In his novel “The Sun Also Rises”, Ernest Hemingway gives people a glimpse into the fascinating tradition of bull running in Pamplona. Over the years, the event has drawn thousands of tourists who flock to San Fermin, Spain so that they can take part in the nine-day festivities.
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A Brief History of the Pamplona Bull Run
The exact year when bull running in Pamplona started is not clear, although there’s evidence that the festival dates back from as far back as the 13th century. The Spanish term for ‘The Running of the Bulls’ event is “encierro”, and it basically involves people running in front of six bulls that have been let loose on the streets.
Unlike bullfighting which started in the 14th century and involves the participation of professional bullfighters, bull running is an event where anybody can join. The purpose of letting the bulls loose in the streets is to transport the beasts from off-site corrals into the bullring where they would be killed in the evening.
It was in 1591 that the first official celebration of the San Fermin festival was moved and held every July 7th. Up to now, the festival begins at the same date every year and lasts until the 14th of July.
The Running of the Bulls
Now, how exactly do the events during the bull running festival proceed? Before 8 am on July 7th, runners should already be at the running area. In Pamplona, the actual run stretches from the corral at Santo Domingo where the bulls are kept. It extends to the bullring where the animals will fight in the afternoon.
In order to prevent the bulls from escaping, the streets through the old town are walled off. The excitement of the events start when the bulls approach at 8 am on the dot. Once the rocket is fired to signal that the gate has been opened at the Santo Domingo corral, runners and bulls will proceed to run the route.
The combination of the bulls running, the thousands of people in attendance and all that drinking actually caused people to get hurt – and even die, but the sport still persists. In fact, if you do not book a room months in advance, you will not have a place to stay at in Pamplona during the festival week.
Should a Bad Economy Get in the Way of Tradition?
During this year’s celebration, the people from Spain shrugged off the economic woes that they have been experiencing over the past few years as tens of thousands of people crowded the historic plaza when a firecracker rocket blasted off to launch the event.
There may not be a lot of money out there, but locals still planned the event in such a way that the feel of the festivities will still be the same. Instead of hiring musicians, they encouraged local bands to play for free.
In the same vein, the local accommodations may not have been overflowing to the brim with guests, but what’s important is that locals and foreigners did venture out to Pamplona to join the festivities.
Instead of a bad economy getting in the way of tradition, it even served as a diversion for the locals to momentarily forget their economic woes.