National Geographic: The Soul of Spain Page #4

Year:
1991
122 Views


to England

perfectly preserved

in a cask of brandy and sherry

At his nearby estate

one of the 500 relatives who are

shareholders

in the Domecq corporation indulges

in another family passion

For 20 years Alvaro Domecq

like his father before him

was famed for his prowess in the Spanish

art of bullfighting on horseback

Today, he raises fine Andalucian horses

and hulls to fight in the ring

Bullfighting was once the leisure

pastime of gentlemen on horseback

Farmhands assisted with their capes

Modern bullfighting performed

by professionals on foot began

only two centuries ago

Bullfights are the highlight of the

annual April Fair in nearby Jerez

For this special event six local

breeders each enter a superior bull

in the competition for Best of the Year

Domecq is here

sharing the crowd's anticipation

and hoping his bull will bring honor

to the family's reputation as breeders

Victor Mendes

the matador who will face that bull

prepares for his test as he dons the

traditional suit of lights

The bullring manager

and other well-wishers

come bearing the only protection

they can offer "Suerte"

good luck

As his sword handler makes

final adjustments

Mendes reflects on the trial ahead

It's now a fight or game between the

rational and the irrational

if is possible to arrive to the death

the death of the bull

But sometimes, the death of the man

To the Spaniard the bullfight

is not a game

but a revered ritual

not a sport but an art

Its origins can be traced to pagan

sacrifices

and to ancient Greek and Roman games

In its beauty, glorification of bravery

and disdain for death

the bullfight embodies traditional values

of Spanish life

More than spectacle

this is mythic theater

in which the drama of life and death

is reenacted

culminating in the predictable

but by no means certain

death of a noble beast.

In recent years it has lost popularity

and there is increasing disquiet

among a minority of Spaniards about

the morality of their "national fiesta

But for some

it remains an irreplaceable thread

in the fabric of their heritage

As the afternoon turns to evening

crowds begin to gather

at the fairgrounds

In this weeklong celebration women wear

traditional Andalucian dresses

friends meet, sip sherry,

make music, and dance

The region of Extremadura

in western Spain

has always been harsh and ungiving

For decades Azuaga

like many small agricultural

and mining towns

has slowly but steadily lost

its population

The future looks bleak unless young

people can be persuaded to stay

Among the few professionals here is a

husband-and-wife team of doctors

assigned to the local clinic

Their 16-year-old daughter, Alicia

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Miriam Birch

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Submitted on August 05, 2018

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