A Collaborative Multivoiced Article about a Worldwide Event: Carnival / Mardi Gras!

What? When?

Also known as Mardi Gras, Carnival (Carnivale, Carnevale and Carnaval in French, Italian and Portuguese languages) is a festive season which occurs immediately before Lent; the main events are usually during January and February. Carnival typically involves a public celebration or parade combining some elements of a circus, masque and public street party. People often dress up or masquerade during the celebrations, which mark an overturning of daily life.
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Who? Where?

Carnival is a festival traditionally held in Roman Catholic and, to a lesser extent, Eastern Orthodox societies. Protestant areas usually do not have carnival celebrations or have modified traditions, such as the Danish Carnival. The Brazilian Carnaval is the longest celebration today, but many cities and regions worldwide celebrate with large, popular events. These include the Carnevale of Venice, Italy, of Santa Cruz de Tenerife, Canary Islands; of Torres Vedras, Portugal; Rio de Janeiro, Brazil; Rijeka, Croatia; Barranquilla, Colombia; and Trinidad and Tobago. In the United States, the famous Mardi Gras celebrations in New Orleans, Louisiana, and Mobile, Alabama, date back to French and Spanish colonial times.
(… )
The most famous Christian traditions, including parades and masquerading, were first recorded in medieval Italy. The carnival of Venice was for a long time the most famous carnival. From Italy, carnival traditions spread to other Catholic nations of Spain, Portugal, and France. From France, they spread to the Rhineland of Germany, and to New France in North America. From Spain and Portugal, they spread with Catholic colonization to the Caribbean and Latin America.

Other areas have developed their own traditions.
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Carnival in Daily Deviations this year:

Why?

A week ago I asked you about your Carnival traditions and costumes. Thus, a week ago this begun to come to life: a multi-voiced article where everyone was asked to talk about their Carnival in their country.

There is a HUGE “thank you” in order, to everyone who has collaborated to make this a success and give life to an idea – especially in such short notice, and with all of these events happening across the globe!

There are numerous reasons why people celebrate Carnival. Most is for fun, while others have full-conscience to be perpetuating a cycle while being part of a ritual, whose roots are very ancient, while others… Well, it’s better for me to just shut up and let them talk for themselves:

Bulgaria

Written by =drop-asd


I've always been proud with the unique rituals still preserved from the times of the Thracians in our lands. This is a photo of a kuker, who are young men wearing scary masks and belts of bells and cross the town singing, dancing and ringing the bells in order to chase away the evil spirits from winter. It's a lovely tradition, and I think the photo depicts it perfectly - a typical mask of a kuker and the sun shining on it to show that, though scary, it is not meant to be evil but to protect.

Denmark

Written by =brgtt

Fastelavn: The Danish Carnival

In Denmark vi celebrate Fastelavn the 22nd february - or at least this year we do. Like Carnivals so many other places the date of it is determined by Easter Sunday. In the old days people would remain from eating meat 40 days before Easter. They would eat fish though and the sundays didn't count, so all in all Fastalavn is 49 days before Easter Sunday.

Although the fasting is a christian tradition, Fastelavn is a heathen tradition (and the church didn't care much for it). The word "Fastelavn" is from the german "Fastelovend" or "Fastnacht" which means "Faste Night" or "the day before the faste" - more or less like latin "Carne Vale" ("Carnival") which means "removing the meat".

In Denmark we used to have some pretty brutal traditions - some might have heard of the one where we put a cat in a barrel and hammered away on it. We still do that, although now the cat is painted on and the barrel is filled with candy.



Also, now it's really more of a celebration for the kids, where in the old days Fastelavn was for everyone, and the kids weren't really nobody. Now kids dress up - they can be anything they want, and it doesn't have to be scary. Usually there will be a lot of princesses and batmans, but there is also the more varied costumes, like being a television or a beatle, only the imagination (and whoever has to make the costume) is the limit.
Usually the kids will meet at the school and all line up in front of the barrel hanging from the ceiling. In turn they will then hit the barrel - the point is of course to get to the candy, but there is also a tradition of making a king and queen of the two who succeeds in this.

Another tradition is the "Fastelavnsris" which is a lot of fresh thin branches bound together. With this people would beat their animals (and sometimes each other) in the hope of getting some of the fertility transfered from the fresh branches to the animals.
Now people either make them themselves or buy them with candy and paper cut out in the form of cats and other festive things. Again this is more for the kids and some places the children will still wake the parents up on Fastelavns morning with a few mild hits of the branches.

"Fastelavnsris":


A later sweet tradition we have is very close to the American tradition of trick and treating - the children, all dressed up, will go from door to door singing a traditional Fastelavns song which goes like this:

Fastelavn is my name
I want buns
If I don't get the buns
I will behave badly

Buns up, buns down
buns in my tommy
if I don't get the buns
I will behave badly

Of couse in danish it rimes (and doesn't sound as stupid I might add). For a couple of years now people have been giving out coins instead of buns or candy though, but the money rarely goes to anything but candy, so no problem there.

Germany

Written by =eschlehahn

German Carnival, like many other Carnival events, is one big public party. While its origins reach back to Pre-Christian times, the Carnival of today is an event that is foremost closely tied to Roman Catholic traditions based on celebrations of medieval society.
Set immediately before the lent, the festivities, occuring during January and February, are a great opportunity for a large celebration before fasting. In Germany, the Carnival is called the fifth season, each year starting on 11th November at 11:11 a.m. (bad tongues state that this is a symbol for the breach of the Ten Commandments )

The German Carnival takes place especially in the western part of the country (Nord-Rhein-Westphalen, Rheinland-Pfalz) but is nevertheless wide-spread with diverse local variations thereof. Especially in East and South Germany there are carnival events called Fastnacht which are relatively popular.




The most popular celebrations though, take place in the cities Cologne, Düsseldorf, and Mainz. Since the author has spent her childhood in a city near Cologne, she now takes the liberty to direct a little spotlight to the Cologne Carnival here.
The festive season in this city is started with the choice of the Dreigestirn (Triumvirate). Three people are granted to fill in the roles of Jungfrau, Prinz and Bauer (virgin, prince and farmer) whereat traditionally, the virgin is a man masqueraded as a woman with long blonde braids These three are the official representatives of the festivities.






The main events of the party start on Thursday (Altweiberfastnacht / Women’s Carnival day) before Ash Wednesday. Between these two days, the festivities are begone with simply EVERYONE dressing up and masquerading ! During this time, there are street parades and stage shows everywhere in the city involving a lot of public party as well as the performances of locally popular bands and singers. The biggest stage shows are run by the Kölner Festkommitee (Cologne Carnival Celebration Committee), which was founded in 1823. But there are many other autonomous groups hosting their own parties in the clubs, lounges and bars of the city. Different Carnival clubs organise club sessions whereas there are performances of bands and comedians as well. There is a special Carnival cry, which differs from city to city. In Cologne, this cry is Kölle Alaaf (roughly to be translated into “Long live Cologne” or something like that). At the above mentioned Thursday, the celebrants take over the city halls and municipal government. And the women will cut men’s ties with a whenever they have the opportunity - so men, beware of the scissors, this day! This behaviour is a symbol for cutting men’s power this day - but don’t worry guys, your loss will be compensated by a Bützchen (kiss) - and this should it be worth it, no ?



At Rose Monday (Rosenmontag) , there will be a great street parade through the cities. There are lovingly designed wagons with paper-mâche figures on them, with caricatures of politicians and other popular people of public interest - from these wagons, tons of candy, flowers, newspapers, and lots of blow-kisses are granted to the visitors of the street parade. Though Rose Monday is not an official holiday, public life comes de-facto to rest ; a fact that often causes a little bit of irritation in visitors of the city who are there because of business and don’t know anything about Carnival

At Ash Wednesday, the Carnival season ends with a meeting of the Carnival groups for a traditional Fish dinner before the time of the lent begins. The Catholic citizens visit the early mass where they will be marked with an ashen cross on the forehead. And when the lent has begun, everyone will count the day until next Carnival again

Panamá

Written by =JacquiJax

Here in Panama carnival is a week were almost everybody will party. Most of the times people go to the country or beach... They go out to the park of each country place to support a carnival queen and get all wet with the cisterns cars, and also drink a lot of alcohol and dance..

Here I think that people do it to relieve stress of all year, to have fun, to get a girl... and some to be with the family again (since some live on the city and they grew up on the country)!

Portugal

Written by ^Helewidis, =Rellaenthia =GravihK and =DeadlyWitch (in order of appearance)

Carnival in Portugal is celebrated throughout the country, the most famous are the ones of Ovar, Madeira, Loulé, and Torres Vedras. The ones from Podence and Lazarim have pagan traditions, namely the Careto; and Torres Vedras Carnival is seen as the most typical Portuguese carnival.
Paradoxically, Portugal having introduced Christianity and the customs related to Catholic practice to Brazil, has started to adopt some of the aspects of Brazilian-style Carnival celebrations, in particular those of Rio de Janeiro with sumptuous parades, Samba and other Brazilian musical elements.
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CARETOS

Written by ^Helewidis

Masked in fancy dress, the “Caretos” are the most enigmatic and seductive figures in Portugal.
Although their natural habitat is the village of Podence, which is situated in Macedo de Cavaleiros, district of Bragança, they are in fact the main attraction in cultural festivities throughout the country and abroad.
The “Caretos” are diabolic and mysterious figures ever since. They participate in festivities organised by farmers and seem to be an amalgam of profane, magical and religious elements, difficult to define.
The masked men show strength and vitality and have become mythical and sacred symbols, which are quite out of control because they come from nowhere in large noisy groups, spreading terror, excitement and laughter. Most of their fascination is due to their curious garments and ornaments."
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Its roots are profane and carnal, the true reason that moves the Careto is to catch girls to they can perform a dance called “chocalhar”, that is lascivious.
They assume a double personality, become mysterious and mischievous, as if they are taken by the soul of some spirit or god. There is something magical about this ritual that gives them such powers, forbidden to the common man.
They have immunity to do a lot of things, so girls usually stay put in their homes watching from the window... and they climb over the house to the window to tease them. They also drink all the wine and eat all the food they can, for free.

Summing up, it’s like you are a god for 2 days if you are a “careto”; but it’s very hard to be one: you have to be an apprentice since a kid, and only men can be one.

Loulé

Written by =Rellaenthia and =GravihK

The origins of Loulé’s Carnaval, today seen as an important touristic attraction, are centennial. Attracting thousands of visitors during its three days, these are the festivities which are most relevant and well known throughout the Algarve, in Portugal.

Originally of religious intent, abundant in symbolism and nature related values, the Carnaval is nowadays a colorful, frolicking, joyous and playful festivity.

In Loulé, the José da Costa Mealha Avenue is carefully decorated for the event with colorful paper ornaments.

Amongst the highlights of the festivities, those that stand out are the Batalha das Flores (Flower Battle) and the Parade, where the cars are decorated in the most various ways, depending on the builder’s imagination, always keeping an intention of expressing social critique.

In some places, there is the tradition of the “Enterro do Entrudo” (the burial of the personification of the Carnaval Spirit, the merrymaker by excellence) thus ending the three day period in which fun and joy are the keywords.

Carnaval de Loulé’s roots date back to 1906, in which it was modernized from its most ancient (and somewhat pagan) traditions. A group of locals decided to turn it into a more civilized, clean and elegant fest. In a cunning campaign, well accepted by the general public, they put to use every resource they had. Its local newspaper, “Folha de Loulé” (translating to Loulé’s Sheet) played an important part in its advertisement, having involved many of the area’s individualities.

Of its previously announced events there was a matinee at the Louletano Theater, the Battle of Flowers and a "Bodo aos Pobres" (an offering of money or food to the poor). By the end of the three memorable days from that year of 1906, under the theme of “ Peace, Love and Caring”, this event gathered a substantial amount of income, as well as fame.

Nowadays the Carnaval focuses on other subjects, related to society, politics and important events throughout the year, in a humorous and fun critique.

In this year’s program, from February 22nd to the 24th, the theme will be “Joy, Nature and Carnaval”, focusing on subjects as environmentalism and, in satiric fashion, the endangered species: Man. Political, sports, social and cultural figures will be portrayed in a humorous fashion with “Gigantones” and “Cabeçudos” (giant paper-machê dolls with characteristic large heads). Samba schools will also take part in the celebrations, as well as several guests like Portuguese actors, singers and local bands, such as La Plante Mutante, an 80’s covers band, marking a strong cultural variation for all tastes.

Several activities involving schools from around the city will take place, such as a parade, games and contests. Such events are also available for adults and senior citizens, having their own masquerade balls and best outfit contests, thus promoting the participation of the more elderly citizens.
By the end of the festivities, the population will be graced with a gathering around food and drinks.

The revenue of this year’s Carnaval will go to the Santa Casa da Misericórdia, a Portuguese charity association.

Torres Vedras

Written by =DeadlyWitch

It is in this city with a castle that gives us a breath-taking view that ...



PARTY!!!!!!!!




Introducing the Carnival "The most Portuguese of Portugal"

The first reference to the Carnival of Torres Vedras, date the time of 1574 and until nowadays continues to show what is the best of this city.
For many years, the carnival was limited to the local dances and recitals in private homes and almost no animation on the streets.
Meanwhile, started to appear at the beginning of the twentieth century, several notes of political satire, a feature that forever mark the Carnival de Torres

In these groups show the most part "matrafonas" (masked men to women) and the famous Cabeçudos (giant head-dolls).
However, many are popular that are associated with revelry, mostly masked, and that parade in spaces between the floats and the parade groups.

The Carnival of Torres Vedras is known and has the image of the customs satirical with the explosive mixture of traditional cartoons that parody the social and political "status quo".

This carnival is characterized by being performed in the center of the city and for different stages: The circuit of the parade, the scene of DJ's and the main stage where the music goes for many hours. There is also the circuit of bars in the historic area that animates the "party people" throughout the night.

[link] (this one is too big for our pages, but still worth seeing)

Romania

Written by ~icstefanescu



First of all, take a map and localize Romania. OK. Now, you will try to recall every thing you know about this country located right there where Europe falls from the map. Right, Dracula. C'mon, you still have some time for a better answer. Nadia Comaneci? Brancusi? Ionesco?
K. Stop.
It was an exercise, not a contest. Nothing to win, except a short expedition inside my childhood memories.


There's a little town on the south-western border of Romania called Oravita. Before 1918 it was part of the Austrian Empire and colonized by Austrian miner families. Back in the 17th and 18th centuries, as they came down there from the Alps, they got with them some of their traditions. The carnival is one of them. Called "fărşang", a derivative from the German word of Fasching, the carnival became a popular celebration in the mixed German-Romanian villages. Unlike the more popular Venice, Rio or Cologne events, unlike the Mardi Gras, the "fărşang" is based on improvisation and home-made masks representing a lot of pre-christian, pagan characters identified as important weather and wealth gods, called "leoarfe" or, simply, animals like those used to be sacrificed in the primitive times (like goats and rams, for example). Much easier to be manufactured common masks, like men dressing women or vice versa or even vampires, became more popular during the modern years.

Old ladies in villages around Oravita are depicting the masks like being made by long withe wool coats with a bell on the neck and real - original - goat horns. Plus a face painting for being not that easy recognizable. Simple, home-made, efficient!

The original main goal of the celebration was to bury the winter and to bring a prosperous start of the spring - which is a sign that there was a seasonal celebration even before the Austrian colonization.
Adopted by the christian churches as a must of the local communities, it was adapted as a period of food and drink excesses before the pre-Easter fasten time (the Lent) begins. More scientific explanations are suggesting a ritual with an hygienist goal: to empty the cellars from all the foods which has been stored during the winter.

Beyond any purpose, the "fărşang" is, nowadays, just a little more than a simple party weekend. It starts on Thursday, with a classical rural street feast, with dancing and drinking masks, and ends on Sunday afternoon with a big fire in the village's main square where the bad ghosts and the winter gods masks are burned.

Spain

Written by =whenSmyledoesnttalk

The Carnival in Spain is a party almost everyone enjoys, no matter the city you go to, you probably will be able to attend to days of colors, laughters, and music!

Carnaval, how's called here, was banned in Spain in 1938 by the dictator Franco and was only recovered in 1981 with the reestablishment of democracy. But the beginning takes us centuries of history back.

Even though we all share the same condition - to get a costume and have fun -, some certain Spanish communities have majorer events than others.

I live in the capital, in Madrid, and Carnival over here is not much more than several events such as parties, concerts, etc., but in places as Santa Cruz de Tenerife (Canarias), or Cádiz (Andalucía), things get a bigger level.

Santa Cruz de Tenerife is known for its wonderful Carnival. Each year a new Carnival's Queen is elected, and during the year they spend months and months preparing the dresses these girls will wear.
Parties are fullfil with concerts, performances, costumes parades, competitions, etc., and all this is shown through the TV.
Many people come from all over the world just to spend some days there seeing how Carnival is developed. It's a very important date for them.





When it comes to Andalucía (Andalusia), the first that one thinks is about the "chirigotas". These are folk songs sang by a group of people that involve a popular and current subject, such as politics, religion, yellow press issues, etc., every new matter in the actuality can end within these parodies. They're done in satirical and humorous tone, to make public laugh.
This is not only done in Andalucía, as you'd find them here in Madrid too, but they definitely belong there.


No photos of Chirigotas on dA

External Photos of chirigotas (the group of people who compose and sing):

[link]
[link] (these first 2 are too big for our pages, but still worth taking a look at)





More: [link]


I stressed those communities because both have special parties, so much that have been identified as of International Tourist Interest but Carnival is a very well known and enjoyed time in places such as Cataluña (Catalonia), where, especially in Tarragona, the culture of Carnival comes from the Roman tradition, with great influence of fire and Saturn God, Badajoz (Extremadura), considered as the third best Carnival of Spain, or in Castilla La Mancha, with the manchegans celebrating different carnivals in different towns.
The most of the Carnival parties have also been identified as of interest for tourists, sometimes regional, sometimes national, because of the beauty and the effort they put in them.

For more info in Spanish Carnivals, check this [link] I'm sure you'd want to come!


And about the Madrid one, this culminates with the Burial of the Sardine on Ash Wednesday (El entierro de la sardina), which marks the beginning of the Lent - and this is not a sad tradition, actually the other way round [link]

New Orleans, U.S.A.

Written by: =vgaer

As many people know, there is a huge annual tradition in New Orleans, Louisiana, most commonly called Mardi Gras. Mardi Gras means “Fat Tuesday” in French, because it always takes place the day before Lent, a period of traditional fasting for Christians. Mardi Gras is the last day they have to eat a lot before they begin their fast. This year, Mardi Gras day falls on February 24th. However, that day is just a tiny bit of the celebration. It begins, one might say, in January…

January 6th is the Epiphany, also known as Kings’ Day. On Kings’ Day, New Orleanians start eating King Cakes, delicious cinnamon-roll-ish cake, flavoricious goodness that is decorated with the Mardi Gras colors of purple, green, and gold. Inside the cake is a plastic baby originally representing Jesus. Whoever gets the piece of cake with the baby in it is King or Queen for the day and usually buys or makes the next king cake.



But that is only the beginning! Starting twelve days before Fat Tuesday itself, the famous Mardi Gras parades begin rolling. The parades are super fun, because anyone can enjoy them. First of all, they’re totally free. Second of all, you can pretty much tailor the experience to your needs – you can set up camp with your friends and a crapload of a beer, you can just walkaround aimlessly, or you can get a ladder or rent a platform, make signs, and be REALLY intense about catching some throws.

My personal favorites? Muses, an all-women krewe, is pretty badass. Krewe d'Etat, a political satire krewe, is also great. The floats are always so rich and great to look at, they have so much to offer and there are always little details to be enjoyed. The marching bands are my favorite part, actually -- different marching bands from schools play in between each float, bringing a musical and rhythmic energy to the whole thing. After the band goes by, when you can still here their horns playing, it's fun as hell to go out and dance in the street.

Another tradition is the flambeauxs, tall torches that people walk by, giving heat and light to those passing in exchange for tips from the crowd. People ride on horses as well, and in addition to the marching bands are dancing troupes such as the Pussyfooters, who sound kind of awful but are really just a group of women celebrating their bodies.



Despite the bad reputation Mardi Gras may have, especially for parents, about the danger of Mardi Gras, if you follow a few simple tips you are likely to just have a good, safe time. Don't drink too much, or have people with you who aren't drinking. Stay with someone else at all times. Be careful about how much skin you bare. But all in all, be yourself and have fun at the greatest free show on earth!

Now Let’s Have Some FUN!!!

~

Credits:

Voices from: Bulgaria, Denmark, Germany, Panamá, Portugal, Romania, Spain and U.S.A., New Orleans; authors discriminated in respective sections.

Fonts: discriminated in each section when used.