16 Sep Panama’s Angry Bull Festival
I wonder why the bull is angry?
By Rebecca Reiber
The National Angry Bull Festival celebrates its 50th year this October 10 – 14 in Antón.
The Festival Nacional del Toro Guapo de Antón is high on the must-see list if you want to get a taste for the history, traditions and everyday life in the Panamanian countryside, or what I like to call The Real Panama. Since moving to Antón some 7 years ago, I never miss this amazing festival. But then, how could I? The festival engulfs the whole colonial area of town where I live.
After my first Toro Guapo festival, I got to thinking about its name. I hadn’t seen any activities judging how handsome (guapo) the bulls were. But I had seen plenty of bull fights. I admit that was skeptical about this bull festival when I first heard about it. Seriously, bull fights in the middle of town? After day one I was relieved to clear up that misunderstanding. These are mock bull fights, a choreographed dance between men dressed as bulls. The winner earns the right to dance with the festival queen. Thinking about the handsome thing, though, it finally hit me! Guapo has two meanings, handsome and angry. This is the Angry Bull Festival, not the Handsome Bull Festival as I initially thought.
Festival Nacional del Toro Guapo de Antón
During the whole festival the angry bulls vie for the festival queen and princesses as they dance and prance around the streets for 3 days before the big event. The big event is a staged fight between two of the costumed man-bulls where, by some means that’s still a mystery to me, a winner is declared. Also a mystery to me is how the two bulls are picked for the fight. To me these mysteries are part of the charm of living in small-town Panama. I could ask about these technicalities, but it feels like the events would lose some of their magic if I knew.
Photo credit to Stu Turner and Villa Astoria
Another interesting thing about this bull fight is that it always occurs on time, at daybreak in front of the church on the Sunday of the festival. Why is this so interesting? Well, if you’ve been in Panama for more than a day or two, you’ll have realized that almost nothing happens ‘on time’. In Antón it’s fair to say that nothing except this bull fight ever happens on time. And that’s another of the charms of living here. Time is fluid. Things happen when they happen. Everyone’s not governed by the clock. Of course, my inner gringa sometimes kicks in and I want my 8am appointment to happen at 8am. But then I just take a deep breath and remind myself of the peaceful, laid-back pace and close my eyes, read a magazine or check social media.
What else does the Angry Bull Festival offer?
Fair type booths set up all around town sell cutarras (sandals) and other typical Panamanian handicrafts and food. Daily parades showcase Panama’s Polleras (traditional dresses), tamborito music and dance.
Townspeople of all ages participate in these parades, from babes in arms to senior citizens. Thursday and Friday evening and throughout the day on Saturday there are presentations by folk groups from throughout the country, singing, dancing and playing the tamboritos (drums). Saturday there are free tastings of a typical rice dish called guacho and sweets like manjar blanco. Be sure to pay attention and get in line, they run out fast!
Old fashioned contests are also held on Saturday, such as shucking corn and rice, hulling corn and rice, hauling firewood, splitting firewood, peeling coconuts and shredding coconuts. There are also contests for the best made sombrero pintado, the traditional Panamanian hat, and for the tamborito song, dance and drumming groups.
So, even if the bull is angry, not handsome, the National Angry Bull Festival is a must-see for anyone who’s interested in Panamanian culture, history, song, dance, handicrafts and more.
Coronado Concierge Panama is planing a trip to the event. If you like to join us please sign up here
For special overnight packages at the Villa Anton please contact Rebecca Reiber directly.
Rebecca Reiber came to Panama in 2005 to provide volunteer community planning and development services to a rural municipality in Darien. She has worked in rural communities throughout the country and now lives in Antón, where she is founding a permaculture based EcoVillage (http://8thLifePanama.org) and runs a cooperative shared living and working space called Casa Ubuntu.