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Spain's bullfighters seek cultural recognition
The tradition of bullfighting in Spain has not had an easy time of it this year. With pressure from animal rights activists and a petition signed by 180,000 people, Catalonia voted to ban the specatcle from January 2012. Spain's bullfighters are fighting back though, and their demands for bullfighting to be managed by the Ministry of Culture rather than the Interior Ministry have been agreed by the government.
The matadors hope that they will receive greater support from the Ministry of Culture which will allow the tradition to be preserved in the interests of cultural heritage. Bullfighting is popular in Andalucia, Valencia, Extremadura & Castilla-y-Leon, where it provides livelihoods for many people. Arenas are regularly filled to capacity for the spectacle.
Polls do show that a growing number of the Spanish population disapprove of the tradition, particularly with the younger generation. There have been protests in Mallorca against protecting bullfighting out of cultural interest. There are bullfighting arenas in Palma, Alcudia, Muro, Felanitx, and Inca.
