Andrea
Testoni photojournalism
The
Farra do Boi party
They
even say that the bull represents Satan, so by fustigating it they will be
free from their own sins.Even though this controversial ceremony is not allowed
by law, many people from small villages still engage in this tradition. Many
times they will do it at night to avoid the attention of the media or the
police.
Today, the authorities allow the tradition to happen only in one village and
under strict rules, forbidding animal cruelty. However when the spirits are
high, men are completelly drunk, they abuse the animals and threaten fisically
anyone trying to document the ceremony, fearing the bad press they would get,
which could terminate the open continuity of this tradition.
In
the South region of Brazil, in the State of Santa Catarina, a religious ceremony
brought by the Portuguese more than 200 years ago is still alive, causing
indignation to the general population and, specially, the animal-rights organisations.
Fishermen from small fisher villages wait anxiously all year for the Easter
break, when they will spend their days running after bulls finding enjoyment
in the animal's desperation. They will hit the animal, ocasionally killing
it. Many times the animal will run towards the sea to try to escape and will
eventually drown exhausted.
The
justification for this ceremony is that the bull would represent Judas, so by
hitting the bull they would punish Judas and help save Jesus Christ.
