The annual ritual with bulls in the village of Chamula in Mexico was something I would never forget. I had ended up here by following a chariot with a bull, and I was surprised to discover that this village was not under the Mexican government. It was a free state and even the Spanish rulers had never been able to conquer it. Photography was absolutely not allowed, but while watching the ritual, something happened that I never expected. A fence slid over, allowing a bull to escape. I jumped the fence to prevent it from coming loose, and locals followed my lead. After this incident, I got into a conversation with the residents of this village and eventually convinced them to take some photos.

As I photographed the ritual, I was confronted with an interesting interplay between watching and being part of it. To photograph the ritual, I also had to understand it, which meant not only learning the rules of the game, but also being in touch with nature, as the residents told me. Therefore, I had no choice and stepped into the arena with my camera, between the participants and the bulls. I was tipped to run if I saw a bull, but despite the tension, the atmosphere in the square was electric. I saw the rounders running the bulls, three times around the square. There were people standing on hooks to watch the spectacle, and I saw a man riding a round on the back of a bull, dressed in a beautiful white fur coat as a sign of his manhood. It was an unforgettable experience to be able to participate in this unique ritual and interact with this special community.