One of the
truly unique experiences that pueblo life provides is the ability to partake in
festivals and other celebrations in a more intimate and concentrated setting. One
festival that every pueblo celebrates is that of their Patron Saint. Repelón’s
Patron Saint festival, which was recently held to celebrate Saint Anthony,
included streets brimming with people, vallenato (a type of music very popular
here on the coast) concerts, and correlejas (bullfights). The 4-day festival
itself was a lot of fun. A few other volunteers from the Atlántico region came
to join in the festivities and experience a different side of Repelón.
Highlights
of the festival itself:
- Showing off Repelón, my new adopted home, to fellow volunteers
- Seeing the streets filled with people, as this contrasts with the normally tranquil lifestyle here
- Witnessing my first bullfight with a couple hundred of my closest Colombian friends
- Introducing the Colombian culture to Jessi’s family
- Meeting the mayor’s son and getting into the VIP section (granted only for a hot second) for free
- Enjoying the company of great friends (both Colombian and American)
- Discovering that I’m not able to rage past 2 am anymore
 |
| Finally met the famed Mama Atha!! |
 |
| Great group of people right here! |
 |
| Breaking out the camera (after a long hiatus) in style! |
 |
| Representing CII-6 with pride!! |
 |
| Quick view of the stage from the VIP section |
The one
aspect of the festival that was a mild point of controversy is that of the
bullfights. Many members of the community that I talked to about the festival
mentioned to me that they don’t attend the bullfights because they don’t
support what they stand for. So out of curiosity, I decided to do a bit of
research into the history of bullfighting and how it came to be such an
integral part of Spanish culture.
Bullfighting
traces its roots back to the days of Mesopotamia. The people of this region
not only sacrificed bulls, but also worshiped them for their pure strength and
sheer beauty. Other sources claim that bullfighting can be linked to the Roman
Empire and subsequently spread to Europe through the various conquests carried out by the
empire at the height of its dynasty.
The
original purpose of bullfights was to celebrate royal weddings and religious holidays
(like patron saint festivals). This sport was reserved for the nobles and
wealthy as only the rich could afford the proper supplies and training for both
the bulls and horses. While other European countries participated in jousting
matches, Spaniards partook in bullfights.
The concept
of modern day bullfighting can be traced back to 1726. During this time,
nobility on horses was replaced by commoners on foot. This switch drew larger
crowds and also introduced a higher degree of danger and peril to the sport.
Instead of being on horses, the matadors were now only inches from the bull,
providing more drama and excitement. This type of bullfighting was then
introduced to other Latin countries through various Spanish conquests,
including Colombia.
The
Colombian version of bullfighting is a bit different than that you will find in
Spain. For starters, the ring in which the bull is released is filled with
multitudes of participants, not just one matador. The object is not to kill the
bull, like it is in traditional fights in Spain. Instead, the bull runs around
for a couple of minutes, challenging participants and chasing those on
horseback. After a few minutes, the bull is corralled out of the ring and
another bull is released. This continues for hours upon hours.
 |
| Pure mayhem in the ring itself |
 |
| This stadium is constructed solely for this event - then promptly torn down until the next year |
 |
| Jimmy, Luke (Jessi's younger brother) and I taking in the event |
 |
| The action happening right in front of us |
 |
| People literally clung to the sides of the bleachers and darted underneath them when the bull came their way |
The pure
spectacle of this event has greatly divided many people, both within the
Hispanic community and worldwide. Supporters claim that the beauty of this
sport is based on the interaction between the bull and the matador. It is a demonstration
of various styles, techniques, and a certain courage taken on by the participants.
The bulls are not seen as sacrificial victims, but rather as a worthy adversary. Also, the bulls
used for these fights are respected, revered, and overall, treated better than
any other animal, including cattle. This I can personally attest to. The cattle
that roam the countryside around Repelón are sickly and underfed, while the
bulls that were used for the fights were strong, sleek, muscular animals that
surprised me with their speed and strength.
Opponents to
bullfights cite the fact that the point of the bullfight is to eventually kill
the bull by driving a sword through its spine. Many see this unnecessary
bloodbath as a cruelty that no animal deserves to be subjected to. These
opponents have led to the banning of bullfighting in many cities around the
world where this sport used to be practiced quite freely.
As for me, I
can see both sides. Witnessing a bullfight for the first time in my life, I saw
the cruelty and savageness that is normally associated with the event. However,
I also tried to step outside of the event itself and understand it in a greater
context. The electric atmosphere of the stadium, including various bands and
venders, added to the excitement that the spectators felt watching the participants
flee from the bull as it barreled down on them.
While I am
not advocating for bullfighting or am in any sense a staunch supporter of the event, one
thing that I learned from this experience is that sometimes you don’t have to
fully agree with something to appreciate its importance in another culture. Being
able to fully experience this event in the context of another culture was the
true pleasure and joy that will remain with me well beyond my time here in
Colombia.
*Information used for this post was found using this article
