LEGEND :

• Terms used in the Camargue bull games
• Terms used in Spanish bullfighting

GLOSSARY :

Abrivado  : Bulls released in a village street, running from one end to the other surrounded by gardians on horseback (the opposite of « bandido »).

  Aficionado : A person who appreciates or is passionate about something.

Anouble : A young bull, one year old (yearling).

Attributs : The objects (cockade, tassels and strings) attached around the bull’s horns for the game. Each object is grabbed with a sort of comb (see « crochet ») and earns a prize for the « raseteur ».

Bandido : Leading the bulls back to the pastures at the end of the afternoon after the bull races or games (the opposite of « abrivado »)

Becerrada : Sham or feigned killing

Biòu : Provençal word for bull, used to refer to a gelding or castrated bull. In the Camargue games is used to refer to a « cocardier ».

Biòu d’Or : Annual prize given by a jury to the best cockade bull of the season.

Bouvino ou bouvine : Applies to anything having to do with Camargue bulls, including the geographical area of production, and the farms or ranches involved. Anything having to do with the « Biou ». Associated with those who have the « Fé de Bioù ».

Cabestria : Releasing of the cabestros (bulls with bells) into the arena where they must lead the bulls refused for the fight back into the bull pen.

Capea : Bullfight without picador or killing.

Capelado : Provençal word with the same root as « capel », meaning « hat ». Refers to the moment before the game when the « razeteurs » enter the arena and salute the President of the games and the public.

Carmen : The Toreador song, an excerpt from this opera by Bizet, is played during the « capelado » or as a reward for a bull who has attacked the wall or at the end of his time limit if his performance is considered worthy. Through the bull it is a way of rewarding the ranch.

Cocarde : Cockade or rosette, a little red ribbon attached between the horns of the bull.

Cocardier : Camargue bull who has shown bravery and agressivity in the ring.

Concours de manades : Competition where bulls are furnished by several different ranches or« manades ».

Coup de barrière : The « raseteur » races toward the fence and jumps over, forcing the bull following him to crash into the fence. This « coup de barrière » is usually spectacular and rewarded by the President of the games with the playing of « Carmen » in honor of the bull.

Coup de revers : Defensive movement of the head by the « cocardier ».

Coupe de la cocarde : Cut off the cockade : cut the string holding the cocade. Usually the single word « coupe » is used to refer to this cutting.

Coupe du frontal : Cutting the forehead string. Cutting the string that held the cockade in place on the forehead. Often referred to simple by « frontal ».

Couper le taureau : A poor quality « raset » where the « raseteur ‘s » trajectory meets the bull’s too violently.

Couper le terrain : The « cocardier » cuts across in front of the « raseteur ». Synonym : anticipate

Courir : Run. Used in referring to a « raseteur » or a bull participating in a Camargue game.

Courir aux emboulés : Running with bulls which have balls on their horns to prevent accidents.

Courir cornes nues : Running with bulls with unprotected horns (litterally « bare horned »), without balls. Synonym : « courir en pointes ». Opposite : « courir aux emboulés ».

Course : word used today to refer to any type of bull game or race in the Camargue tradition, except for branding and comedies.

Course camarguaise : official name of the game known as the « course libre » or « course à la cocarde », the Camargue bull game, an official sport since 1975.

Course de nuit : Night game. Activity where young locals test their courage against young bulls. Also a chance for the ranchers to test their most promising animals.

Course de protection : Camargue game in which young « raseteurs » are opposed to joung « cocardiers » less than 6 years old. In this game the young bull is protected in order to nurture his courage and agressivity. Often referred to simply as « protection ».

Course libre : « Free race » : in the original 19th century game no special qualities or training were necessary and everyone present participated.

Crochet : The word comes from a Provençal word « crouchet » and refers to an instrument in the shape of a claw which the raseteur uses to grab the cockade from the « cocardier’s » head.

Devise : From the Castilian word « divisa ». Motto. Refers to the ranch colors.

Doublen ou doublenco : two-year-old bull.

Ecarter (s’ ...) : Used when a raseteur splits in front of a « cocardier » to escape from a difficult situation.

Ecole taurine : Bull school. Where youngsters learn the techniques of the Camargue bull games.

Embouler : Placing protective balls on the bull’s horns.

Encierro : bulls running in the streets.

Encocarder : putting the cockade and other « attributs » on the head of the bull.

Escoussure : A cut on the ears of the bull. Each ranch has a different form of cut, which allows the bulls to be easily identified.

Fé di Biòu : Appreciation and passion for the Camargue bulls. This passion also includes horses and is shared by the inhabitants of the villages who take to the streets to participate in or admire the bull games and races.

Ferrade, ferrado : Branding. The operation consists in placing the ranch brand (sign of recognition, similar to coats of arms), on the left thigh of the yearling, and cutting the ears (escoussure).

Ficelle : string. A 70-90 cm long linen string, called « saddlemakers’ thread », used to attach the cockade on the bull’s forehead.

Frontal : flat part of the bull’s head between the eyebrows and the horns. The word is used to refer to the string tied between the bases of the horns at the back of the forehead. The raseteur can win a prize if he can grab this string.

Glands : Tassels. Two little white wool pompoms attached with an elastic at the base of each horn on the head of the Camargue bull. The raseteurs grab these tassels in second position, after the cockade but before the strings.

Jeux gardians : The gardian games are games of skill on horseback executed by the Camargue cowboys.

Manade : herd of horses or bulls, and by extension ranch or farm where they are raised.

Manadier : Comes from the Provençal word « menaïre », meaning leader of a herd. Used to designate the ranch owner.

Nacioun Gardiano : Association founded in 1904 by the marquis Folco de Baroncelli with the function of « maintaining and glorifying the Arlesian costume, the customs and traditions of the bull lands », and to contribute to the spread of the Provençal language (langue d’Oc).

Pena : A musical band composed basically of brass and percussion instruments, playing Spanish-style music (music for bullfights).

Raset : Action of the men known as « raseteurs » who try to graze the bull’s head and grab the cockade with the help of a « crochet ».

Raseter : Derived from the Provençal word « rasa », to shave. Used with the meaning of « to graze » (the bull’s head).

Raseteur : Name given to the man dressed in white who confronts the bull in the Camargue game and tries to grab the cockade ribbon.

Roussataïo : Horses and mares running in the streets with no riders.

Royale : type of Camargue game in which six of the best bulls of a single ranch are in competition.

Saison taurine : Bull season. Period during the year when the Camargue games take place, generally from mid-March to mid-November. Sometimes the simple terme « saison » is used.

Temporada : The corrida or bullfighting season.

Tertulia : debate after the corrida about the details of the fights.

Tienta : A selective test of cows in a ganaderia (ranch raising Spanish bulls), to determine the bravery and nobility of the animals for reproductive purposes.

Trident d’Or : Golden Trident. Annual competition between ranches. A jury awards points to each farm according to the performance of its bulls in the games counting for the trophy.

Tri : Selection. In the morning before a game or a branding, the « manadier » and his gardians cut the selected animals out of the herd and shut them into the corral...

Trident : An iron instrument with three prongs, consisting of a cone-shaped metal sleeve into which a wooden handle (made of ash or chestnut) is placed.

Trophée de l’Avenir : a championship in which many games are organized in different places throughout the season during which the raseteurs receive points for their performances. The trophy is awarded to the raseteur who has totaled the largest number of points at the end of the season. This competition is reserved for raseteurs who are less than 24 years old.

Trophée des As : award similar to those of the other championships. In this competition the participants are ranked in Category 1, the highest level for the raseteurs, by the Trophée des As (aces) Commission.

Trophée des raseteurs : This third trophy is similar to the two above, but involves raseteurs who are not qualified to « courir aux As » (category 1), but who are too old to participate in the « Trophée de l’Avenir ».

Trophée Taurin : a competition organized by local daily newspapers (La Provence and Midi Libre).