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Bullfighting Tradition in Mexico: In Aguascalientes, Mexico, matador Diego Silveti observes a personal ritual before each bullfight, highlighting the deep cultural roots of bullfighting traditions in the country. As Mexico City grapples with bans on traditional bullfighting practices, the debate over the future of this cultural heritage intensifies.
A Matador’s Ritual: Faith and Tradition Before the Arena
Before facing a bull, Mexican matador Diego Silveti engages in solemn practices in his hotel quarters. He creates a makeshift altar, setting aside his wedding ring as he prepares for a bullfight that may lead him to triumph or demise.
“By leaving my ring behind, I’m telling God: Here’s everything I am as a father, a husband, a son and a brother,” Silveti explained. “I commit to what I was born to be — a bullfighter.”
Silveti’s last encounter with a bull took place in Aguascalientes in late April, a region in central Mexico where bullfighting is esteemed as a cultural legacy. This occurred shortly after Mexico City legislators enacted legislation restricting violent bullfighting within the nation’s capital.
While the ban permits matadors to engage in bullfights, it forbids piercing the animals with “laces” or using swords, seeking to curtail the bloodiest aspects of the traditional spectacle.
Advocates for animal rights have celebrated it as a landmark achievement, while figures such as Environment Secretary Julia Álvarez have lauded the lawmakers for their historical decision. However, bullfighters like Silveti, in addition to supporters and cattle ranchers, assert the enduring cultural importance of this custom — a significance they believe would be irreparably harmed if the bulls are not killed in the arena.
“What they propose goes against the essence and the rituals of bullfighting,” Silveti stated. “It’s a veiled prohibition that opposes the ways in which it has been done since its origins.”
Historical Roots: Bullfighting’s Spanish Heritage
Ancient Traditions and Indigenous Customs
Bullfighting in Mexico traces back to the arrival of European conquerors in Mesoamerica during the 16th century. They brought not only Catholicism but also cultural practices that over time, became interwoven with Indigenous traditions.
Antonio Rivera, a researcher and bullfighting enthusiast residing in Yucatán, points out how local bullfights echo ancient Mayan customs.
“In local celebrations, the roots of bullfighting are sacrificial rites,” Rivera elaborated. “Ancient cultures believed the gods requested sacrifices and blood fertilizes the earth.”
The Yucatán peninsula hosts approximately 2,000 bull-related events annually.
- In 2021, Yucatán’s Congress declared bullfighting to be a cultural treasure, preserving ancient memories and honoring the identities of its people.
“When I see a bull, I feel an immense devotion,” Rivera said. “It’s a mirror of myself. It’s like looking at a living museum containing all the rituals from our collective memory.”
A Family Legacy: From Father to Son
Following in the Footsteps of “King David”
Diego Silveti’s upbringing differed significantly from that of most children; instead of playing soccer, he grew up wielding “muletas” and “capotes,” the colorful capes utilized by matadors to guide the bull’s movements during a fight.
His father was a celebrated bullfighter known as “King David.” His legacy continues to resonate with fans whenever Silveti enters the ring.
“No one asked us where we wanted to be born,” Silveti remarked. “The love towards the bull and the feast of bullfighting has been my life and my ancestors’ life.”
Silveti, a third-generation matador, emphasizes that while his sons (ages 6 and 2) will choose their vocations, he’d support them in following his path.
His family observes his devotion outside of bullrings; though his wife and sons do not watch him compete, they often visit ranches that breed bulls. Silveti occasionally bullfights young cows, accompanied by his sons.
“My youngest loves it,” the matador said. “When he watches a bullfight, he plays with a napkin or a cloth and says ‘Olé!’ How is that possible?”
Bullfighting Rituals: Tradition and Spirituality
Prayers and Blessings Before the Confrontation
Despite his father’s passing before Silveti’s professional debut in Spain in 2011, he feels his father’s constant presence.
“I feel his spirit in my soul,” Silveti said. “On certain days, when I’m alone and focused, I try to speak to him and follow his example.”
During his childhood, Silveti stayed home with his mother and siblings, relying on faith and prayers for his father’s safety, lacking live updates from social media.
Like Silveti, many matadors seek blessings prior to each bullfight. At the Aguascalientes plaza, Rev. Ricardo Cuéllar ministers to their spiritual needs.
“My job is to attend the religious needs of the bullfighting family,” Cuéllar noted. “Not only matadors, but also aficionados, those selling food at the arena and the bullfighters’ assistants.”
According to Tauromaquia Mexicana, Mexico’s primary bullfighting organization, this tradition supports more than 20,000 jobs.
Perspectives on Bulls: Animal Rights vs. Cultural Significance
Differing Views on Bullfighting’s Role
Cultura sin Tortura, an organization opposing bullfighting, welcomed Mexico City’s restrictions and aims to extend such bans elsewhere. About half a dozen other Mexican states have also enforced similar prohibitions.
“We will keep advocating for the prohibition, given that no animal must be seen as entertainment,” the group stated via social media.
The Art of Cattle Breeding
Ranchers counter, viewing bulls as more than commodities; they are creatures with unique characteristics. Manuel Sescosse, a ranch owner, equates breeding fighting bulls with the excitement of bullfighting itself.
“They must look good at the arena,” Sescosse said. “Offensive but noble. They must charge and simultaneously spark a sensitivity driving the crowds to deep emotion.”
The ideal fighting bull is 4 to 5 years old, weighing between 900 and 1,200 pounds.
According to Sescosse, one bull is mated with 30 cows each rainy season, and their offspring are closely monitored. Each receives a name and is exclusively fed grass. Spacious areas are set aside to promote exercise and healthy development with only the finest selected for bullfighting.
“You watch them since they are born and become calves and grow,” said Sescosse. “That affection grows when they turn out good for a bullfight, leave a mark and are revered.”
Centinela’s Triumph: A Bull’s Redemption
Celebrating Life and Art in the Arena
While not all attendees focus on the sacred aspect of bullfighting, many find deeper meaning in the spectacle.
Daniel Salinas emphasizes that matadors follow strict norms to demonstrate their admiration for the bull’s life. “We celebrate death deriving from a rite in which a human being confronts a wild animal,” he said.
In Aguascalientes, Silveti caressed his second bull and respectfully closed its eyes when it died.
“I’m aware the bull is offering me everything he has and I’m also willing to present him with my life,” Silveti said. “I’ve been gored 13 times and I’ve taken those hits willingly because I do this for a bigger purpose.”
A Rare Act of Mercy
On rare occasions, a bull and matador develop a unique bond, and the bull’s life is spared. Instead of being killed, it receives a “banderilla,” and returns to the ranch in order to breed a noteworthy progeny.
Following Silveti’s performance in Aguascalientes, Spanish matador Alejandro Talavante faced one such bull called Centinela.
Centinela—pitch-black, four years old, and weighing 1,140 pounds—captivated spectators as Talavante’s passes induced fluid spins and movements and despite the matador’s initial intent to kill, the audience pleaded for the bull’s reprieve. The judge ultimately granted their request.
Centinela concluded with a powerful run before exiting through the tunnel, celebrated by thousands. This was a day of glory for Centinela, too.