Haitian-Style Bullfighting, The Most Taboo Animal Sport in the Caribbean
Wherever men gather and wagering is waged, you’re almost sure to find animals being made to do that which they otherwise would not.
In the Caribbean the practice covers a broad spectrum, extending beyond socially accepted forms of animal sport like horse racing and show jumping to include the odd (goat races in Tobago), the curious (donkey races in St. Croix), and, in the opinion of many, the cruel (cockfighting).
Then there’s the truly taboo “sport” of bullfighting as practiced in Haiti.
I learned of Haitian-style bullfighting from my friend Jesse at LargeUp.com during my last visit to the country a few weeks ago, though I didn’t get to actually witness any of it first-hand. Probably a good thing…
And I thought the bullfighting in El Seibo was wild!
No dashing banderillero artfully brandishing a red cape here. Oh no. This is a whole other brand of bullfighting… one that’s obviously not for the faint of heart.
What’s the history behind Haitian bullfighting? How did it start, and why does it continue?
I’ll be on the search for answers during upcoming visits to Haiti in the coming months…
*Photo credit: Flickr user Noah Darnell.
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