AGUASCALIENTES, Mexico (AP) 鈥 Mexican matador Diego Silveti performs a ritual ahead of each bullfight.
In each hotel room where he dresses in the garment that may bring him glory or death, he sets up an altar where he leaves his wedding band and prays before heading to the arena.
鈥淏y leaving my ring behind, I鈥檓 telling God: Here鈥檚 everything I am as a father, a husband, a son and a brother,鈥 Silveti said. 鈥淚 commit to what I was born to be 鈥 a bullfighter.鈥
He last encountered a bull in late April in Aguascalientes, a state in central Mexico where bullfighting is considered a cultural heritage. Weeks before, though, Mexico City violent bullfighting in the nation鈥檚 capital.
While matadors there are still allowed to fight bulls, piercing their muscles with laces or running a sword through their body is prohibited under that ban.
Animal rights advocates celebrated the ruling and Environment Secretary Julia 脕lvarez said the lawmakers made history. But matadors like Silveti, as well as fans and cattle breeders, contend this long-time bears a that would be undermined if bulls can't be killed in the arena.
鈥淲hat they propose goes against the essence and the rituals of bullfighting,鈥 Silveti said. 鈥淚t鈥檚 a veiled prohibition that opposes the ways in which it has been done since its origins.鈥
Bullfighting in Mexico traces its roots to Spain
The European conquerors of Mesoamerican territories in the 16th century brought along and cultural practices that are now with Indigenous customs.
Researcher and bullfighting fan Antonio Rivera lives in , a southeastern state where bullfights reflect ancient Mayan traditions.
鈥淚n local celebrations, the roots of bullfighting are sacrificial rites,鈥 Rivera said. 鈥淎ncient cultures believed the gods requested sacrifices and blood fertilizes the earth.鈥
Every year, the 驰耻肠补迟谩苍 peninsula celebrates about 2,000 events featuring bulls, he said.
In 2021, 驰耻肠补迟谩苍鈥檚 Congress declared bullfighting part of its cultural heritage. It was a way to keep the ancestral memory alive, the official declaration said, and a way to honor its people鈥檚 identity.
鈥淲hen I see a bull, I feel an immense devotion,鈥 Rivera said. 鈥淚t鈥檚 a mirror of myself. It鈥檚 like looking at a living museum containing all the rituals from our collective memory.鈥
Like father, like son
Instead of soccer balls, Silveti grew up playing with 鈥渕uletas鈥 and 鈥渃apotes鈥 鈥 the brightly colored capes matadors use to channel the bull鈥檚 charge.
His father was one of Mexico鈥檚 most beloved and renowned bullfighters. Until his death in 2003, fans called him 鈥淜ing David鈥 and many remember him fondly when his son is in the ring.
鈥淣o one asked us where we wanted to be born,鈥 Silveti said. 鈥淭he love towards the bull and the feast of bullfighting has been my life and my ancestors' life.鈥
His grandfather and his father before him were also matadors. Silveti emphasizes that his sons 鈥 now ages 6 and 2 鈥 will decide their profession, but he would proudly support them if they followed in his footsteps.
Neither the boys nor his wife watch him at the bullring, but Silveti conveys his passion in other ways. His family often visit ranches where bulls are breed. Occasionally, with his sons in his arms, Silveti bullfights baby cows.
鈥淢y youngest loves it,鈥 the matador said. 鈥淲hen he watches a bullfight, he plays with a napkin or a cloth and says 鈥極l茅!鈥 How is that possible?鈥
Each bullfight has its rituals
鈥淭he King鈥 was no longer alive when Silveti became a professional bullfighter in Spain in 2011, but he senses his father's presence constantly.
鈥淚 feel his spirit in my soul,鈥 Silveti said. 鈥淥n certain days, when I鈥檓 alone and focused, I try to speak to him and follow his example.鈥
As a child, Silveti never watched his father at the ring. He stayed home with his mother and brothers. With no social media at hand to monitor live updates, they asked God to protect him.
Many matadors, like Silveti, pray ahead of each bullfight. At the Aguascalientes plaza, the Rev. Ricardo Cu茅llar blesses them.
鈥淢y job is to attend the religious needs of the bullfighting family,鈥 Cu茅llar said. 鈥淣ot only matadors, but also aficionados, those selling food at the arena and the bullfighters鈥 assistants.鈥
According to Tauromaquia Mexicana, Mexico鈥檚 biggest bullfighting organization, more than 20,000 jobs depend on this tradition.
A take on bulls
One of the organizations opposed to violent bullfighting, Cultura sin Tortura, was pleased by the Mexico City measure and said it would continue its efforts elsewhere. Another half a dozen Mexican states have also imposed bans.
鈥淲e will keep advocating for the prohibition, given that no animal must be seen as entertainment,鈥 the group said on social media.
Cattle breeders, meanwhile, say they view bulls not as sources of income but as fascinating creatures they spend years caring for. Manuel Sescosse, who owns a ranch, said that breeding this specific type of bull is as thrilling as bullfighting.
鈥淭hey must look good at the arena,鈥 Sescosse said. 鈥淥ffensive but noble. They must charge and simultaneously spark a sensitivity driving the crowds to deep emotion.鈥
The perfect bull for a fight is 4 or 5 years old and weighs between 900-1,200 pounds.
According to Sescosse, each rainy season a bull is mated with 30 cows and their offspring are carefully monitored. Most receive a name. All are fed exclusively with grass and large areas are secured for them to exercise and grow strong. At the proper age, only a handful will be selected for bullfighting.
鈥淵ou watch them since they are born and become calves and grow,鈥 Sescosse said. 鈥淭hat affection grows when they turn out good for a bullfight, leave a mark and are revered.鈥
Long live Centinela
Not everyone attending bullfights is drawn to the sacred aspect, but some do find deeper purpose.
Daniel Salinas says matadors follow strict norms to demonstrate their appreciation toward the bull's life, even as they end it. 鈥淲e celebrate death deriving from a rite in which a human being confronts a wild animal," he said.
At Aguascalientes, when his second bull died, Silveti caressed him and respectfully closed his eyes before stepping out of the arena.
鈥淚鈥檓 aware the bull is offering me everything he has and I鈥檓 also willing to present him with my life,鈥 Silveti said. 鈥淚鈥檝e been gored 13 times and I鈥檝e taken those hits willingly because I do this for a bigger purpose.鈥
It rarely happens, but when a bull has a unique, artistic connection with its matador, his life is spared. Instead of a sword, he gets a 鈥渂anderilla鈥 (a dart-like stick). Then he returns to his ranch and breeds a progeny that fans will revere.
Following Silveti鈥檚 performance in Aguascalientes, Spanish matador Alejandro Talavante faced one of those bulls.
Centinela 鈥 pitch-black hide, four years old, 1,140 pounds 鈥 won the fans' hearts as Talavante鈥檚 passes made him spin and dance. The matador aimed to kill more than once, but the crowd pleaded for him not to. And in the end, the judge indulged.
Centinela gave a final, vigorous run and vanished through the tunnel while thousands cheered. It was a day of glory for him as well.
____
Associated Press religion coverage receives support through the AP鈥檚 with The Conversation US, with funding from Lilly Endowment Inc. The AP is solely responsible for this content.
