Travel Oman: The ancient ritual of bull fighting

You always think of Spain and not Oman when you think of bullfighting, don’t you. But surprise, surprise. Bullfighting dates back several centuries in the Sultanate, and plays a key role in the lives of the Omani folk.
Bullfighting events are often held in a rink in Barka in the South Batinah Governorate, among others, and are often a spectacle attended by entire communities from the villages and towns that are located in the vicinity of the rink.
Families often make a day of it, as children and their parents watch with bated breath as the spectacle unfolds.
The excitement in the atmosphere at these events is quite palpable with strong emotions which is accompanied by a frenzied crowd, as they bear witness to the spectacle of two bulls charging towards each other, and suspense building with each passing second as they wait for the inevitable clash.
And when it does finally take place, when these two colossal beasts indeed do lock horns, pent-up energy of the audience is released in emotional howls and awed gasps. The audience knows that they are not cheering on a blood sport, but one that has the welfare of the animals in mind as well. Bullfighting in Oman is a bloodless sport, and the match lasts till one bull is either knocked down or runs away.
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According to the Diana Darke and Sandra Shields, the authors of the book Oman, “This usually takes place on Friday afternoons in the winter months at several places along the Batinah coast. Unlike Spanish bullfighting, the sport in Oman is bloodless. Two Brahmin bulls fight until the first is knocked down or runs away. It begins at 1600 hrs and lasts just a few minutes. The bulls lock horns in a test of strength, trying to push each other over into the sand or make them run away. There is no prize money, only honour and prestige for the winner.
“In Oman, traditions are valued for their own sake, thereby making bullfighting a natural spectacle devoid of commercialism” they added. “No harm comes to the bulls, as they are matched in age, strength and weight by a panel of judges and a rope is tied to each bull so that they can be separated if need be. The bulls are often given heroic names from Islamic literature, or even the names of American wrestlers.”
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