Copyright © Michael Lynch
An
Okinawan Bullfight
This Bullfight in Uruma Okinawa, Japan
was part of the festivities associated with the Lunar, or
Chinese New Year on the 1st of February 2009. According to the
Asian calendars, it is the Year of the Ox.
Unlike bullfighting in Spanish speaking cultures, there is no
Matador to face the bull; it is one bull challenging another
and neither will be seriously injured or die in the event.
The arena was a dome-shaped structure with open sides, to
provide air circulation. A circular area covered with a mixture
of sand and clay, about 18 meters in diameter, is where the
bulls face each other. It is surrounded by an earthen mound and
topped with an iron fence railing. Completely around and above
the bullfighting ring are concrete bleachers with enough seating
for a few thousand expectant spectators. A tunnel, under the
bleachers, is the only way for bulls and their handlers to
enter and exit the ring.
There may be a team of handlers in the ring for each bull but,
only one member at a time is permitted to physically handle
their bull. The rest of the team stays back at a distance,
ready to relieve a handler as required. The less experienced
bulls are led on a line tethered through their noses. Bulls
with the most experience are not tethered, as they do not need
to be led--they actually look forward to the fight.
Judges, seated above the arena, determine the winner and
looser of each bout when a decision needs to be made, but
usually, the bulls decide for themselves. Normally, whichever
bull runs away from the fight is the looser. However,
sometimes a bull will break free and run, only to gain enough
momentum to turn around and charge his opponent and win the
match.
Copyright © Michael Lynch
A normal bout lasts around ten minutes
with the bulls locking horns and trying to muscle their opponent
into quitting. They get tired much as a couple of arm-wrestlers
would and usually one bull will just give up, turn and run,
thus ending the match. Sometimes a bull will be intimidated
when he first sees his opponent and just run for the exit
without ever starting to fight. The hecklers in the crowd
go wild ! Then, there are the bouts of great courage and
stamina that last twenty to thirty minutes. The
unpredictability of each match is what the crowds come to see.
With their heads and horns as their only weapons, one would
think this might be a bloody sport, but it isn't. The judges
and handlers would quickly end any match where serious injury
might occur. The handlers actually treat their bulls as family
pets. Some of them go through the bout barefooted while
standing right next to their bull, patting its shoulder and
speaking encouraging words while its locking horns with another
ton of snorting, earth-pawing bull!
At the end of each bout the loosing bull is quickly escorted to
the exit by its team of handlers. But the winning bull
is regaled with attention by its team members and the
celebrating fans--has a colorful cape placed on its back and
bright colored ribbons and towels tied to its horns and tail.
Then he is paraded around the ring in all of his glory, stopping
only for children, family members and the handlers--they are
allowed to jump on his back for a victory photo. Loud, Okinawan traditional music is played until the victor leaves the
ring. The crowd cheers and applauds until the bull is out of
sight
Then, the music abruptly stops.
The crowd becomes silent in anticipation of the upcoming match.
The announcer calls for the next teams...
Michael Lynch
Kin Cho Kin Okinawa, Japan
Copyright 2009
Now travel
from Okinawa, Japan
to read about "The
Bald Eagles of Alaska" by Mike Criss.
~~~~~~~
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