A traditional spectacle which presents a contest between men and bulls, bullfighting raises controversy but continues to be popular in many countries.

Many think that a fight between a bull and a professional matador is a horrible and sickening show. It is even prohibited in some countries.

However, others are convinced that the show is an artistic performance on the same level as a play, dance or ballet performance. Spain is one of the countries where bullfighting is still regularly hosted.

When I was a kid, I only saw bullfighting on television and I thought being a matador was cool and macho. The way the matador moves toward the bull is reminiscent of a dance move for me.

So, arriving in Seville, southern Spain was truly exciting.

Seville is the capital of Andalucía — an autonomous community in southern Spain. This city is approximately 3,000 years old and has a strong medieval, renaissance and baroque heritage, but was greatly influenced by Arabic culture.

I enjoy the city view with old buildings, palaces, Seville Football Club as well as the tapas and cafés, not to forget the Spanish guitar and flamenco.

July-August in summer might be the best time to visit Spain, but if you cannot stand too much heat, then April-May in spring or September-October in autumn is better.

So it is in this city, to satisfy my childhood’s imagination, that I find myself at the ticket box, queuing for a ticket to see bullfighting the next day.

La Maestranza in Seville is the second biggest plaza de toros (plaza of bulls) after the Plaza Mexico in Mexico City. It has been used as a bullfighting arena since 1765.

Plaza de Espana.
This plaza de toros can accommodate some 14,000 people and the acoustics allow you to hear everything that is happening in the arena, no matter where you are sitting.

In the arena, with its beautiful 16th century iron gates, tourists and locals blend in together to see this spectacle with curiosity clearly painted on their faces.

Many spectators take a small cushion along to make them more comfortable while watching. They also bring flowers and wear nice suits and dresses just like getting ready to watch a play at an opera house.

The applause, whistles, screaming and shouting immediately stops as soon as the trumpets sound as a sign that the spectacle is about to begin.

The participants enter the arena in Andalusian traditional costumes from the 16th - 17th century. There are three matadors — each has two picadores (horse riders), three banderilleros (flag bearers) and one sword page (the matador’s assistant who carries a sword).

The matador is always the star of the show. They wear traje de luces (suits of light), which is a special outfit with a golden touch. Each of the matadors will fight two bulls with their dance-like moves to entertain the spectators. This means, there are six bulls for the matadors to fight.

The bulls now enter the arena accompanied by the banderilleros. The bulls are released into the arena one by one. Matadors and banderilleros “dance” together with the bull to see how quick the bull reacts to the matador’s moves. Bulls are actually color blind, reacting to movement not to the magenta capote that the matador flaps.

The next act is when the picadores enter and stab the bull’s neck on the exact muscle that suddenly weakens the poor animal. I am shocked. I cannot believe what I am seeing.

View of the city.
In the last act, the matador comes back into the arena with a red stick and sword. Now, I really feel sick. The matador then uses the sword to stab the back of the bull’s neck.

The poor beast slowly collapses, hopeless. I never thought that it would be like this. I never thought that it would be so pathetic to see the show live. Maybe I am naive, but this is really sad.

My jaw drops as I sit down, I cannot help wonder why do we let people hurt an animal and defend the act as entertainment? I cannot wait to just leave the arena and feel sorry that I have watched this sad display.

My view of a matador’s actions and the show has totally changed. I will never watch it again.

There is plenty to see in Seville, indeed throughout Andalucía province. I hope you will go there not only to see the bullfighting. Let us hope that one day this entertainment will end.

— Photos by Almeria Allen