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A “Corrida de Toros”
by P, G. ARMENDARIZ
There can be no doubt that all of us have admired the grace of classical dancers and have been thrilled by their fanciful and artistic movements. Nor is there any doubt that all of us have felt a dull and peculiar swelling in the pits our stomachs as we peered over the dizzy edge of a sky-scraper into the street below. And in truth I think we all have felt the all-conquering inspiration that is fired into one’s veins by a military band and parade. A combination of these sensations is the feeing that one experiences when seeing a good “corrida tie toros”. It is reckless, brave, artistic, colorful, and above all, intensely human.
Lacking a. more appreciate title, ■some person with very little knowledge of the spectacle, erro-neusly termed a “corrida de toros” a bullfight. The word bullfight evokes practically anything, but no at all what it should. It deludes one to imagining bulls fighting each other or to picturing a man and a bull fiercely struggling to annihilate each other
But by no stretch of the Imagination can one picture, even faintly, the true spectacle if one bases his expectations on the present 111-descriptive title,of bullfight. Therefore, henceforth we shall use the term corrida de tojos, or just “corrida”, instead of bullfight, since tiie last term is a misnomer.
Another word that is nonexistent is the word “toreador”. Centuries ago many members of the Spanish nobility had corridas de toros, but with several variations. Outstanding among these we many count this one: instead' of working on foot as they do in the modem corridas they rode horseback and thus killed the bull with a long lance. To these men was given the name “toreadores”. But since then the word has been “pigeon-holed”. Tn o-rder to avoid confusion we shall divide all bullfighters into two groups. The generic term is toreros. The leading figure is called “matador”. Consequently we shall refer to all leading figures as matadores and to all of their assistants as toreros.
The formal corrida is presided over by a Juez de Plaza or Ring Judge. Aceoitiing to tradition, the Judge is the most important poisonage in the bullring. He it is who decides whether the matador’s work deserves any compensation, or whether he has taken more than his alloted twelve minutes to kill the bull, and thus deserves to be shamed. Theoretically the Judge may fine or jail anyone within the bullring, but as a practical matter we have the notion that he would be somewhat the worse for the attenxpt.
In an average formal corrida sb: bulls are killed by three matadores. The highest ranking matador (by seniority) kills tthe first and fourth bulls; the next highest in rank kills the secorid and fifth; and the last matador kills the third and sixth.
The same traditional procedure is followed in the killing of each bull. Likewise, all corridas are begun with the same formalities.
(to be continued)