Monday, October 27, 2008

Home from the Bullfights?


In the Uruma area on Saturday we passed this pair headed down the lane toward home. This area is known for Okinawa bullfights. Now Okinawa bullfighting is not at all like the bullfighting of Spain and Mexico. In Okinawa bulls fight bulls. It is a test of strength. Bulls are not killed. Blood is rare. If a bull is accidentally gored, the match is over. Bulls lock horns and try to push each other out of the ring in the manner of sumo wrestlers. The bulls are loudly and boisterously encouraged by their respective owners with all manner of shouting and stomping of feet. Matches are over if a bull is pushed out of the ring or one of the opponents simply becomes too tired and turns tail and romps or walks away. The bulls have very special relationships with their trainers and are known to be given loving facial massages after bouts to help quiet them down again. This pair may or may not have been involved in the centuries old sport. Fighters or not, they appears to be winners to me.

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