On the occasion of the ferias, annual festivals in Spain, the bullfights that characterize the festivals take place. Nevertheless, these bullfights are currently experiencing a turning point, in connection with the financial crisis.
Spain: the end of bullfights?
Bullfights are not immune to the financial crisis either. They are currently experiencing a decline in their success.
Sixty-one municipalities in Catalonia have already abolished bullfighting for twenty years, with Barcelona on the list, which declared itself anti-bullfighting in 2006. Barcelona is therefore no longer a land of bullfights.
The complete abolition of bullfights is not yet planned, but the Catalan Parliament should soon debate the ban on Catalan territory of bullfights involving a killing. A petition with more than 120 signatures from animal rights leagues has accelerated the demand for the ban.
Therefore, the bullfighting icon José Tomas decided to perform in Barcelona for free in order to defend the aficionados, that is to say the lovers of bullfighting. This will be done to the detriment of the Seville feria, which will therefore not have the opportunity to see José Tomas this year.
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Bullfights also face budgetary difficulties and insufficient public subsidies from municipalities. In the context of the financial crisis, these have had to restrict their budgets, with the suppression of certain bullfights as a result.
South Korea: new playgrounds
And on the other side of the Earth, what is happening?
In the Land of the Morning Calm in South Korea, unlike the bullfights in Spain, the fights are without matadors and mainly between bulls. The fight can last from a few minutes to whole hours depending on each tournament. A bull is declared the winner when its opponent leaves the field, but they both survive their confrontation.
These fights, rather popular with the countryside, have experienced a certain decline in recent decades with the growth of international sports such as football or baseball.
The South Korean government therefore wants to bring this folk tradition back to life and legalize betting on bullfights by July 2009.
Animals occupy an important place in the hearts of the inhabitants, which explains the spectacular atmosphere of each fight. Indeed, cheerleaders and musicians on their drums and gongs enliven the atmosphere and show their support for the stars of the arena.
Sources: The New York Times, The World
