Ch1: Cultural Aspect

Cultural Aspect

Why don’t we have an Spanish accent when speaking?  Why don’t we speak just  in Quichua? Why aren’t  we still worshiping the sun? Are we Ecuadorians, Spaniards or  Incas?  None of them, we are mestizos. Ecuador, as the majority of countries in Latin America, has a Spanish-Indigenous race which  can still be seen not just in everyday life such as language and religion but also in cultural manifestations such as bullfighting. "No existe en el mundo occidental ninguna ceremonia (como la taurina) capaz de conmover y elevar con semejante fuerza al ser humano" (“There is no existing ceremony (as the bullfighting one) capable of moving and racing with such a  strength the human being”)1 ( Boadella, tauroarte). Bullfights are a perfect example of this because they embody Quito´s cultural mixture.

Our society, having been part of a colonization process in Latin America which, as we all know was made by the Spaniards, has a lot of the conquering country´s heritage. As a matter of fact, we can analyze the bullfighting traditions in comparison to the official language in Ecuador: Spanish. It is clearly stated by Fernando Claramunt, a well-known historian, that the Spanish language was formed while bullfighting was perfected and styled , this is because there is no sport neither popular manifestation nor hobby that has given as many words, expressions and phrases as bullfighting has done to Spanish (Montaner, 400). Some of these expressions are really common and we still use them in our everyday lexicon: “Al toro por los cuernos” (“Take the bull by the horns”), “Las prisas son para los ladrones y los malos toreros” (“Hurry is only for thieves and bad bullfighters”). The art of bullfighting has also inspired regional writers and poets: 

“Hasta el Cotopaxi,

1.     sacudiendo sus antiguas nieves,

se ha puesto en primera fila

para alentar a los aficionados,

vestidos de campero y ala ancha:

¡La verdad de la fiesta! “

 (Emilio Izquierdo)

 Another important  relationship that we must talk about is that of bullfighting and religion. “En las abundantes celebraciones, tanto religiosas como  civiles, que tenían lugar a lo largo de cada año, hubo una diversión favorita: los toros.” (“In the many celebrations, both religious and civil, which took place throughout each year, a favorite pastime: the bulls.”) (Vásquez, 1).  Before, during and after the bullfighting there were a lot of symbols and religious rituals that were performed. For example, it can be evidenced in the bullring where there is a chapel for bullfighters to go and pray before the event starts. Also  specially when acting in a foreign country, they make a little “chapel” in their hotel room where they place a lot of religious figures and prints where they also pray a lot before going to the bullfight.  All these rituals are performed within the Catholic religion which was the one brought in colonial times by the Spaniards (Aulestia). “ (before fighting)  Me santiguo varias veces para que me vaya bien en cada tercio, y por eso es la Santísima trinidad en el nombre del Padre, del Hijo y del Espíritu Santo... uno dedicado por cada tercio.” (“ I cross myself several times so that I would do well in each tercio , so because of that the Blessed Trinity in the name of the Father, Son and the Holy spirit, one for each tercio “) (Iturralde). Besides these rituals, there are also a lot of symbols in a bullfight that represent Religious features. This can be seen in the bullfighter´s suit that, as well as the priest for the mass, is wearing a special outfit for the event. So, in conclusion, bullfighting is a phenomenon that for us as Ecuadorians and Quiteños came along with things as characteristic of us as language and religion. However, just as Ecuadorian bullfighters pray to the “Virgen de Quito” (“Virgin of Quito”), we have as a society incorporated some of our own features to this cultural art.

“ Los juegos de toros y el mestizaje vivieron una suerte de simbiosis que daría lugar a festejos taurinos de matices diferentes, muy especiales, determinados por la personalidad que le otorgaban la nueva raza y el maravilloso entorno Andino” 

(“ Bullfighting and race mixture lived a kind of simbiosis that would give place to bullfights with very special and different  refinements, which were determined by the personality that the new race and the magnificent Andino environment gave to them”) (Santiago Aguilar, 50 años Plaza Monumental de Toros Quito). Whenever a public activity gets to a country or culture, it absorbs the essence of people and society. And bullfighting was not an exception for this. In Ecuador we can observe a lot of changes and contributions that have taken place within the world of bullfighting. As a matter of fact we can highlight for example the traditional “empanadas de morocho” which are a very popular snack for bullfights, or the fact that indigenous people practice bullfighting as the center of the town´s celebrations and sometimes even use typical outfits to do so. One interesting detail is the fact that the toreo a pie is actually more American than Spanish because it was very difficult here to bullfight in horses and there were no knights to lance the bulls. So, actually, not only have they influenced our culture but we have also influenced theirs with our contributions (Aulestia).

 Another important factor that we must take into account when speaking about this, is Quito´s city council´s activity in this field. In Quito,  there is actually, a department that is in charge of bullfighting activities, the Comisión Taurina. Along with it we have the bullring authority among whose members there is a: presidente de plaza, asesor, jefe de callejón, inspector de plaza, jefe de puyas, veterinario titular and others. The conformation of this authority is stipulated in the city´s Ordenanza Taurina which is basically a law of how bullfights  are  done in Quito. With all these we can clearly see how our own elements  are included in this activity. Elements that have been added with time, while bullfighting were forming in Quito, and while it´s history was being written.

As it is known, Quito´s culture and history is very vast and extensive. Fortunately, historians have found some evidence that help them understand and therefore, us learn, our past. Within the evidence that historians have found there are the “Actas de Cabildo” which would be the colonial equivalent for the current council records, pictures, books.  By analyzing this, it is evident how bullfighting goes along with the city history and, therefore, our culture, which we indentify. “(las corridas de toros) me representan porque los toros han estado involucrados en todos nuestros pueblos (…) y eso es lo que nos identifica como ecuatorianos” (“ bullfights represent me because bullfightings have been involved in all of our towns and that identifies us as Ecuadorians”) (Ycaza). This identification is very important because, thanks to it and to being part of our culture there is a lot of evidence, as said before, that puts bullfights as a crucial event. “los libros de  Actas de Cabildo y otros documentos municipales, han recogido las crónicas de varias celebraciones que dejan al descubierto lo que ocurría en los días de fiesta en Quito” (“ council records and other municipal documents, have the cronic of the multiple celebratrions that show what took place in festivity days in Quito”) (Vásques). As can be seen here and  in the following images, bullfights have been part of Quito´s culture and traditions since colonial times:

“Detalle del plano de 1808 en donde se ve la Plaza de las Carnicerías durante la lidia de un toro. Foto de Cristoph Hirtz perteneciente al  Archivo fotográfico del Instituto Metropolitano de Patrimonio.” (“ Detail from the map of 1808 where it is seen the Bullring of the Carnicerias during the fighting of a bull. Picture taken by Cristoph Hirtz belonging to the photographic archive of the Metropolitan Patrimony Instute”) (Vásques)

In conclusion, with the arguments that have been presented it could be stated as Federico García Lorca once said: “La toros son la fiesta mas culta que hay hoy en el mundo” (“bullfighting is the most cultured event in the world nowadays”) (ganaderosdelidia). Here in Ecuador and especially in Quito because it is confirmed that it is part of our Spanish heritage which involves as well features like language and religion (Vásques). Also, as it is part of our cultural mixture, it has our own elements included which are for example indigenous traditions or council´s activities related to the topic. Finally as an effect of these, it is clear that bullfighting also goes along with Quito´s history, which can be proved in various evidence that historians have found. So, bullfights constitute a great cultural part for the Ecuadorian capital because it represents and embodies its cultural mixture. Along with the cultural aspect there has to come an economic one that allow the other to grow and enhance.