Bull running in San Fermin, the Spanish festival: History and traditions
Indian filmmaker Zoya Akhtar, in her widely celebrated movie ‘Zindagi Na Milegi Dobara’ (2011) romanticized the bull-running contest that is held every year in the city of Pamplona, Spain, as part of the San Fermin Festival. Held annually in the month of July for nine days (6th to 14th), the Festival of San Fermin is observed to honour San Fermin, the patron saint of Pamplona. However, it is because of its bull-running tradition that has put the festival on the global map.
Rituals of the bull-running
As part of the ‘Running of the Bulls’ event, six bulls are released on the cobblestone streets of the city. According to sources, they are often made angry over time through starving. The goal is to lead them from the city’s corral (a circular- shaped enclosure for animals) to the bullring. Thousands of locals and tourists participate in this event by running in front of the angry bulls and dodging them, in turn displaying their bravado. While the entire event sounds exhilarating, not many of us know the backstory of this event. Let’s uncover how this extremely dangerous yet fun contest started.
History and evolution of bull-running
Bull running (also called corralling) existed in Europe since the 13th century. However, the bull-running contest as a significant part of the San Fermin festival can be traced back to 1591. As it happened, butchers and herders in those times were tasked with moving the cattle (in this case bulls) from harbours or breeding pens in the outskirts of the city to an enclosure in the centre of the city. Meanwhile, the central part of the city was prepared for the following day’s market or bull-fighting. However, due to its gruesome nature, the event originally took place during the middle of the night, away from limelight. During the 18th century, this gradually evolved into a daytime spectator sport, where locals and visitors started running alongside the bulls.
The tradition of bull-running
During the San Fermin festival, every morning at 8 am in Pamplona, six bulls and six steers are let loose out onto the streets to be corralled into the city’s bullring. The bulls are usually four-year old males, weighing 1200 pounds and having razor sharp horns. They are accompanied by steers, in order to encourage forward movement.
Called ‘encierro’ in Spanish, this is a five-minute-long event but is considered to be the most important part of the festival. Before the event begins, bystanders sing a benediction to San Fermin pleading him for protection. Following this, two hand-made rockets are fired, first to signal that the pen has been opened, and the second to signal that the animals have been released.
The first rocket that is fired is called ‘chupinazo’ and marks the beginning of the San Fermin festivities, and nine days of non-stop partying. Revellers hold up their red scarves as they wait for the rocket to be fired and the bull-running to begin. Once the bulls are inside the ring, a final rocket is fired to indicate the closing of the event.
It is customary to wear the uniform that comprises of a white shirt, white pants, red neck scarf and red belt, regardless of the gender. While the white is worn in reference to the aprons of medieval butchers, red is worn in honour of San Fermin, who was beheaded in France in 303 A.D.
ach year, many people are injured in this festival, hurt by the mad bulls, and occasionally there are a few deaths as well.