Every year for 2 weeks in December, San José hosts what some Ticos claim to be the event of the year. Los Toros, the Costa Rican annual bullfights are a sight to behold. Never having a desire to see a bull slowly tortured to death, attending one of these events has never been on my "do before I die" list. However, here in Costa Rica, a bullfight is not the fancy-pants show you have seen on TV and movies. There is no three-cornered and fringed hat, no silk hosiery, and certainly no red cape. Instead, what we have is more like the product of a mixed marriage between the running of the bulls in Pamplona and the WWF. We don't kill the bulls here. In fact, the bull has the upper hoof most of the time.
The object here is to release a large, highly irritated bull, complete with goring apparatus into a redondel (bullring about the size a rodeo ring) to be taunted by a few hundred of Costa Rica's judgement-challenged, machismo-obsessed, allegedly sober citizenry. In fact, sobriety is a test before entering the ring. Though safety is not sacrosanct, at least they strive to give these poor hombres (and a few mujeres) a fighting chance by ensuring they have command of what is left of their senses. They run around the bull, swatting at his back side, trying to pull his tale, and generally anything else they can get away with to get the bulls attention and provoke an adrenaline inducing few seconds of sheer terror as he attempts to run them down with the aforementioned goring apparatus positioned for maximum effect. Most scamper away safely, but a few leave with permanent reminders of their flirtation with death.
They hold two shows a day for the duration, resulting in a great number of battered and bruised participants. And, just in case you are wondering, gorings are not terribly uncommon. They even have a special medical treatment facility accessible from the ring fully manned with paramedics and replete with the necessary life-saving equipment.
My colleague, Anthony, invited me to a show one evening after Christmas. Being the culturally sensitive lifelong learner that I am I said yes. The video pretty much says it all, so take a look and see for yourself. Except for the occasional electric goad, I would think most animal activists would find this turning of the tables acceptable. In the body count, the bull always wins.
¡Disfruta!
Ken
1 comment:
Hey. I found your blog throught the Coffeegirl Confessions site. I enjoyed reading about your family. We are serving in Guatemala. Good luck on the language study. Where are you headed?
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