Here in Spain we know bullfighting is the only way to keep alive the "toro bravo" (Brave Bull), much bigger and heavy than those in the pictures. Otherwise this incredible kind of animal originally from Spain will disappear.
It is pretty cool to read about the culture around bullfighting, and how it means so much to this Portuguese culture. However I don't know how this is allowed seeing how it is illegal in California where the fights are taking place.
Why not just do this to consenting humans? Surely there must be enough manly men to volunteer. Why use an animal who cannot consent to be tortured? Our national value tends to be that we do not force things on those who cannot or do not consent. If a man needs to use animals to get the thrill of sex then they have some serious problems.
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It's not the worst treatment animals get at the hands of humans, but can't people grow up and just stop teasing them?
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From another place and time. Love the photos.
It's not politically correct to say this in America but I love the real bullfights they have in Spain. It's not a contest. The bull has to die. It's just a beautiful thing to watch.
I recommend "Death in the Afternoon" by Ernest Hemingway to help people understand.
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I have watched some bull riding on TV. Interesting to watch the bulls after they are released back to their pen, or as they get them lined up for the next ride. They seem like willing participants from where I sit.
The abuse in bloodless bull fighting isn't clear to me. When I play tug of war or wrestle with my dog, he loves it. Has anyone asked the bull? Looking at the bull in the photo, he looks like a very well-kept animal.
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@Tom Stoltz I've seen two bull fights on TV where the bull winds up with a broken leg, which is a vulnerable part of the anatomy because of animal's mass. The sport is sort of fun to watch, but I never forget the images of those bulls with the broken legs waiting patiently for the show to end, not immediately put out of their misery. With all the traditions of the Portuguese here in New Bedford, which I enjoy familiarizing myself with, here this isn't one of them. Obviously fishing took precedence.
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@Tom Stoltz Bulls are dumb, and I don't mean that in a derogatory way. Basically all animals are dumb and know only how they are treated by their owners. They may look healthy but that is only so they don't turn off the uncaring people watching. Animal abuse is unforgivable.
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Is bloodless bullfighting any different than bull riding?
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Wonderful! A bloodless way of carrying on the tradition of bullfighting. I hope people in Spain and Portugal are taking notice.
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I feel sorry for the innocent bull but 99% of animal torture and murder is by the animal flesh, egg, and dairy industries. Those products, of course, are easy to boycott.
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Respectfully, I’m not sure how cruel this in fact is when the bull is not killed or stabbed in the end, but just goes back to the pen. Animals are meant to be animals from time to time...horses are meant to run, dogs to chase, etc. Animal rights persons might be right...chasing the bull fighter might be cruel. But the chase, the charge, the fury might also be part of being a bull...more than, say, merely being penned up for studding or pulling plows, or whatever else bulls would be dojng if they weren’t doing this. Maybe I’m being obtuse....probably am...just thinking out loud.
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@Allentown
While I absolutely abhor dog fights, my two dogs (and the pair I had before them) adore play fights - snarling, pushing, chasing each other around the yard (and/or the furniture). If one accidentally gets nipped or pushed too hard, the other backs off immediately, they sniff each other and trade a few licks, then go right back to roughhousing. The squirrels and chipmunks in our yard do the same thing, especially the new litters in spring. Whether the bulls in these competitions actually enjoy the rounds, there is no question that most animals enjoy play chases and play fights.
Many NYT readers have never petted a cow. Those of us who have been on a dairy farm know that each cow has a different personality. The bulls used in this "sport" are probably hand picked as enjoying the activity. Some bulls are too ornery to participate, others too lazy.
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@Hank Yes. There is a nice childrens' book about that . It called "Ferdinand the Bull"
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@Working doc
The book is "The Story of Ferdinand", and yes, it is a delightful book indeed. It's pacifism so offended some that it was banned in some countries and burned in Nazi Germany!
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Story_of_Ferdinand
It was sufficiently influential to warrant a 75th birthday mention by the NYT.
https://artsbeat.blogs.nytimes.com/2011/03/31/ferdinand-the-bull-turns-75/
@Hank
Yup dairy farmer's daughter here. And we didn't keep a bull because all the work was done by my father, with help from my brother, me and my mother [artificial insemination sufficed].- And she having grown up a farmer -decided that keeping a mature bull was too dangerous - as they are all unpredictable when "hormonal." Even the ones who are normally sweet tempered.
But I loved Ferdinand and got myself an anniversary copy to be passed along a few years ago.
Phew! I quickly clicked on the link expecting to be outraged yet again that some bit of conservative aggressively male dominance ritual was being continued in the red backwaters of the state in open defiance of our blue state values . But what a delight to discover this bloodless twist on an old tradition. I don’t have a real opinion either way, just happy the Portuguese have found a way to avoid bloodshed.
I’d like to point out the facts of history described in this story that illustrate that Spain, Mexico, and a bit of Portugal were here centuries before the current racist MAGA crowd started ignorantly chanting “build that wall”. It doesn’t matter what happened since. Brown people were here before MAGAts and continued being here all the way to today.
Most of us Californians have some connection to the wider Hispanic world and we will continue to proudly display and celebrate our heritage in steadfast defiance of MAGAts’ bizarrely northern Eurocentric ideas of who or what is “real American”. Despite my immigrant mother’s Mexican citizenship, my always-kept-current passport says I’m as “American” as they are.
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@left coast finch - And the Spanish mistreated the Indians that where here before them and the Indians mistreated other Indians before Europeans came to the Americas. Learn some history - every group has opposed some other group and been opposed by some other group at some point in its history.
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I don't honestly understand why some groups still oppose this kind of bloodless bullfighting. Sometimes it seems to me that some environmentalists have a rose-tinted view of nature that is far removed from reality, and they think of all animals like they are cuddly soft toys. It's not like that! Life in the natural world is often brutish, violent and short. Many animals are naturally aggressive and wouldn't think twice about maiming or killing another animal trespassing into their territory.
Animals like bulls love to fight and it's in their DNA to attack an opponent to protect their territory or their harem of cows. I bet the bulls actually enjoy their nights in the arena, where they get a chance to express their true nature without the risk of actually getting killed by humans.
I think these bloodless bullfights are a great idea and I wish the Spanish and the Portuguese would start doing things this way back at home, as well.
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How humiliating for the poor animal. Where is their dignity?
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I am neither a fan or critic of this tradition. If we sanitize all that some find repugnant, the world becomes different shades of gray. With life comes death, beauty comes ugliness, it's natures way.
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I had the pleasure of watching Korean bullfighting, which is bull vs bull and completely bloodless. It's a dominance contest in a bull-sized sumo type ring and the bulls seem to enjoy it.
Don't assume that these California bulls are feeling stressed and abused. Some animals genuinely enjoy a bit of sport
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I've been living in Portugal for 20 years. The modern day Portugal has very little in common with the "saudades" (best translated as "longing for", or a "sense of missing" , or sort of homesickness) that the Portuguese emigrant community perhaps rekindle in prolonging these medieval "sports". I can't say for certain the percentage of people who actually support bullfighting here in Portugal, but I would assume that it is an extremely small percentage. Every Portuguese person I know abhors this antiquated activity. Agree 100 percent with the commentary that it's like missing the good old days of Salazar. For me... It's the equivalent of the Trump slogan "MAGA". Quite frequently emigrants tend to latch on to some outdated aspect of their motherland to give themselves an identity of who they think they are. (Draw your own conclusions for MAGA supporters.)
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If you think bullfighting is "better than sex", I can only pity you. Come on people, no blood may be shed, but why must people continue to get their thrills tormenting and abusing animals? Let's ask how these bulls are made so aggressive (in Spain they are starved and abused), and why men abusing and killing animals is a sign of machismo and honor. It may be better than the traditional bullfighting in Spain and Mexico, but I doubt given a choice any of the bulls would choose to participate. (And I'm vegan, so no I don't eat beef)
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Love it. Can't wait to see some bulls become stars, and live out a long life in the ring and out
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How else could I possibly become aware of, and then given a beautifully written and pictorializied account of a marvelous tradition showing this Portuguese cultural tradition of their community, woven in with their faith.
I deeply resonate with the need humans have for traditions that for much of our lives, can give us great meaning. But as awareness and understanding of the universe grows and is made more comprehensible to us by the world's greatest scientists and philosophers in books and lectures, there are other things that can give great us meaning and understanding. The notion of being immersed into what is "so primal and so raw..." is not part of my search for meaning.
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Very interesting to see the lengths enthusiasts are willing to go to keep a sacred tradition alive.
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@Domenic,
More like it is very disturbing to see the lengths "abusers" are willing to go to be able to abuse an animal without killing it and the equally disturbing online support they get from NYT readers. I'm sure the bulls don't consider this a "sacred tradition". Oh but who cares what a bull thinks, right? It's just an animal being forced into this mindless situation for the amusement, excuse me, "sacred tradition" of humans.
5
Animal abuse, pure and simple. Primitive practices like this are right up there with animal sacrifice. It should be outlawed.
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@Blue Dog,
I agree with you 100%. Seeing this horrible "tradition" has now infected California makes me very depressed and angry as there is little to nothing I can do to stop it.
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@ACM
It is less a problem for the bulls than keeping your dog or cat indoors all of the time.
I guess horse racing, equestrian competitions, and cat and dog shows are next on your list.
The points of the bull's horns have been cut off to reduce the threat of being gored by the bull.
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@LMBux More animal abuse.
1
Sigh. Not true. They wear leather horn protection. I have years of pro photos I’ve taken at these events, the ones which use highly trained Lusitano horses. Each bull fights once.
I've been invited to bull fights in Spain and in Portugal and have been amazed at the difference. The Spanish kill their bulls--elegantly, but quite definitely. The Portuguese put a bigger value on taunting the bull up close but not killing him. Interesting cultural and historical difference.
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@Irene,
You couldn't pay me to attend a bullfight in ANY country. It is a barbaric activity, regardless of whether they kill the bull or not. Shame on you for attending even one knowing what you will witness.
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Thank you for the wonderful article and beautiful photos. Portuguese Americans take great pride in our bloodless bullfighting tradition and religious/cultural festivals that fund charitable causes.
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@Frank Joseph Vieira,
Animal abuse under the guise of funding charitable causes is not an excuse for this barbaric "tradition". How about you give more money to those charitable causes so the bull doesn't have to be fodder for your amusement.
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Frank, like you, I, too am Portugues. Remember the tradition in the 70s of smacking you in school when you got out of line in the Azores? That was the Portugues tradition. Should we bring that back, too?
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Excellent photos. Great camera work. Congratulations.
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Nice article. Great pictures. No, I am not Portuguese, but I think it is really super what they are doing. Carrying on traditions they Love - without the Bloodshed.
Sure, there are probably a few who miss the killing and the Blood, but I'll bet not many. I'd certainly love to see one of these when I am down there.
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Barbaric. I am Portuguese and I, and many others, feel guy this stereotype every day. It is cruel, even without the death. It is old guard. It’s like saying Salazar and Franco were great traditions.
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Exactly. You are not Portugues. So please don’t think this speaks to all of us and that we are all proud of this. I am Portuguese and Most Portuguese I know deplore it. It is - even without the killing - cruel causing incredible stress and abuse on an animal for no reason other than to entertain. Saying this is a great Portuguese tradition is like saying the rule of Salazar was a great period for Portugal. Kids used to get beaten in Portuguese schools through the 70s for misbehaving. That was the Portuguese tradition. Should we revive that, too?
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If are not a Portuguese American living in the rural Central Valley I’m not sure you can judge what is a great tradition or not there on ethnic premises alone. Speak to the cruelty of the sport all you want, but let’s face it...Small town California is a far cry from Thayer Street.
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Fascinating story about this cultural history and event. Adds to the great variety of California and its people.
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I get the point of the SPCA but considering the way these events unfold, seems to me the bull has at least a fighting chance. Should there be bloodshed I venture to say it's from the guys not the bull.
Want to get outraged over mistreatment and mutilation of animals? Shut down all the horrendous chicken factories and feed lots.
All in all, this seems fairly innocuous to me.
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@Sammy
you are absolutely correct in mentioning factory farms and animal suffering.....but these bulls, even though not being killed, are still being abused....and for entertainment. all animal abuse is wrong.
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@Sammy Bull fighting of any kind AND mistreatment of animal raising are both horrible. Two wrongs do not make a right.
Eight humans against one animal ... big deal, "forcados." This is religious? Or just "better than sex," as one forcado told the reporter.
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@Frances Whiteside
I haven't sorted out my feelings about this tradition - but it takes guts to jump in and take hold of the horns of a full grown, upset bull.
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@Frances Whiteside This is the big deal: The bull probably weighs far more than the eight forcados combined, and has horns. They are enormously powerful animals, and getting into the ring with the bull is an act of sporting courage that causes no injury to the animal. It may not be for everyone, but it's not nothing.
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