Dancing with Bulls

As some of you who have visited this blog before know, this blog is about a unique fireworks celebration where people build colorful big bulls and then load them with free-roaming rockets. After parading them through the main streets of Tultepec, Mexico, they light a fuse that in most cases in connected to up to 1,000 rockets. Having been there already five years in a row, all I can say is that it´s really crazy, exciting and a hell of an adventure.


I always manage to ruin a good pair of pants and a sweat jacket and end up with some minor burns. However, that has not always been the case.(I´ll talk about that in another post).

If you are lost by now about what I am talking about just go down the blog and watch the video "Dancing with Bulls, Extreme Fireworks" and maybe what I am saying will make some sense.

I promised in my last post that I would tell the story of why this strange celebration is held. Well, as you know there are a lot of people left in the world that have strong religious beliefs, some which maybe some people don´t agree with. However, I am in support of most religious traditions that allow you to have some real fun.

The burning of the bulls on March 8 celebrates Saint John of God, an important Christian figure in 16th century Spain who dedicated most of his adult life to helping the sick and the poor, especially in the City of Granada. He is also remembered for his heroic actions. He was somebody who did not think twice about rescuing people who were in dangerous situations created by fire or water. If he were alive today he would be a thrill-seeker and at the same time someone who would risk his life to rescue anybody in a difficult situation.

So what did he do that merits for him to be remembered many centuries later and in country outside of his own?

Well, the Royal Hospital of Granada caught on fire. Back in the 16th century, there was no such thing as firefighters. He arrived at the scene of the fire and watched a big crowd of people in front of the hospital just standing and not doing anything. The fire had pretty much engulfed the entire building. He went in and led and carried the patients out of the burning hospital. After he accomplished that, he went back to the burning hospital to try to control the fire. The roof collapsed over him and people who were watching thought that John was consumed by the fire.



Anyway, according to the oral tradition a few minutes later he came out of the smoking rubble alive and untouched by the flames as if a miracle had happened or he was just lucky or immune to the fire. Either way, after he died years later and in consideration of his selfless work for the sick, the poor and his heroic actions, he was made a saint by the Catholic church.

Tultepec is a town where the majority of people make and burn fireworks as a way to make a living. Long time ago they chose Saint John of God as their patron saint for their trade. They believe in making a fireworks offering (in the form of bulls loaded with rockets) as a way to gain some divine protection against the risks involved with working with fireworks (which do claim victims in spite of safety measures). So they celebrate the saint´s fearless attitude towards fire by grabbing literally the bull (or fireworks) by the horns.

Once a year they face the risk head on in a festive, adrenaline-laced, and explosive celebration that is unique in the world. The festivity includes other not-so-risky events and can last up to nine days. For fireworks lovers, it´s one of the world´s hot spots for enjoying fireworks within close range.

That´s what this festivity and this blog is all about.