d’Yquem arguably the best Sauterne in the world. I have had Sauterne since and never
really enjoyed them, not after that first glass of the best. I liken this to my experience of Bull Fighting or with love making for that matter and
only regret that at the young age of 18 or so that I could not fully appreciate what I was seeing and experiencing.
Iflyfish
|
|
|
Pompano
Elite Nomad
Posts: 8194
Registered: 11-14-2004
Location: Bay of Conception and Up North
Member Is Offline
Mood: Optimistic
|
|
Bullfighting means different things to different people.
You can hate it or love it, but the fact remains that bullfighting is a tradition that is enjoying a strong comeback in Europe and the Americas,
especially Spain. Even Asia has it's own form of bullfighting.
To really understand something, one should know it's origins and what it has meant to each culture it touched. I had time to do some research and
learned some interesting facts:
The fighting bulls of today, Spaniards call them 'toros bravo', were originally bred from the ancient breed of cattle known as urus, which once roamed
most of the world. Modern day toros bravo are only raised to fight and die in the ring. Some would say a more glorious death than in the
slaughterhouse.
Many civilizations admired and worshipped them; the bull cults on the Greek island of Crete are very well known. The Bible tells of sacrifices of
bulls in honour of divine justice.
Bulls also played an important role in the religious ceremonies of tribes living in Spain in prehistoric times. The origins of the plaza de toros
(bullring) are probably not the Roman amphitheatres but rather the Celtic-Iberian temples where those ceremonies were held. Near Numancia in the
province of Soria one of them has survived, and it is supposed that bulls were sacrificed to the gods there.
While religious bull cults go back to Iberians, it was Greek and Roman influences that converted it into a spectacle. During the Middle Ages it was a
diversion for the aristocracy to torear on horseback, a style known as suerte de cañas.
In the 18th century this tradition was more or less abandoned and the poorer population invented bullfighting on foot. (Only rich folks owned
horses.) Francisco Romero was a key figure in laying down the rules for the new sport..
Even before this, bulls are known to have strongly influenced mankind's ancenstors..the Neanderthals. The earliest cave painting is 20,000 years old
showing a particularily well-painted bull with muscles showing, head erect, a respected image..and with a short lance sticking from his neck.
Obviously this animal was hunted by a man on foot with a short lance or spear. The mystery of man v.s. bull begins in the dawn of man's history on
earth.
Ancient Greeks revered and sacrificed bulls. Epic tales of man confronting bulls is shown throughout their literature, almost the same as the early
Romans. These early fights finally evolved and reached into Spain where it flourished..but.. as stated above,..as a fighter on horseback, not afoot.
For centuries, from the 8th to the 15th Centuries, this was the normal bullfight..a horseman with lance.. not a matador with a cape & sword. This
event took place almost anywhere. Only later on in the 18th Century were the first arenas (Plaza de Toros) constructed for matador fights...the
original one in the town of Ronda.
In the modern age, motion picture companies and certain authors attributed 'flavor and flair' to the matador and bull. The classic bullfight movie
'Matador' , 1986 - Pedro Almadovar, did much to promote the sport/art with a feminine v.s male influence...the dark side of human nature. Some
debaters also put forth the hypothosis that Spain needs the corrida to reclaim it's 'manhood' in the eyes of the world...politics surface again. 
Or...it could be that this is just another arena-spectacle game/theatre/sport/art..whatever you want to call it..that excites the general populance?
Like the ancient Roman galdiator/beast days..or going to a Mets game. 'Let's go the arena with some good buddies, drink beer/wine, shout oles, boo,
and feel exuberant for a few hours while supporting our favorite team.'
I do what the voices in my tackle box tell me.
|
|
|
Bob H
Elite Nomad
Posts: 5867
Registered: 8-19-2003
Location: San Diego
Member Is Offline
|
|
Yes, in Seville Spain - back in the late 60's. I enjoyed the matador dancing with the cape and bull - but I didn't like the constant stabbing
(picadores?) of the poor helpless bull!
Bob H
|
|
|
TacoFeliz
Nomad
Posts: 268
Registered: 7-22-2005
Location: Here
Member Is Offline
Mood: Exploratory
|
|
Yep. 1972 in Mexico City. Two great matadors, four crummy ones, a great crowd on a hot day. The third crummy matador's performance was interrupted
by a frustrated drunk spectator jumping into the arena and hijacking the bullfight with only a red bandanna to make his passes with the bull. Put on
a terrific show for about ten minutes before he was scooped up and escorted out of the arena. The crowd went completely wild and all the fights after
that were much more spirited. Needless to say, the matador who was interrupted mid-fight was roundly heckled, hooted and jeered. He finished his
fight quietly amidst all manner of crap being flung into the ring by the crowd. It was a slightly insane but very memorable day. I'd go again any
time.
|
|
|
Mango
Senior Nomad
Posts: 685
Registered: 4-11-2006
Location: Alta California &/or Mexicali
Member Is Offline
Mood: Bajatastic
|
|
Sounds like you had a great time TacoFeliz. I found the crowd very interesting as well. Many of the memories of my first bull fight revolve mainly
around all the crazy stuff that happened in the stands.
I vividly remember the drunks yelling for more "musica!" whenever the action would lull. The band used every opportunity to shirk from their duty as
soon as anything exciting happened. Their lackluster play was more a result of their lips being so tired after a few hours playing than it was
laziness. The drunks would lapse in their calls until one of them realized that there was no music.. then the calls for more "musica!" would begin
anew until the band obliged. The battle between the reluctant band and the distracted drunks was one of the best parts of the fight for me.
|
|
|
grito
Newbie
Posts: 13
Registered: 9-12-2006
Member Is Offline
|
|
I went to one in Mazatlan but had to walk out half way through. It is terrible the way they torture the bull. Maybe they are skilled and there is a
ritual but it is still grotesque.
| Quote: | Originally posted by tripledigitken
[Edited on 3-12-2008 by tripledigitken] |
|
|
|
DENNIS
Platinum Nomad
Posts: 29510
Registered: 9-2-2006
Location: Punta Banda
Member Is Offline
|
|
What it is, is a culturaly deluded psychopath who equates killing animals with adulation and big bucks. That's the matador and the afficionado.
What good is the big-balled matador, the Manolete and the El Cordobes, Carlos Aruza or El Whatever? What did they do to enhance humanity?
They stabbed magnificant animals to death when they did it right. More often, they chewed the beast to death with ineptness, bad efforts which
caused suffering and a slow undignified dispatch of a noble beast which deserved better.
The Romans had a similar method of entertainment. They used humans. I think that makes more sense in so much as the sacrificed would understand his
destiny.
Somebody her has a signature which says, "Mean people suck." [Debra] Well, there you are, you aficionados of the corrida...you suck.
|
|
|
Pompano
Elite Nomad
Posts: 8194
Registered: 11-14-2004
Location: Bay of Conception and Up North
Member Is Offline
Mood: Optimistic
|
|
A long time ago, I went to a bullfight in Mazatlan during carnival time. We had checked into the Playa Mazatlan Hotel and had seen the governor of
our home state was there also. While at the bullfight, I happened to spot him again..sitting two rows below us.
A clumsy matador was being severely booed by the crowd for butchering the bull in a horrible show of ineptness. Cushions, bottles, garbage of all
kinds were flung at the fellow. I took good aim and bounced my seat cushion off the head of the guv.
Bullfights are good for some things.
I do what the voices in my tackle box tell me.
|
|
|
DENNIS
Platinum Nomad
Posts: 29510
Registered: 9-2-2006
Location: Punta Banda
Member Is Offline
|
|
| Quote: | Originally posted by Pompano
Bullfights are good for some things. |
I remember those cushions that were rented for butt-relief from the hard bleacher seats. They served a dual purpose throughout the afternoon,
ultimatly as ammo to be thrown at somebody in the ring, most often the picador.
Too bad they didn't rent big rocks.
|
|
|
Pompano
Elite Nomad
Posts: 8194
Registered: 11-14-2004
Location: Bay of Conception and Up North
Member Is Offline
Mood: Optimistic
|
|
Have You Ever Been in a Bullfight?
Well..yes...after a fashion.
My cape was a 7200 lb Dodge..against a herd of marauding 1000 lb North American bulls.
I do what the voices in my tackle box tell me.
|
|
|
Pompano
Elite Nomad
Posts: 8194
Registered: 11-14-2004
Location: Bay of Conception and Up North
Member Is Offline
Mood: Optimistic
|
|
...and Have You Ever Slung Any Bull?....
A little bird says...Yes!
I do what the voices in my tackle box tell me.
|
|
|
windgrrl
Super Nomad
Posts: 1336
Registered: 9-2-2006
Member Is Offline
|
|
| Quote: | Originally posted by DENNIS
More often, they chewed the beast to death with ineptness, bad efforts which caused suffering and a slow undignified dispatch of a noble beast which
deserved better.
|
Yup - not exactly a fair fight because of the way the bulls are set up. A carnie-show of pseudo-mastery over the natural world. Mass delusion of
beauty wrapped up in a sanctioned sacrifice.
When the way comes to an end, then change. Having changed, you pass through.
~ I-Ching
|
|
|
| Pages:
1
2 |
![[*]](images/xmbforum/default_icon.gif){kind=icon}
