Humanities

What is carnival? »Its definition and meaning

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The Carnival is an international celebration, a tradition practiced in many European countries and in almost all countries of the Americas. This celebration basically consists of the people who participate in it dressing up, wearing masks, and taking to the streets amidst colorful comparsas and massive parades where imagination and creativity are unmatched.

The meaning of this festival is historically Christian, as it symbolizes a kind of pagan tribute before the celebration of Holy Week and varies in the calendar is exactly 40 days before, between February and March.

What is carnival

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The definition indicates that it is a celebration that takes place in countries with a Christian tradition, lasts for three days, and begins just before Lent. Some of the peculiarities of this is that those who celebrate it usually use very colorful and picturesque masks and costumes, in the same way the parades together with the comparsas and the dances are also part of the festivities.

The festivities can vary from one year to another but always between the months of February and March, this will depend on the liturgical calendar, since as mentioned, carnivals and Lent are related, the latter being a celebration where the Christians often commemorate the resurrection of Jesus.

The festivities to celebrate it begin on Sunday and end on Tuesday of the same week, but Tuesday is considered the most relevant, since the next day is Ash Wednesday, that is, Lent begins.

What does it mean and where does the word carnival come from?

The concept of carnival and its etymological origin are found in the Italian language, where it refers to the three days prior to Lent, so it is accepted that it is written with a capital letter. The concept of carnival is related to religion, since it is considered a symbol of the " farewell to meat ", since according to Christian tradition, during the 40 days following the carnival dates, you should avoid eating meat red.

History and origin of the carnival

For sure it does not have a defined origin, however there are some experts who affirm that this festival originated from a series of ancient festivities that the Egyptians (in honor of the god Sois) and the Sumerians performed more than 5,000 years ago., which can help to better understand the meaning of carnival

Others assure that its origin came from ancient pagan festivals, specifically the one carried out by the Romans to honor Bacchus, the God of wine, as the empire spread, Roman traditions and festivities spread, Among them the celebration of carnivals, which over the centuries and through the Spanish and Portuguese colonization, gave rise to the definition as it is known today, one of the most characteristic cultural traditions of Latin America, of course with some distinctive peculiarities of the region.

Carnival celebration around the world

Initially the meaning of carnival and its celebration were designed as a period where debauchery and excesses were allowed before starting Lent. Through Christianity and its expansion, the festival has spread to a large number of countries, where in addition, they have been fused with local traditions, which has generated that the carnivals are different in each country where they are celebrated, but always maintaining some of the basic elements of the original carnival concept, such as the concealment of identity, the use of very colorful paper, the popular victory over established power and excesses.

Brazilian carnival

Many countries stand out in their celebration, however, the most famous of all is the Brazilian carnival or also known as the Rio de Janeiro carnival, so much so that it gives the impression that it comes from this country. However, despite the fact that history shows us only small vestiges of its origin from the carnivals, the strongest are associated with pagan festivals that were made in honor of gods in Greece, the Roman Empire and ancient Egypt. The carnival parties are practiced by Catholic Christians, it is the most tolerant religion in front of the others that are a bit orthodox on the subject.

In Rio de Janeiro, there are samba schools, choreography and troupes, which work throughout the year building the carriages, making the costumes and rehearsing their traditional dance, to participate in an apotheosis parade held in a tourist complex called the Sambadrome, the It itself consists of a huge street through which the floats travel with their garotas and dancers, this street is surrounded by tiers that occupy visitors from all over the world. All these elements make the Brazilian carnival considered one of the most colorful in the world.

Carnival of Mexico

For its part, in Mexico it is characterized by the presence of music, parades, dances and a lot of color. In many cities of this country this festival is celebrated, in some regions it is carried out in a more picturesque way than in other places. In general, the streets are dressed in color and filled with bands that play to the sound of guitars and violins, while people take to the streets with masks and costumes, ranging from the simplest, to the most elaborate and complex.

In some places it may even last for weeks, allowing people to forget for a moment their worries and sadness, even for a short period of time, both foreigners and nationals live and enjoy the party. In the Mexican carnival, the atmosphere and the festive activities that take place allow people to integrate and collaborate with each other. In general and in accordance with tradition, the organization of carnivals is carried out through a "butler", who is in charge of asking for support from the people who live in the neighborhood in order to coordinate participation in the festivities, already providing costumes, troupes, etc.

Colombian Carnival

They arrived in Colombia thanks to the Spanish, in this country elements of European culture have been introduced, which has caused a synthesis in the indigenous and African traditions of the region, as well as a reinterpretation of them.

According to historians, there is evidence that indicates that these festivals were already present in Colombia since the seventeenth century and that it was also a matter of concern for the rulers, which is why they decided to prohibit their celebration in the cities where the largest population was concentrated. power of the colony, as was Bogotá, Cartagena and Popayán.

For this reason these festivals were forced to continuous evolutions in the populations of less relevance for the colonizers and where it was not an offense for those who were directing at that time. All this resulted in cities such as Barranquilla and some cities near the Magdalena River, carnivals were held continuously. Already during the 20th century, an attempt was made to introduce this celebration in the Colombian capital, however it was not achieved, since it did not have the approval of all the authorities, however, already in the 21st century it was the same authorities of the city who decided to resurrect it.

Elements that characterize the carnival

During the celebration it is common to see elements such as costumes, the use of masks, parades of comparsas, parties in the streets and characteristic carnival songs for the celebration, all of them are constant elements that face the celebration regardless of the region in which be celebrated.

Carnival troupes

It is a type of group characteristic of this party and that usually goes out to the streets to relax and play their music. The instruments used, the character of the show and the varieties of dances, are different in each country where they are performed, even in many regions there are competitions to choose the best groups of the party.

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Music for carnival

The music in carnivals is characterized by being very happy and with a lot of rhythm. In Rio de Janeiro, music is present in many samba schools and public places. Here is a playlist of the best sambas that are heard and danced at carnival:

  • Harmonia Do Samba - Daquele Jeito.
  • Samba de Janeiro- Bellini.
  • Samba da Bahia - Carlinhos Brown.
  • Zé Kéti - A Voz do Morro.
  • Gal Costa - Aquarela do Brasil.
  • Cartola - Like Roses Não Falam.
  • Toninho Geraes - Alma Boemia.
  • Demônios da Garoa - Trem das Onze.
  • “Você tá com dor” by Psirico.
  • Voa voa ”, from Chiclete com Banana.

Carnival samba

The dance and samba music for these festivals are related to the carnivals in Brazil in 1917. After the abolition of slavery, a large part of the slaves moved to the coasts, cities like Rio de Janeiro received them and they settled in places like Onze, Cities, Pesce, etc, places that have become important cultural centers for music.

With the passage of time, the rhythm was gaining followers, so many musicians, dancers and composers met to show their skills, they even came to form clubs where they competed to see who would be the best, these groups were responsible for the creation of the samba schools, which achieved their first official parade in 1932, where they were able to exhibit their music and many of the carnival songs that today are a symbol of these festivals.

Today samba is one of the most important elements for carnivals, but not only in Brazil, but in various countries where it has been incorporated. One of the classic carnival songs is the Carlinhos Brown Bay Samba, so important is that when listening to this rhythm, people go out to dance and sing.

Carnival masks

For its part, carnival masks are another of the popular elements in Venetian carnivals, where there was a game in which it was tried to hide identity during the celebration, playing an important role both the mask and the costume, then at the end of the day, the children were responsible for choosing which were the winning carnival masks.

Families have fun parading through the streets in their costumes, playing pranks on the spectators.

What day is carnival

Carnivals are a popular festival that takes place just before the beginning of Christian Lent, and therefore the date is variable, but it is usually celebrated between the month of February or the month of March.

Frequently Asked Questions about Carnival

Where does carnival come from?

The term comes from the Italian language.

What can you dress up as at carnival?

In carnival people usually use different types of costumes, the common thing is that all these are colorful, with masks made of different materials such as foam, feathers, cardboard, etc., decorated with many glitters. The important thing in carnival is not to dress in dark clothes.

Why is the carnival in Rio de Janeiro celebrated?

Carnival is celebrated in many countries, but in Rio de Janeiro it is more characteristic for the amount of bright colors that they focus on, in addition, they dance samba (characteristic dance of the country) and perform parades with comparsas, costumes, bizarre costumes, etc..

When is the carnival date?

The date can vary because it is celebrated 40 days before Holy Week, that is, during Lent, but the normal thing is that it is celebrated between mid-February or the beginning of March.

What is carnival music?

All the songs that sound at carnival have a lot of rhythm and are quite moving, however, there are some quite characteristic, among them, Harmonia Do Samba - Daquele Jeito, Samba de Janeiro- Bellini, Samba da Bahia - Carlinhos Brown, Zé Kéti - A Voz do Morro, Gal Costa - Aquarela do Brasil, Cartola - Like Rosas Não Falam, Toninho Geraes - Alma Boêmia, Demônios da Garoa - Trem das Onze, “você tá com dor” by Psirico.