Bullfighting in Spain – Celebration or Condemnation
Warning: This post does contain graphic images
I never thought that I would have to write those words at the top of any of our posts. But I felt it was necessary for this article.
I am torn.
I can’t decide whether bullfighting in Spain should be celebrated or condemned. Is it so ingrained in Spanish culture that it should be left alone? Or is it cruelty hidden behind a thin veiled disguise called tradition?
While I don’t condone animal cruelty, I do recognise and celebrate traditions.
Experiencing San Fermin in Pamplona
The reason I love travelling is that you are exposed to so many different adventures.
We are like sponges, soaking up every cultural experience that we can get our jandals close to.
It’s why we chose to run with the bulls in Pamplona. And why we watched the bullfighting in Spain.
The San Fermin festival in Pamplona is the most well known bull-running and bullfighting festival in the world thanks to one writer. Ernest Hemingway.
For 8 days every year, hundreds of locals and tourists, including ourselves, pack 800m of narrow cobbled streets in Pamplona. Shoulder to shoulder they stand ready to run in front of a thundering pack of bulls.
It was the most terrifying and exhilarating travel adventure we have ever had.
One I will never do again.
We diced with death once, and that was enough for us.
While we were happy enough to run with the bulls, we were very conscious of our decision to watch the bullfight that evening. But considering that bullfighting has been a part of various cultures for thousands of years, and continues to be, there was no way I was going to miss this opportunity.
Because how can I speak out against what is right or wrong without experiencing it for myself? Who am I to speak out about how other people live their lives in cultures I barely understand?
These are questions I asked myself before we visited Spain.
Experiencing the Bullfighting in Spain
Bullfighting in Spain is one of the most celebrated spectacles in the country.
It is a pre-historic battle of man versus beast.
Protestors against bullfighting in Spain call it a blood sport. The Matadors (or torero), and spectators, call it a ‘fine art’, similar to painting, dancing or music.
Each Matador is revered locally while the most famous are recognised nationally. And every man, woman and child that was present at the bullring seemed to be honouring each bull after it was killed.
While we knew that bulls were killed at the end of each day, we didn’t know anything more than that.
After speaking with a few locals we found out that only the 6 “new” bulls, out of the 12 that ran, are killed each evening in the arena.
These 6 bulls have been specially reared for this very reason. They live in relative luxury with very little human contact before they reach the bullring.
This supposedly makes them much healthier and stronger so that it is a fairer fight between the Matador and the bull. A fight that is virtually impossible for the bull to walk out of the ring a winner.
Our experience and feelings
The Spanish are passionate with a capital “P”. When we discovered we had somehow secured seats in what seemed to be a locals only zone. We were stoked.
Sitting under the blistering sun we were surrounded by the Spanish singing, cheering and swigging back Sangria like it was going out of fashion.
They were here to celebrate.
They were celebrating what they believe is their right. But they were not celebrating death as they watched the bulls be slaughtered.
And we felt like we were part of the celebrations. We were not merely spectators watching from afar. They welcomed us into their singing circles even though we spoke limited Spanish. Filled our cups up with homemade sangria and fed us when we were hungry from their own picnic supplies.
As we watched the Matadors “dance” with the bulls around the ring I began to understand their passion. They were celebrating life.
And I agreed with them.
Preparing for the killing blow.
I don’t agree that the slow killing of these magnificent beasts is right. At the end of each fight I was willing the Matador’s to deliver the final killing sword strike to end their suffering.
Secretly I was hoping the bulls would get their own back. A goring of the Matador would have been something to see.
But most of all I realised that bullfighting in Spain is so much more than what some call a “blood sport”.
It is a time for friends and family to get together like they have been for the last few hundred years. A time to watch an event that is celebrated nationally.
Not to mention the fact that before their final fight, these bulls probably lead much better lives than the beef that is delivered onto your plate at home, at McDonald’s or in the frozen section of your local supermarket.
It is why I think that, if the majority of the population want to carry on watching bullfighting then they should be allowed to. I would probably even go along to another one.
Let us know in the comments below:
Have you ever witnessed something traditional overseas that you don’t agree with? And what are your thoughts on bullfighting?
Category: Europe
We have been wearing out our jandals (Kiwi slang for flip-flops) on our travel adventures around the world since 2009. We love all types of adventures that make us step outside our comfort zone, in comfort, including surfing, skiing, snowboarding, diving and cruising on our bikes. You can find out more 
I understand the tradition and the spirit of community it brings, but I wouldn’t go to a bullfight. It’s like you said in the end, the bull dies a slow painful death, and that’s not really something I wish to see. I’d rather go to a football match:)
D.J. – The World of Deej recently posted..The Blogger Relay – My Top 3 Travel Memories
I hardly define it a sport, and I hardly feel sorry when a matador is injured. It’s just a slow torture to an animal that never wished to be killed that way with people cheering for it. My experience was actually different, I know and have met many Spanish people, nobody likes/wants this bullfighting tradition to continue, they are actually ashamed of it. Probably the Spanish you saw in the arena are not an exhaustive sample of the whole country..
Angela recently posted..A trip, a photo – In Rio, the trendy and the favela
Nope, can’t bear to watch anything suffer. I have no problem with people killing animals for food, as long as it’s done sustainably and humanely. But if a human killed another human the way matadors kill bulls– slowly, torturously, taunting them as they bleed out–– we’d consider them a psychopath, not a hero. I respect cultural traditions in general, but I consider this one barbaric. If you’re going to kill an animal, either slit their throat or put a bullet to the head and get it over with.
It´s a difficult decision. I haven´t ever been to a bullfight, so I guess I´m not qualified to comment, though I don´t really want to go to a bullfight so I can!
Marianne recently posted..When life gives you curves, flaunt them!
I went to the running of the bulls in 2000 when I was in Spain for study abroad, and it was interesting to see the bulls run into the arena at the end of it. That part isn’t so bad, no actual bullfighting, just the runners teasing the bulls and often getting flipped around a bunch. But I’m not sure I could handle a bullfight. Not only do I think it’s cruel, but I’m kind of a wuss when it comes to stuff like that. I don’t think I could handle the blood and the torture. At the time, we didn’t go because last minute tickets were outrageously expensive, but I didn’t think much about it beyond that. Now, I’m glad I didn’t and I don’t ever plan to go to one. I love Spain, but I just can’t watch that.
Ali recently posted..My Top Sunset Photos
I’m not sure I’d want to go to a bullfight. The whole “very slow death” part would bother me, I think.
But I’m not one to judge another culture’s traditions just because they don’t mesh with mine.
Amanda recently posted..My Bulgarian Babas
We felt the same Amanda. We were not happy with the “fight” but don’t want to say no to someone else because it is not part of our culture. I am sure they disagree with lots of stuff we do too!
Absolutely not. I went to a bullfight in Mexico many years ago on family vacation (don’t think the parents really knew what we were getting into).
If it was a fair fight, I could tolerate it. But the fact that they stab the bull with a a spear with some sort of tranquilizer in it as he enters the ring gives the matador an unfair advantage.
If you want to make killing animals a sport, make it fair. I know who I’m rooting for.
Stephanie – The Travel Chica recently posted..A Guide to Food and Drink in Bolivia
Thanks for your thoughts Stephanie. We were cheering for the bull in each “fight” as well.
The tradition and the culture the bull fight brings is very understandable, but I wouldn’t go to a bullfight and see how these fighters kill the bull. I’d prefer to watch basketball.
Mike recently posted..Travel photography – enrol on a course
I love Spain but… sorry the ‘art’ of bullfighting is barbaric!
The bulls have no chance, there is no fight with the matador being soundly protected by a posse whose sole purpose is to protect the ‘main character’.
The bulls have no such protection and are slain cruelly, slowly and painfully.
I attended an ‘amateur’ bullfight in Girona where there were a group of young Canadians (men and women).
After the first bull was killed the Canadian women burst into tears stating that ‘They didn’t think they actually killed the bulls’!
After many tears and the killing of the second bull the Canadians departed.
Eight bulls were tortured that day – one having to endure the rookie attempts of a female matador making that animals death all the more prolonged and agonizing.
The local ‘butcher’ was on hand to deal with the carcasses and was making a healthy profit selling the slaughtered meat to the locals.
Every country has it’s traditions and they are entitled to them but.. bull ‘fighting’ is a play on words.
There is no fight – only a slaughter that I for one cannot understand or tolerate.
Thanks for dropping by Al and offering your thoughts on this.
I’m with the people here who are opposed to bullfighting. I went to a bullfight in Mexico City years ago, and found it to be very cruel. One of the bulls gored TWO of the bullfighters (I was silently cheering for the bull, truth be told), and it still wasn’t spared. It died a slow, painful, confused death.
Bullfighting is no different than any other “sport” that involves animals dying…dog fighting, cock fighting, etc. The fact that it’s been a tradition for centuries doesn’t make it more acceptable.
Drew recently posted..Open Letter To Gen Y – Part 2 – On the subject of your death
Thanks for your thoughts Drew. We were secretly cheering for the bulls as well.
I was taken to bullfights as a child.The music, the ladies in their mantillas throwing roses etc., were exciting. I write this because it is frightening how a person can not have empathy for the bull. I went to quite a few of these fights,seeing the terrified horses being lifted off the ground etc., I even went to the choosing of the bulls by the matadors agents. Then i saw the final knife in the back of the neck and heard the bull’s terrible calls of it’s final distress and agony. I went to my room and thought. I concluded that humans can feed the cruel part of a personality or make the decision to not feed it and to turn against it. I was about 10yrs old. I came out of my room and said that bullfighting was terribly cruel, horrible and that I would never go again. It is so shameful that a government supports this horror, calling it art and I believe that it will die out because young Spaniards agree that it is so shamefull, so horrific and not acceptable for a ‘so called’ civilised society. Along with factory farming, greyhou nd racing, trophy hunting, we who see the beauty in animals must protest and stand up for the protection of our fellow creatures.
I won’t go there again…
The only time we’ve seen a bullfight was on a tv channel in France that showed hours of bullfighting. Figured we’d watch and see what it was all about. We watched three bullfights, each time the stadium was almost empty and the bulls had no chance to fight back. Traditions are great but evolution is something to consider in this instance.
A Cook Not Mad (Nat) recently posted..Hungry for Budapest
It’s tough one to call because it’s such an old tradition and it does bring people together – but do we really need to do something quite so savage just to bring people together? We’re intelligent enough to know that that’s just not on anymore. THis was an interesting read, though. Thanks for sharing.
emma@greenglobaltravel recently posted..PANAMA Photos- Glamping, Fishing, Dolphins & Rainbows
Yep, it’s an interesting discussion that’s for sure. There is a big movement in Spain to get bull fighting banned, actually.
I haven’t seen one myself, so cannot comment on a personal level. I’ve read a bit about it on the net though and I think I’m with the bulls on this one (and don’t think I would go – football is definitely a larger, more popular Spanish tradition!).
Tom @ ActiveBackpacker recently posted..5 Reasons To Travel By Train In Europe
We totally get that it is extremely cruel. But in our opinion it is quite hypocritical of people to say they should ban it when they eat caged battery hens or cows etc. But again totally different argument! Thanks for your comments Tom
Very interesting article and it sounds like you had a fab time! This is a debate that will continue for decades to come much like fox hunting and similar ‘sports’. I haven’t partaken in either so possibly don’t have a fully informed opinion, but my initial reaction is negative. Killing animals for the sake of entertainment doesn’t sit right with me even if it is tradition and does bring people together. There are many other forms of entertainment that bring people together which do not include such brutality which I think I would prefer to be part of.
I was just reading about the Fox hunting debate the other day as well. Thanks for your insight Jules.
I only recently discovered that they actually kill the bulls in such a horrible way at the end of the fights and this really shocked me. Personally, I could never go to anything like this knowing what takes place, despite it being a cultural tradition. The thought of any living thing being in prolonged pain for entertainment makes me feel ill and I know I’d find it too upsetting.
Alison recently posted..Beautiful Sunset In Tofino
It is horrible how they “bait” the bulls for about 20 minutes each. We were begging them to get it over with by the end.
I’ve never been to a bullfight and I’m not sure how to feel about it. I can see that it is more a celebration of life, as you describe it, than of death. But curious as I am I think I would go if I have the opportunity and then decide afterwards how to feel about it. Thanks for sharing your thoughts with us!
Yvonne recently posted..A Tour Through The Abandoned Airport Tempelhof in Berlin
I think that you have to experience it before you can judge it. We hated the actual bull killing part, but the atmosphere and celebrations with the locals was amazing. Never done anything else like it!
For sure, I could not bear to watch a bullfight and I’m definitely opposed to the killing afterwards.
But then I think how I cheerily ate a hamburger just last week and I don’t think I have the right to cast judgement as the animal was killed for the purpose of me eating it.
Regardless, a tough topic and you guys addressed it well. I think it’s nice how you were taken in by the locals to celebrate their traditions.
cheryl howard recently posted..Instragramming … Varese Ligure, Italy.
Thanks Cheryl. We knew it was going to be controversial when we posted it and the comments show that! But still glad we stood by our decision to go along and see what the festival was all about.
And definitely agree that it is hard to judge someone when I think of some of the things that end up on our plates every day and wonder how they go there!
I think I might be the only person in the comments that would actually go to a bullfight. I am intrigues by the theatrics and drama. I find these types of windows into a countries soul so intriguing and they are one of the things I love most about traveling. I imagine I would feel the same way I did when I saw a royal cremation ceremony in Bali. So colorful and fanciful yet morbid and grotesque the juxtaposition was one of the most memorable things I have witnessed.
Alexandra recently posted..R&R in Luxury Villas in Costa Brava. Just what the doctor ordered.
We feel the same way Alexandra! And thanks for letting us know. We hope you do get to see a bullfight if you ever visit San Fermin, as they are one of the craziest festivals in the world. Looks like their time is running out though as more and more people complain.
I can completely sympathize with the split feelings. I’ve been to a bullfight and yes, cheered and hoped the bull would win. I hated the little darts (picodilos?) that they spear the bull with to weaken him. I think that is the worst of the worst, as you say a slow death. However, I do think culture and tradition are extremely important. In the U.S. and Canada, native peoples are still doing this with whales. Why? To not lose that culture’s traditions. It’s a tough question! Love your post!
Corinne recently posted..Reflection #500 – Woman in Moldova
Thanks so much for your insightful comment Corinne! Like I mentioned in other comments too, when it comes to what we do to other animals, bull-fighting is probably not even the worst treatment of animals!
I always try and respect and understand the cultures of other countries. But I can not get on board with this. Id never watch on, not in a million years. Its barbaric and inhumane. I can not believe they are still letting this go on!
Ive always wanted to be that person who accepts all traditions and cultures and even want to get involved when Im in their country but Ill never be able to get on board with this one. But I wont hold it against Spain as a whole, because I know many of them hate this tradition and want it wiped out! Lets hope that happens soon.
Nicole @ Suitcase Stories recently posted..A Hot Topic: To cruise or not to cruise – Is cruising a legitimate form of travel?
Thanks Nicole for your comment. It is very true that many in the northeast of Spain don’t agree with the bull fighting but down South, as I understand, it is still very much alive. When I was walking on the Camino last month I was actually surprised to learn that they have a small “running with the bulls” festival in basically every village. Some of them just run with the bulls and don’t kill them which is good!
Hi Cole & Adela,
Bullfight is an art form & very much part of the culture of Spain as it is always listed on national TV & Newspapers under “Culture & Society” in the media!
I also agree with you that a bullfight is most definiely a celebration of life!
Viva San Fermin!
PamplonaMan
PamplonaMan recently posted..San Fermin 2012 video Pobre de Mi (closing ceremony)
Thanks PamplonaMan. It is definitely a controversial topic…