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. | 谁掷出开启西班牙番茄战传统的第一颗番茄?没人知道答案。起因也许是反抗独裁者佛朗哥的斗争,或是一场狂欢节脱离了正轨。最为盛行的说法是,在1945年Los Gigantes庆典(即大型纸偶游行)期间,企图惹事生非的当地人无意中发现附近有一辆蔬果车,于是扔起熟番茄来。旁观的人群参与其中,直至场面失控,变成水果漫天飞舞的喧闹大战。闹事者要向番茄小贩赔偿损失,但是这无阻番茄战陆续发生。由此,一个新的传统便诞生了。 当权者恐怕这一活动失控,变得无法无天,于是,在20世纪50年代,通过立法禁止这一活动。禁令有一段时间被放松,之后再次恢复。1951年,胆敢挑衅禁令的当地人遭到囚禁,直到群众声援才获释。最著名的挑衅事件发生在1957年,番茄战的支持者们举行一场模拟番茄殡葬,还带来棺具并举行葬礼游行。在1957年之后,为了解决这个难题,当地政府制定一些规定,接受了这一奇特的传统。 番茄是节日的主角。不过,在番茄大战揭幕之前,会举行一周的庆祝活动,包括沿街巡游、音乐和烟花,充满西班牙式的欢愉,用来纪念布尼奥尔镇的守护神们,即圣母玛利亚和圣人路易斯•贝特朗。在番茄大战举行前夕,“战士”们会享用以米饭、海鲜、藏红花和橄榄油烹调而成的传统巴伦西亚海鲜盛宴。 时至今日,组织者采取了一些措施让番茄战狂欢有了些许秩序。组织者甚至专门为番茄战种植难吃的番茄。早上10点钟,庆祝活动拉开帷幕。参与者争夺绑在油腻的杆上的火腿,旁观者一边向争夺火腿的人泼水,一边载歌载舞。到了中午,教堂的钟声响起,载满番茄的卡车驶进镇里,“番茄、番茄”的欢呼声达到高潮。 庆典的重头戏随着水炮发射正式开始,“战士”们捏碎番茄并掷向对方。无论是远程番茄投掷、近距离暗算或中程勾手投射,在番茄战结束后,你的外表和感觉都会迥然不同。将近一小时过后,被番茄汁浸透的“战士”们在黏糊糊的番茄浆中游戏,已经找不到有番茄模样的物体了。随着第二个水炮发出,番茄战宣告结束。 |