Culture

  Flamenco         Bullfighting                  Fiestas                      Food                  Soccer          Religion

Bullfighting has existed in some form since ancient times. Depicted in a wall painting at Knossos in Crete, dating to 2000 B.C., are two acrobats grabbing a bull by its horns and vaulting over its back. In early days bullfighting was also a popular activity in Rome, however the tradition did not take off until it reached Spain.
   Wallpainting from Knossos

Bullfighting in Spain was transformed into an art form by the Moors and Christians. During the eight centuries of unrest of the Spanish War of the Reconquest from 711- 1492 A.D., Moorish and Christian knights would compete in hunting wildlife in the Iberian Peninsula. While killing deer, rabbits, and other small game proved to be a menial challenge, this would change if a group ever ran into an Iberian bull. The knights were struck by the bravery of the animal who would rather die fighting than flee, transforming the hunt into a contest where the bravest knights would prove themselves. This practice was eventually brought into the cities of Andalusia, where it became a spectacle for public enjoyment.

The first public bullfight happened in Vera, Logrono in 1133 at the coronation of king Alfonso VIII. From that point every special occasion was celebrated with a bullfight. In the 18th century bullfighting transformed into an act of artistic significance. Francisco Romero was the first professional bullfighter, named in 1726. Famous matadors Rafael Molin, Belmonte and Manolete each introduced changes to the sport transforming it from its brutal beginnings to an art form.

For many bullfighting is seen as a barbaric and gross act. The senseless killing of an animal. However many enthusiasts think of bullfighting as an artistic dance where the matador must maintain his rhythm to survive and be victorious. Bullfighting can be seen as human cunning triumphing over brute force. Matadors are considered skilled not necessarily if they win, but in the manner that they do so- with grace, wit, and dexterity.

A typical bullfight proceeds in the following manner:
 
The Bull Enters...
   The bull comes into the arena from the bull pen and the matador greets it with a series of veronicas, or moves, with a large  yellow cape. The matador receives applause based on his grace, and how close he gets to the animal.

The Picadors...
   The next part of the corrida involves the picadors who are mounted on horses with lances. After three lancings, a trumpet blows, and the banderilleros, on foot, try to place their banderillas (barbed sticks) into the bull's shoulders.
A matador during the faena

The Matador...
   The last phase of the fight is called the faena. The bull, tired and weakened from the previous rounds, senses that the cape is its true enemy. The matador comes out with his cloth, which is called the serge cloth of the muleta. Each of the matador's moves is carefully done, and probably practiced since childhood, as many matadors come from bullfighting families. Some of these muleta passes are the trincherazo, the pase de la firma, and the manoletina. The matador inches ever closer to the bull, and then strikes the animal with his sword, vaulting over his horns, aiming for the region between the shoulder blades. This is known as the Moment of Truth. Matadors are then judged by the audience on their performance.
The Moment of Truth   Plaza de la

The Castilian Semana Santa is the oldest and holiest holiday in Spain and lasts through the seven days of Easter- Palm Sunday to Easter Sunday. It is a holiday that is celebrated with processions by hermandades, or brotherhoods of Spaniards, to celebrate their Catholic religion. The celebration in Sevilla is by far the most elaborate in the world where more than 1 million people attend annually.

Early morning of Good Friday  Hermandades

Semana Santa began in 1248 when King Fernando III claimed Spain from the Moors. Hermandades, or brotherhoods organized by different professions, had been established during the reconquest to rescue wounded soldiers from the battlefields and to bury the dead. As the Catholic Church began to reinstate its dominance in Spain, these Catholic hermandades grew in numbers. In the 16^th century these hermandades had made a tradition of processions, during Easter week, to celebrate the journey of Christ to Calvary. Semana Santa gained its modern grandeur in the 17^th century, coinciding with the Spanish golden age. 

Sevilla has a total of 57 hermandades, each with up to 3,000 members that participate in organized processions called cofradias. The processions are led by Nazarenos, members of the hermandades each wear long hooded gowns and tall pointed hoods to protect the anonymity of the sinners seeking forgiveness. They carry banners and candles to light their way. They are followed by the penitents who drag crosses on their shoulders, and finally the costaleros, who carry statues on floats that represent scenes from the passion, death, and resurrection of Christ. The images on the floats are hundreds of years old, and often weigh upwards of 1500 kg. It is considered a great honor to be asked to carry a float, as it symbolizes the torture of Christ. Sevilla’s most popular saint, La Macarena, or the Virgin of Hope, is carried through the city while the crowd throws rose petals.

Nazarenos       Costaleros

The crowd has several functions during these processions. Thousands of people line the streets to watch- some happily giving out candles and candies to children, other solemnly worshipping. Occasionally the procession stops and a scene may be reenacted, while the crowd responds by singing pious songs. Processions take place from dawn until midnight.

Feria de Abril

Only two weeks after Semana Santa is the Feria de Abril, which is a huge celebration involving eating, drinking, partying, bullfighting, and Flamenco.

Although begun by Basques and Catalonians in 1847, the Feria has grown to reflect Andalusian culture. It started as an agriculture and cattle fair, and changed overtime to become a celebration of the Andalusian countryside. The mile long fairgrounds is created in Los Remedios district, on the far side of the Guadalquivir River, and is lined by tents, called casetas, which are decorated with stripped canvas, and paper lanterns. Each tent is hosted by groups of rich families, clubs, unions, or political parties, and each has its own unique atmosphere and history. Originally set up for cattle sales, the tents are now used as modern day dance houses. All the women wear brightly colored dresses, and dance flamenco, or “Sevillanas,” the Sevillian version of the dance.
  Flamenco dancers    Tents known as casetas

Several tents are well known in Sevilla and return year after year. One such tent is the “Er 77,” where wine is taken from a well and poured into buckets for consumption. The tent also offers cots in the back for sleeping.  

To pay homage to its agricultural roots, the Feria de Abril has parades of horses and carriages during the day. Most of the parade participants are aristocracy, or of some political rank in Sevilla. The Feria also attracts some of the best matadors from around Spain, and offers bullfights every afternoon.
 A parade featuring horses and carriages during La Feria
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Food
Like its art and architecture, the food of Sevilla is a mixture of Moorish and Castilian influence. Some of the most famous dishes of Sevilla include:
Gazpacho: a cold soup made of tomatoes, cucumbers, paprika, garlic, olive oil, vinegar, and bread.
Pescaito frito: fish fried in olive oil
Huevos a la Flamenca: fried eggs with tomato sauce and Spanish sausage, or chorizo.
Cocido Andaluz: a mixture of chick-peas and other vegetables
Rabo de Toro: part of a bull’s tail

Also extremely popular in Sevilla are Tapas bars. Tapas are small snacks similar to American appetizers. Popular tapas are Huevas, fish eggs with mayonnaise, Pinchos Morunos, spicy bits of meat, Pavias de Pescado, marinated fish in olive oil, Caracoles, snails, Jamon, cured ham, and Olives. Many Moorish desserts also remain in the region including Torrijas and Llemas de San Leandro.
Tapas

Also very popular in Sevilla is sherry wine, Jerez, which is made in the region.

Mercado in Sevilla

"Our norm is the discipline; our ideal, the victory; our aspiration, the strength, and the admiration of the others, our prize."

J. María Miro Trepats (President from 1908 to 1914)

In September 1905 the Sevilla Football Club, or Sevilla FC, was formed under governor D. Jose Contreras Carmona. Second to bullfighting, football (American soccer) is the most popular sport in Sevilla. Sevilla FC has a loyal fan base, and at their home stadium the number of spectators often reaches 30,000 or higher.

First Members of Sevilla FC       Present Team
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Religion

Sevillians, like most Spaniards are predominately Catholic. Catholicism is very important to Sevillians, as the religion has played an important role in the history of Spain. However, in recent years the religion has changed.

 Early Spaniards were sometimes considered more religious than the Pope. In early Spanish history, religion played an important role in the daily life of the people. In those early days Catholicism was also used politically. Catholicism was the ideology used to rally the Spanish against the Moors during the 13^th century. One-hundred years later, Hernan Cortez used Catholicism to justify the conquest of the Americas, in particular the Aztec Nation. Missionary work was common in Spain, as Catholicism was brought to India, Malacca and Japan by Spaniards.
Cortez

 Unique to Sevilla is a small population of Jews. Settled in urbanized locations, like Sevilla, these Jews are mostly immigrants for Northern Africa.

 While certain aspects of religion are still of vital importance in Sevilla, religion is now celebrated with more vivacity. For example, the Semana Santa celebration in Sevilla is one of the largest and most colorful in the world. Though it retains its religious roots, the celebration now includes more secular aspects.

Though the place of religion has undergone change, it is still alive everywhere in Spain.  The most ostentatious buildings in each city, including Sevilla, are the great cathedrals which now sometimes serve as museums. Spanish art is covered with religious symbolism. Even the foods, such as the pastries Santiago de Composetela, have small dough crosses on the top. Most Spaniards attend church weekly, keeping religion central in their lives.
"Agony In the Garden"  by El Greco             Sevilla Cathedral

National Holidays:

• New Year - January 1
• Epiphany - January 6
• Day of San Josh - March 19
• Holy Thursday - April 19
• Good Friday - April 20
• Easter - April 22
• Day of San Josh Artesano - May 1
• Ascension - May 31
• Pentecost - June 10
• Day of San Pedro and San Pablo - June 29 Commemoration of the National Movement -
• July 18 Festival of Santiago - July 25
• Assumption Day - August 15
• Day of the Virgen de Pilar and Commemoration of the discovery of America - October 12
• All Saints Day - November 1
• Day of Immculate Conception - December 8
  
• Christmas - December 25

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