BazanPhotos | Photography Workshop The Argentinian bullfight

Photography by Ernesto Bazan

The Argentinian bullfight

BazanPhotos has the pleasure to offer a new workshop in Latin America. The northern indigenous part of Argentina and the splendid city of Buenos Aires will be the venues of this new adventure. We will spend 7 days in and around the Jujuy region visiting and photographing, as always, daily life in the various villages and little towns. We will also have the opportunity to take pictures of the only bloodless bullfight in Argentina taking place in the small colonial village of Casabindo situated at 3,377 meters above sea level during the celebrations of the Virgin of the Asuncion.

From our base, the small city of Humahuaca, we will take daily road trips to explore some of the most interesting indigenous villages of the area. The students shooting digital will have the opportunity to have their work reviewed on a daily basis. For the students shooting b&w or color negative film the editing process will take place upon our return to Buenos Aires, where we will spend the last three days of the workshop. We will also have the opportunity to visit some of the most interesting parts of the capital of Argentina, one of the most fascinating city of Latin America, a sort of Paris with a strong Italian influence.

It’s strongly advised to all participants to arrive to Buenos Aires at least a day before the workshop starts in order to rest after the long journey and acclimate yourself. Keep in mind that August in Argentina is full winter. Please bring the appropriate clothing.

Our first meeting will take place the day before the workshop starts in the hall of the hotel where we will be staying in BA and where we will be housed upon our return from the week spent in the North of the country. If you wish, I can reserve a room in the same hostal for this additional night. We will leave BA the next morning on our way to the city of San Salvador de Jujuy.

THE BULLFIGHT OF THE RIBBON
It is a bullfight, singular in all of Argentina, which takes place in Casabindo, an old indigenous settlement, is a traditional place in the highlands of Jujuy, surrounded by mountains. On occasion of the Patron Saint's Day of Our Lady of the Ascension on August 15th, the village streets are filled with people dancing typical and traditional dances. Amongst these we can mention the so-called Danza de los Samilantes, a fair offering local sweets and other regional produce. The bullfight is called the Bullfight of the Ribbon - Toreo de la Vincha, where the participants try to snatch a ribbon with silver coins from the horns of the bull, a ribbon, which the winner later offers up to the Virgin. This bullfight will take place in the square in front of the church.

It is a tradition brought to Argentina by the Spaniards and which has been embellished with the proper characteristics of the northern part of Argentina. Its main difference is that the animal is not wounded or killed as in other regular bullfights.

As a sample of two cultures living together in harmony is the fact that while you watch the preparations for the bullfight, not far off, a ceremony called Calpachada, consisting of the burial of coca leaves and alcoholic beverages as a payment to the Mother Earth - Pachamama takes place since the month of August is also the month of sacrifice to this deity.

In pre-Hispanic times, a branch of the Inca road passed through Casabindo on its way to Chile, and during colonial times it was the capital of the local Encomienda or Spanish land grant.

The first impression the traveler receives when he arrives to the small village of Casabindo is the sight of the shining white immense church against the reddish brown backdrop of the rocky mountainside cliffs. Its buildings are mainly made out of adobe clay and stonewall, with roofs of clay and straw; the houses climb up the steep cliff sides where they blend in with the big ochre colored cliff sides.

This workshop continues the work on bulls, on life and death, themes on which I have been probing throughout the years in various workshops in Latin America.

For further information on the workshops and the cost of the 10-day workshop please write to workshops@bazanphotos.com or ernesto_bazan@hotmail.com