27.Enero.2009.
Big news: I have internet! Mom and Dad already know because I have talked to them on Skype, but I just wanted to let the whole world know. I’m so excited. Until you don’t have it ready at your fingertips anymore, you don’t realize how much you rely on it. Now it is much easier for me to talk to friends/family, put up pictures, post on this blog, etc etc.
So, in my class last night we talked about bullfighting. There is controversy over here about whether it is an art or plain torture. I have not been to see one. The first bullfights of the year in Sevilla start on the last day of Semana Santa, which is their celebration the week before Easter. We watched a video of a fight last night, and although it is gruesome, I think I would still like to go. Most of the girls in our class made “eww” noises or had to turn away. Here is what I learned:
A bullfight inside of a ring is called a corrida and the fight is called La Lidia. An encierro is what happens in Pamploma with the running of the bulls. By the way that happens in July so no worries, Mom and Dad. I will not be fleeing from any bulls. The corrida consists of 6 bulls (toros) and 3 matadors (that literally means killer). At the beginning of the fight, there is a procession of all the people involved in the fight called the Paseillo, which include the matador’s helpers (he gets a lot of help and most of the credit) and they cross the ruedo (the sand in the arena) to come salute the Presidente de la corrida (the President of the fight, normally someone important in society) who then nods to them and gives them permission to begin. It is all very formal.
On with the fight. The fight itself is divided into tercios (thirds) and begins after the Toreo de capa in which the matador (can also be called toreo) takes the capote, his cape, and uses it to move the bull around the arena. This serves to discover any of the weaknesses of the bull like if he tends to move to the left or right, if he has a bad leg, etc. The bulls normally weight near 600 kilos. I’m not sure what the conversion is, but we were told that the matador normally weights between 80-90 kilos. All the bulls that fight are five years old. A clarín, a type of trumpet, signals the end of the Toreo de capa and the first tercio begins.
The first tercio does not involve the matador but instead one of his helpers. The section is called La Suerte de varas (Luck of the sticks) and involves a man mounted on horseback called the picador with a lance like weapon called a pico. He is the first to draw blood and does the most damage without killing the bull. His job is to get close enough to the bull on his horse (which is armored so it cannot be speared by the bull’s horns) and drive the pico into the back of the neck of the bull. The tip of the pico breaks off in the bull. The blow is meant to weaken some of the bull’s force and also to get him to lower his head slightly.
The clarín signals the beginning of the second tercio and again, the matador does not make his appearance. Instead, this third is called La Suerte de banderillas. From what I saw on the video, this guy, the Banderillero has the hardest part. He has two banderillas which are long stick like weapons with a knife tip at the end. He is to approach the bull and very quickly (or he will be speared) stab them into the back of the bull’s neck. It is said these do not actually wound the bull but instead are to draw more blood, make the bull lower its head even more, and of course, to make it angry. By now, the bull has been bleeding badly from the wound inflicted by the pico and is losing strength. The banderillero must do his job very quickly and get away. On the video we watched, the man who had this job was killed in a bull fight two weeks after the taping. It is said all the great matadors died during their career in the ring. Now with modern medicine, that can be helped but it is still very dangerous.
In the third tercio, the matador makes his entrance. The end is divided into two sections: la faena de muleta and suerte de matar. In the first, the faena de muleta the matador “dances” with the bull with the red cape, la muleta and is the artistic part of the fight. It is also what people think of when they imagine a bullfight. However, by this time, the bull is very angry but also tired. The end is called the Suerte de matar (luck of the kill). In it, the matador takes his estoque, the ceremonial sword, and must get in close to deliver the killing blow to the bull which serves its spinal cord. However, if he misses or hits too far to the left or right, he needs to get away as soon as possible because that bull is angry! It is after this strike that most of the matadors are either speared or killed. If his aim was true, the bull gets angry for a moment and is distracted by some more of the matador’s helpers with capes but eventually dies.
If the crowd is pleased, they wave the banderas blancas (white flags). Sometimes the President of the match will also show his and this indicates the matador is to receive a prize. Some times it is money, but the best prizes are either the ears of the bull or his tail or both. Yes, it is a bit gruesome but I think going to see it for its cultural aspects would be fun.
Also in news: We are not sure what is going to happen with Anna. When they did the surgery on her jaw, they did not line it up correctly. She had her appointment yesterday and they took off some of the rubber bands but not the screws holding her jaw shut. She says she can only move it a little and her teeth do not line up. I looked at her X-rays and she did some pretty intense damage to it. Albert, her boyfriend here, was furious. He was on the phone all afternoon, chain smoking (most of the young people here smoke. Anna has been trying to get him to stop but stressful times, I guess…) trying to figure out what to do.
The problem is that after the surgery, Anna told them her jaw did not feel right, like the alignment was off. The doctors told her it would all work out and to basically stop complaining. Everyone else went ahead and put their faith in what the doctors were saying. Now, after her follow up, they will say one thing when they are talking amongst themselves and then turn around and tell Anna something completely different. The best she can get is that her jaw might line up eventually. Apparently, Albert has a friend who was operated on by a famous maxillofacial surgeon here in Valencia (his hometown) and they have got an appointment to go see him. Also, this is another follow up appointment at the hospital to see the original surgeon on Tuesday.
Her parents and now Albert are saying it would be in her best interest to return home to the states where the health care system offers more and also where the doctors speak English and can actually explain to her what is going on. Anna says she knows she should probably go home but it would be hard to do so. Everything is in limbo now until after the follow up appointment. The problem is she cannot wait to long or else she might have to have another tough surgery to fix whatever is wrong with her jaw. I know I would miss her as a roommate very much but she needs to do what is best for her.
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