Who cast that first fateful tomato that started the La Tomatina revolution? The reality is no one knows. Maybe it was an anti-Franco rebellion, or a carnival that got out of hand. According to the most popular version of the story, during the 1945 festival of Los Gigantes (a giant paper mâché puppet parade), locals were looking to stage a brawl to get some attention. They happened upon a vegetable cart nearby and started hurling ripe tomatoes. Innocent onlookers got involved until the scene escalated into a massive melee of flying fruit. The instigators had to repay the tomato vendors, but that didn't stop the recurrence of more tomato fights—and the birth of a new tradition.
Fearful of an unruly escalation, authorities enacted, relaxed, and then reinstated a series of bans in the 1950s. In 1951, locals who defied the law were imprisoned until public outcry called for their release. The most famous effrontery to the tomato bans happened in 1957 when proponents held a mock tomato funeral complete with a coffin and procession. After 1957, the local government decided to roll with the punches, set a few rules in place, and embraced the wacky tradition.
Though the tomatoes take center stage, a week of festivities lead up to the final showdown. It's a celebration of Buñol's patron saints, the Virgin Mary and St. Louis Bertrand, with street parades, music, and fireworks in joyous Spanish fashion. To build up your strength for the impending brawl, an epic paella is served on the eve of the battle, showcasing an iconic Valencian dish of rice, seafood, saffron, and olive oil.
Today, this unfettered festival has some measure of order. Organizers have gone so far as to cultivate a special variety of unpalatable tomatoes just for the annual event. Festivities kick off around 10 a.m. when participants race to grab a ham fixed atop a greasy pole. Onlookers hose the scramblers with water while singing and dancing in the streets. When the church bell strikes noon, trucks packed with tomatoes roll into town, while chants of "To-ma-te, to-ma-te!" reach a crescendo.
Then, with the firing of a water cannon, the main event begins. That's the green light for crushing and launching tomatoes in all-out attacks against fellow participants. Long distance tomato lobbers, point-blank assassins, and medium range hook shots. Whatever your technique, by the time it's over, you will look (and feel) quite different. Nearly an hour later, tomato-soaked bombers are left to play in a sea of squishy street salsa with little left resembling a tomato to be found. A second cannon shot signals the end of the battle. | 是谁投掷了第一个改变命运的西红柿,从此掀起了这场“西红柿大战”?其实并没有人知道,也许是一个反对佛朗哥独裁统治的反对者,或许是一个狂欢节上失控的狂欢者。流传最广的故事版本是,在1945年的“巨人节”(用混凝纸做成的巨人木偶游行)期间,一些当地人为了吸引眼球而故意打闹。这些人碰巧在一个蔬菜车旁边,他们就顺手拿起车上熟透多汁的西红柿相互投掷,然后无辜的旁观者们也被卷入战斗。情况愈演愈烈,直至现场升级为蔬果满天飞的大规模混战。虽然肇事者们事后不得不赔偿西红柿小贩的损失,但是这并没有阻止更多的西红柿大战一再发生——就这样,一个新的传统诞生了。 由于担心混乱不断加剧,当地政府在20世纪50年代颁布了一系列西红柿禁令,然后又被迫放宽,后来又恢复了禁令。 1951年,一些违反禁令的当地人被关押,直到后来在公众舆论的压力下才得以释放。反抗西红柿禁令最有名的闹剧发生在1957年,西红柿大战的支持者们为了抗议而假装为西红柿举行葬礼,并抬着一口棺材游行。 1957年后,当地政府决定做出让步,为西红柿大战设置了一些规则,并最终接受了这一疯狂的传统。 西红柿大战只是庆祝活动的压轴戏,将为期一周的节日推向最后的高潮。这是一个庆祝布尼奥尔镇守护神——圣母玛利亚和圣路易斯•波特朗的节日。庆祝活动包括具有西班牙喜庆特色的街头游行、音乐和焰火。为了给即将到来的混战储备能量,大战前夕会供应丰盛的西班牙大锅饭,这是一道经典的巴伦西亚美食,由大米、海鲜、藏红花和橄榄油等烹制而成。 如今,这个疯狂的节日已有了一定的规则。节日的组织者们甚至培育了一种特殊的、难吃的西红柿,专门用于这个一年一度的盛事。庆祝活动在上午10点左右拉开序幕,这时参与者们竞相爬上一根涂有油脂的木杆,去争抢挂在顶上的一块火腿。围观者们则一边在街道上唱歌、跳舞,一边拿起水管子用水冲那些爬在杆子上的人。当教堂正午的钟声敲响时,几辆满载西红柿的大卡车开进小镇,这时“西——红——柿,西——红——柿!”的欢呼声就沸腾起来了。 接着,一声水炮打响,重头戏开始了。参与者们开始挤烂西红柿全力出击,扔向其他人。无论你用的是哪种攻击技术,是长距离高射,近距离突袭,还是中距离勾手投,到大战结束的时候,你都会看起来很不一样(感觉也相当不同)。差不多一个小时后,满街都是粘稠的西红柿酱,浑身上下沾满西红柿酱的投弹手们已经身处于西红柿酱的海洋中,而此时也几乎找不到一个完整的西红柿了。这时第二声水炮打响,标志着大战结束了。 |