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Bullfighting is one of the main features of
Spanish culture, so strongly connected to Spain that most people
recognize it as the only element of Spanish culture.
Bullfighting is a ritual that -after many
centuries- has become an event with its own myths and traditions. In
style both orthodox and heterodox. It's a rite of life and death: a man
(the torero) fights against a bull and one of them must die. The
spectacle (corridas) starts with a parade of bullfighters (paseillo).
Then the first bull -of a total of six- is introduced into the ring (plaza)
and the fight starts. The corrida is divided in 3 parts (suertes)
which have to be executed according to a strict order. The last one is
the face-to-face fight which ends with the death of the bull. No more
than 20 minutes should pass from the beginning. This is repeated 6
times.
As early as the 17th century bulls and
bullfighting were exported to Latin America and today is very popular in
Mexico, Venezuela, Colombia, Peru and Ecuador. Also in France (specially
in Southern France) there are a lot of aficionados and among
others, Nimes' plaza and feria (fair) are very important.
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