Different carnivals are celebrated in the world, among the last three days before Lent, but also on other dates. The best known take place in Venice (Italy) and in Brazil. This time was born in the first centuries, when Catholics sought to change pagan holidays for others related to Jesus and the Church.
Carnival, from the Latin carnem levare (to remove meat)occurs precisely during the three days prior to abstinence for the Catholic festival of Lent, with a variable date between February and March, depending on the year.
The origins of this festivity go back to ancient Sumer and Egypt, more than 5,000 years ago, with very similar celebrations at the time of the Roman Empire, from where the custom spread throughout Europe, being taken to America by Spanish and Portuguese navigators from the 15th century.
Among the most important carnivals in Europe and America are:
Venice Italy
It began to be celebrated in the year 1162 in celebration of the victory of the Republic of Venice over its enemy: the Patriarch or Aquileia. The people of Venice gathered in Saint Mark’s Square to dance and celebrate their victory. Since then, the victory has been celebrated in the streets of this city, and it was done for several centuries until it was banned in 1797, when the city came under the rule of Francis II, the Holy Roman Emperor.
Occasionally, during the 19th century, the festival returned for short periods, but it was always held in private. Whereas by 1979, the Italian government decided to help Venice reconnect with its festive heritage in order to rejuvenate Venice’s culture and economy. Since then, the carnival has grown to become very popular and a tourist attraction.
Cologne, Germany
Carnival in this city is almost as old as the city’s own history, but it has been celebrated in the organized way we know it today for only 200 years.
Every year the Festkomitee Kölner Karneval, committee founded in 1823, is in charge of organizing the carnival and designating the three representatives of the carnival, the Kölner Dreigestirn: the virgin, the prince and the peasant. These in return pay a large sum of money for the privileges obtained with the title. Among the day of festivities, its big day is Carnival Monday (Rose Monday), when its great parade with costumes and floats is celebrated, also the bars remain open 24 hours.
Notting Hill, London, United Kingdom
This carnival is not held before Lent, but rather at the end of August, when the streets of West London are transformed into a celebration of colour, music and all things Caribbean. This festival celebrates the culture, arts and heritage of the Caribbean people; It was established in the 1960s, but has its origins in the slave trade era.
Nice, France
It is the biggest winter event on the Côte d’Azur. Its origins date back to 1294, while the event as it is known today has been organized since 1872. This carnival takes place from February 11 to 27 and was invented to entertain the bourgeoisie who spent the winter on the French Riviera.
New Orleans, United States
Mardis Gras is the name of the carnival in New Orleans, which is celebrated the day before Ash Wednesday. Its origins date back to March 3, 1699, when French explorers Pierre Le Moyne d’Iberville and Sieur de Bienville arrived near present-day New Orleans. When they realized it was the eve of the medieval carnival, they held a small celebration and declared their landing spot “Pointe du Mardi Gras.”
In the 1730s, Mardis Gras parades, lavish dinners, and masked balls became an annual tradition in the city. The first recorded New Orleans Mardis Gras parade took place in 1837. Since then, the carnival has continued to this day. It’s even a state holiday in Louisiana and they’re the only US state to make it a legal holiday.
Barranquilla, Colombia
This carnival, the most important folkloric and cultural festival in Colombia, brings together emblematic expressions of the memory and identity of the people of Barranquilla, the Colombian Caribbean and the Río Grande de La Magdalena. It has its remote origin in the carnival that came to America from Spain; the first to be held in dio over a century ago.
Rio de Janeiro Brazil
The first carnival ball in this city _ one of the most famous today _ was held in 1840. Back then participants danced polkas and waltzes, as opposed to samba, which was not introduced until 1917.
This carnival came to Brazilian lands by the Portuguese, who brought numerous slaves from Africa, which is why the carnival has an important African influence. Africans used masks and costumes made of feathers, bones, grass, stones, and other elements to invoke the gods and ward off evil spirits. All of this had a symbolic meaning in the tradition of this region and is now an integral part of the costume design for the modern Rio Carnival.
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Samba music and dance have been associated with carnival in Brazil since 1917. Originally from Angola and West Africa, slaves introduced it to these lands, finding comfort in this type of music in difficult times. With the abolition of slavery, many of these slaves moved to Rio de Janeiro. As this rhythm gained popularity, composers, musicians, and dancers often came together to demonstrate their talents, forming competing clubs and associations.
These groups led to the establishment of samba schools, whose first official parade took place in 1932.
Until 1984, Avenida Marquês de Sapucaí, one of the oldest streets in Rio, was the setting for the Rio Carnival. However, the great popularity of the carnival led to the construction of the Sambadrome, which has hosted the parade since 1984. (I)
Source: Eluniverso
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