Cultural constructions of fighting birds: the cockfight world in the Canary Islands

斗鸡是一项有争议的活动，因为至少从外部角度来看，斗鸡集中在暴力、攻击、伤害和死亡上。根据马文(1984：60)的说法，斗鸡属于一组活动，如狩猎(例如S·加里多(2010年)；马文(2007年))、体育(例如德尔坎波，2003年)以及其他涉及动物、人类或不同表演之间竞争的游戏和庆祝活动。文化人类学通常关注这些实践，试图理解它们表达了人与动物之间以及人与动物之间的关系(Marvin，1984：60)。考虑到这一点，该项目探索了加那利群岛的斗鸡世界，在那里连续三年(2016-2018年)研究了广泛的问题。在我现有研究的基础上，我将撰写一本专著，作为一个整体来探索和分析加那利群岛的斗鸡活动。鉴于其法律地位，加那利群岛的斗鸡活动并不是在秘密地点举行的被禁止的活动，参加活动的人可能会被起诉，这是英国和大多数欧洲国家的情况。因此，这项研究不仅限于斗鸡本身，还探索了斗鸡的包罗万象的世界，包括繁殖、训练和社交，导致了这些公开斗鸡和表演。在我的博士学位中，我认为，了解斗鸡的饲养对于完全理解加那利亚饲养者和爱好者赋予斗鸡的意义是至关重要的。从本质上讲，爱好者们是去观看和欣赏比赛的戏剧性场面，即斗鸟的表演。这个项目将询问饲养员和爱好者如何以及为什么认为斗鸟是一种独特的动物。在我博士论文的最后一章《斗鸟不是小狗》中，我认为斗鸟是人类有选择地饲养和饲养的，但饲养者并不认为它们是家养或驯养的动物。在这方面，他们与安达卢西亚的斗牛有相同的特征(Marvin，1988：88-90)。这正是我的专著和第一篇学术论文将相遇的地方。这个项目将帮助我解决斗牛和斗鸟之间的异同，以更好地理解这两种做法，并阐明一些有趣的文化术语，如Casta(种姓)和Raza(种族)。马文在品种和斗牛方面的专业知识，特别是他与安达卢西亚的西班牙斗牛饲养者的关系，是选择他作为我的主要导师的原因。他对野外工作的参与对于确保接触到斗牛饲养员至关重要。在预计的安达卢西亚实地考察周期间，我们将能够第一手接触斗牛饲养者对品种和血统的概念，以补充专著第五章和关于斗鸟和斗牛的学术论文中包含的信息。这类深入的民族志研究还可能提供一些关于政策和实践的有趣见解，包括公共健康风险和对自然资源的更负责任的管理。话虽如此，丽贝卡·卡西迪(伦敦大学金匠)作为这一奖学金的第二位导师的作用也将是至关重要的。她在赌博方面的专业知识和对多物种人类学的兴趣，特别是对繁殖文化思想的兴趣，将对专著的第五章和关于种姓(种姓)和拉扎(种族)的学术论文做出重大贡献。除了专著和学术文章本身的高影响力之外，我参加的学术会议和研讨会将引发围绕人类-动物研究、博彩和赌博的人类学以及动物权利的话题的辩论。

Cockfighting is a controversial event because of its, at least from outside perspectives, focus on violence, aggression, injury, and death. According to Marvin (1984:60) cockfighting lies within a group of activities such as hunting (e.g., Sánchez-Garrido (2010); Marvin (2007)), sports (e.g., Del-Campo, 2003), and other games and celebrations which involve competition between animals, humans or different performances. Cultural anthropology has usually paid attention to these practices to try to understand what, and how, they express relationships between and among humans and animals (Marvin, 1984:60). With this in mind, the project explores the world of cockfighting in the Canary Islands, where over three consecutive years (2016-2018) a wide range of issues were researched. Drawing on my existing research, I will produce a monograph that will explore and analyse the world of cockfighting in the Canary Islands as a whole.Given its legal status, the cockfight in the Canary Islands is not a prohibited event held in secret locations, where those who attend may be prosecuted, as is the case in the UK and most European countries. Therefore, the study was not restricted to the fights themselves, but it was also an exploration of the encompassing world of cockfighting, including breeding, training, and socialising, that brought about those public fights and performances. In my PhD I argued that understanding the rearing of gamecocks is essential to fully grasp the meaning given to the fights by Canarian breeders and aficionados. Essentially, aficionados go to watch and admire the drama of the contest, the fighting birds' performance. This project will interrogate how and why breeders and aficionados perceive fighting birds as animals of a unique nature. In the final chapter of my PhD thesis, "Fighting birds are not puppies" I argued that fighting birds are selectively bred and raised by humans, but breeders do not consider them domestic nor tamed animals. In this respect, they share these characteristics with the fighting bull in Andalusia (Marvin, 1988:88-90).That is exactly the point where my monograph and the first academic paper will cross paths. This project will help me address the similarities and differences between fighting bulls and fighting birds to provide a better understanding of both practices and shed some light on the interesting cultural terms of casta (caste) and raza (race). No such analysis of these key terms relating to notions of breed and pedigree has previously been undertaken.Marvin's expertise on HAS and bullfighting, particularly his relationship with Spanish bullfighting breeders in Andalusia, have been the reason for choosing him as my primary mentor. His participation in the fieldwork is vital to secure access to bullfighting breeders. During the expected week of fieldwork in Andalusia, we will be able to have first-hand access to bullfighting breeders' notions of breed and pedigree to supplement the information included in chapter 5 of the monograph and the academic paper on fighting birds and fighting bulls. In-depth ethnographic study of this kind may also give some interesting insights regarding policy and practice, including public health risks and more responsible management of natural resources.Having said that, Rebecca Cassidy's role (Goldsmiths, University of London), as a second mentor in this fellowship, will also be essential. Her expertise on gambling and her interests in multispecies anthropology, especially in the cultural ideas of breeding, will be a major contribution for chapter 5 of the monograph and the academic paper on casta (caste) and raza (race).As well as the high impact value of the monograph and the academic articles themselves, my participation in academic conferences and seminars will generate debate around human-animal studies, the anthropology of betting and gambling, and the topic of animal rights.