(Pamplona, Spain, July 06. Reuters) - The launch of the traditional "chupinazo" rocket that marks the beginning of the San Fermin, Pamplona became today, in northern Spain.
To cries of "Viva San Fermin" the fuse of the rocket was lit announcing nine uninterrupted holidays.
Thousands of people dressed in white packed the town hall square and surroundings, with their handkerchiefs extended to form a red cloak, unmistakable symbol of the San Fermin festival has begun.
Joy flooded the old part of town, with thousands of locals and tourists from around the world come to live the festivities universalized by the American writer Ernest Hemingway in his novel "The Sun Also Rises" (1932).
However, not until 08:00 am on Saturday when there is the main event of the San Fermin festival, with the first closure.
Hundreds of "boys" run then through the narrow streets of the historic center of the city in front of six bulls in a stretch of 800 meters, separating the Santo Domingo corrals to the bullring, where animals will be fought hours later.
Minutes of tension, intense emotion and not without danger, as they often crash and cause incidents, with the result of several bruised and wounded.
In total, 15 runners have died so far, the last in 2009, a Spanish teenager Daniel Jimeno Romero, 27, who died on July 10 of that year and was gored in the neck by a bull while running alomg the route.
As stated by mayor Enrique Maya on the eve of San Fermin, "If a party is in times of crisis, that's San Fermin, with plenty of street events and where you can enjoy a lot with a controlled spending. "
Among the events planned, the main novelty this year is the traditional "Riau-Riau", the march of the municipal corporation to the chapel of San Fermin this afternoon, to be released again after 16 year absence from the official program for the recorded incidents caused by young radical nationalists.
"Riau-Riau" is just one of the 431 official events, of which 305 are music, 77 are children and family activities, 33 consist of bullfighting, eight are rural sport exhibitions and many other institutional events.
This year nearly 2,500 professionals in the media have requested credentials to the town of Pamplona.
After nine days of bulls and party, the traditional "Poor me!", Sung by thousands of throats at midnight of the last festive day, July 14, will lay off another year of San Fermin.
As a Spanish major, specializing in the literature and culture of Spain (as opposed to those aspects of Latin America), I am very familiar with this particular festival. Mitchener wrote about this in Iberia. I read that chapter over and over again and said to myself, "Go figure!"
I wonder if there is any connection to the Arab influence in Spain?
The festival realy got started during the Reconquista, as Pamplona was the "gateway" from Europe for trade flowing into the "Re-Christianized northern Spanish territories.
In the 7-900's, the region traded hands many times due to the shifting allegiances of Basque nobles, but after 900 it was all downhill for Moorish interests except in Granada, the southernmost region of Spain.
As a Spanish major, specializing in the literature and culture of Spain (as opposed to those aspects of Latin America), I am very familiar with this particular festival. Mitchener wrote about this in Iberia. I read that chapter over and over again and said to myself, "Go figure!"
ReplyDeleteI wonder if there is any connection to the Arab influence in Spain?
The festival realy got started during the Reconquista, as Pamplona was the "gateway" from Europe for trade flowing into the "Re-Christianized northern Spanish territories.
ReplyDeleteIn the 7-900's, the region traded hands many times due to the shifting allegiances of Basque nobles, but after 900 it was all downhill for Moorish interests except in Granada, the southernmost region of Spain.
The animated graphic map pretty much says it all, illustrating the strategic importance of Pamplona as a major trade route.
ReplyDelete