Barranquilla's Carnival
Encyclopedia
Barranquilla's Carnaval (Spanish
: Carnaval de Barranquilla) is Colombia's most important folklore
celebration, one of the biggest carnivals in the world. The carnival
has traditions that date back to the 19th century. Forty days before Holy Week, Barranquilla decks itself out to receive national and foreign tourists, and join together with the city's inhabitants to enjoy four days of intense festivities. During the carnival Barranquilla
's normal activities are paralyzed because the city gets busy with street dances, musical and masquerade parades. Barranquilla´s Carnival includes dances like the Spanish paloteo, African congo and indigenous mico y micas. Many styles of Colombian music
are also performed, most prominently cumbia
, and instruments include drums and wind ensembles.
The Carnival of Barranquilla was proclaimed Cultural Masterpiece of the Nation by Colombia's National Congress on 2002..
Also the UNESCO
, in Paris on November 7, 2003, declared it as one of the Masterpieces of the Oral and Intangible Heritage of Humanity
, and it was during Olga Lucia Rodriquez Carnival Queen year.
The Carnival starts on the Saturday before Ash Wednesday
with the Battle of the Flowers, which is considered one of the main activities. Then, The Great Parade on Sunday and Monday is marked by an Orchestra Festival with Caribbean and Latin bands. Tuesday signals the end of the carnival, announced by the burial of Joselito Carvajal, who is mourned by everyone.
Barranquilla´s Carnival slogan is: Who lives it,is who enjoys it (Quien lo vive, es quien lo goza).
The Carnival Queen presides over the different events until the symbolic burial of Joselito Carvajal. Carnival starts off with the Pre-Carnival activities. The festival officially begins with the Lectura del Bando, which is the traditional reading of the carnival proclamation. Here it is stated that everyone must enjoy themselves, dance and party wildly. Although the carnival officially initiates with this activity, in Barranquilla there is happiness and joy weeks before of this.
The Pre-Carnival activities include the Lectura Del Bando, Toma de la Ciudad, the Crowing of the Carnival Queen and King, the Children’s Carnival Procession, the Gay Parade, and finally the most important pre-carnival event, La Guacherna. The Guacherna is a night parade of dances, cumbias, and masquerades, which takes place a Friday before the Saturday of carnival.
The Carnival starts on the Saturday before Ash Wednesday with the Battle of the Flowers, which is the most important event of the carnival. The Battle of the Flowers is a traditional float parade composed of the greatest and most colorful creations. Approximately, is a six hour show of floats and it is led by the Carnival Queen followed by folk dances, musicians, dance groups, costumed groups, marchers, disguises and fire breathers. The audience can enjoy all the carnival characters here.
Sunday of Carnival is when the Great Parade takes place. It is considered a day of mask and disguises because floats are not present this day. Different dance groups compete against each other for the coveted prize of performing in the Battle of the Flowers the following year.
Monday is marked by an Orchestra Festival, with Caribbean and Latin bands from early afternoon until early Tuesday. The Festival involved various categories and groups that compete for the coveted Golden Congo. The Fantasy Parade is also presented on Monday, and it is a very colorful parade in which all kinds of customs are seen.
Tuesday signals the end of the carnival, announced by the burial of Joselito Carvajal, who is mourned by everyone. Joselito, a character who symbolizes the joy of the festivities, who had resurrected the Saturday of carnival and dies on the last day tired and hungover to resurrect the following year in the next carnival. Tuesday`s parade is shorter than the other parades, and here happy widows participate crying because of this personage`s death. It is similar to burial. At night, a funny litany
is celebrated with simple lines and its characteristic tone, and current national and international affairs are criticized. The next day is Ash Wednesday and Lent
, a period of religious devotion and abstinence, begins.
All of the carnival events are often broadcasted live by regional television channels. The Carnival of Barranquilla is very important for the economy of the entire region. Tourism increases significantly these 4 days, which are holidays in Barranquilla.
, porro, mapale, gaita, chandé, puya, fandango, and fantastic merecumbés. These are examples of many styles of Colombian music. It is a party that gathers up tradition based on the creativity of the Colombian people, and it is expressed by various forms of dancing, by means of music, by different forms of art works, by the wearing of different costumes, and by the way of celebrating. The Carnaval of Barranquilla
is unique because of its cultural diversity and because it is a party where the people are the main protagonists. Every dance, every folkloric group, and every custom play different roles to make the party the best show on earth.
The Carnaval of Barranquilla is multicultural, diverse, and rich in different cultural expressions. Its dancing and dancing expressions, just like its music, is gathered from every city of the Caribbean part of Colombia. The Carnaval's diversity can be categorized in seven different blocks: Traditional dances or folkloric dances; dances relation or manifestation dances; special dances or choreographic dances; Comparsas (a form of live music), with which the choreography and creativity of dances are expressed; Comedies, which are traditional and folkloric popular theater, where oral expression is its primary characteristic; Litany, which are traditional groups that sing along a choir; and last but not least the customs. These can be individual, or collectives, structural, and dramatic.
Other traditional customs are El garabato, El Africano, Dracula, El torito, EL Congo, El Monocuco, Los Cabezones, Las Muñeconas, and El Tigrillo.
The Carnival´s dances are: La Cumbia, El Garabato, El Son de Negro, El Congo, El Mapale, El Caiman, El Paloteo, El Gusano, Las Farotas, De Relacion and Las Pilanderas.
"The cumbia, a good example of the fusion of Indian, Black and White elements that simulates a couple courting and is characterized by the elegance and subtle movements of the woman’s hips to the rhythm of a drum and flute." Another of the main dances is the Garabato, which represents a mystical battle between life and death. The Congo represents African tradition in its movement and also the memory of slavery in America.
Spanish language
Spanish , also known as Castilian , is a Romance language in the Ibero-Romance group that evolved from several languages and dialects in central-northern Iberia around the 9th century and gradually spread with the expansion of the Kingdom of Castile into central and southern Iberia during the...
: Carnaval de Barranquilla) is Colombia's most important folklore
Folklore
Folklore consists of legends, music, oral history, proverbs, jokes, popular beliefs, fairy tales and customs that are the traditions of a culture, subculture, or group. It is also the set of practices through which those expressive genres are shared. The study of folklore is sometimes called...
celebration, one of the biggest carnivals in the world. The carnival
Carnival
Carnaval is a festive season which occurs immediately before Lent; the main events are usually during February. Carnaval typically involves a public celebration or parade combining some elements of a circus, mask and public street party...
has traditions that date back to the 19th century. Forty days before Holy Week, Barranquilla decks itself out to receive national and foreign tourists, and join together with the city's inhabitants to enjoy four days of intense festivities. During the carnival Barranquilla
Barranquilla
Barranquilla is an industrial port city and municipality located in northern Colombia, near the Caribbean Sea. The capital of the Atlántico Department, it is the largest industrial city and port in the Colombian Caribbean region with a population of 1,148,506 as of 2005, which makes it Colombia's...
's normal activities are paralyzed because the city gets busy with street dances, musical and masquerade parades. Barranquilla´s Carnival includes dances like the Spanish paloteo, African congo and indigenous mico y micas. Many styles of Colombian music
Music of Colombia
The music of Colombia is an expression of the Colombian culture, which contains diverse music genres, traditional and moderns according with the features of each geographic region; although it is frequent to find different musical styles in the same region...
are also performed, most prominently cumbia
Cumbia
Cumbia is a music genre popular across Latin America. The cumbia originated in the Caribbean coast of Colombia, where it is associated with an eponymous dance and has since spread as far as Mexico and Argentina...
, and instruments include drums and wind ensembles.
The Carnival of Barranquilla was proclaimed Cultural Masterpiece of the Nation by Colombia's National Congress on 2002..
Also the UNESCO
UNESCO
The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization is a specialized agency of the United Nations...
, in Paris on November 7, 2003, declared it as one of the Masterpieces of the Oral and Intangible Heritage of Humanity
Masterpieces of the Oral and Intangible Heritage of Humanity
The Proclamation of Masterpieces of the Oral and Intangible Heritage of Humanity was made by the Director-General of UNESCO starting in 2001 to raise awareness on intangible cultural heritage and encourage local communities to protect them and the local people who sustain these forms of cultural...
, and it was during Olga Lucia Rodriquez Carnival Queen year.
The Carnival starts on the Saturday before Ash Wednesday
Ash Wednesday
Ash Wednesday, in the calendar of Western Christianity, is the first day of Lent and occurs 46 days before Easter. It is a moveable fast, falling on a different date each year because it is dependent on the date of Easter...
with the Battle of the Flowers, which is considered one of the main activities. Then, The Great Parade on Sunday and Monday is marked by an Orchestra Festival with Caribbean and Latin bands. Tuesday signals the end of the carnival, announced by the burial of Joselito Carvajal, who is mourned by everyone.
Barranquilla´s Carnival slogan is: Who lives it,is who enjoys it (Quien lo vive, es quien lo goza).
History
- 1888: King Momo emerges as one of the main characters.
- 1899: The first President of the Carnival and the first Board of directors were elected.
- 1903: The first Battle of Flowers parade (Spanish: Batalla de las Flores) takes place. Thanks to Heriberto Bengoechea's initiative in order to recover the carnival tradition of the previous years. Also to celebrate the end of the War of the One Thousand Days ( Spanish: Guerra de los Mil Dias).
- 1918: The first beauty queen of the carnival is elected and was Alicia Lafaurie Roncallo. The queen is the person in charge of hosting the carnival's ceremonies.
- 1923: The Carnival is institutionalized from that moment on, since the queen contest was cancelled for 5 years.
- 1967: A new event is introduced to the carnival,The Great Parade.It takes place on the second day of the carnival, usually on Sundays.
- 1969: The Orchestra Festival is created, which is a musical competition within the different genres.
- 1974: The first Guacherna takes place by Esther Forero's initiative. The Guacherna is celebrated in the suburbs.
- 2002: The Carnival was declared was proclaimed as Cultural Masterpiece of the Nation.
- 2003: The Carnival of Barranquilla was proclaimed by UNESCO on November 7, as one of the Masterpieces of the Oral and Intangible Heritage of Humanity.
Activities
The carnival queen is chosen at the end of the previous year so that she has time to prepare herself. The King Momo is also chosen around this time, and whoever is the queen or the king has taken part in the carnival since childhood and is well known for his carnival spirit. Rehearsals for the carnival start several weeks before the Carnival and every Friday of this season is Carnival Friday.The Carnival Queen presides over the different events until the symbolic burial of Joselito Carvajal. Carnival starts off with the Pre-Carnival activities. The festival officially begins with the Lectura del Bando, which is the traditional reading of the carnival proclamation. Here it is stated that everyone must enjoy themselves, dance and party wildly. Although the carnival officially initiates with this activity, in Barranquilla there is happiness and joy weeks before of this.
The Pre-Carnival activities include the Lectura Del Bando, Toma de la Ciudad, the Crowing of the Carnival Queen and King, the Children’s Carnival Procession, the Gay Parade, and finally the most important pre-carnival event, La Guacherna. The Guacherna is a night parade of dances, cumbias, and masquerades, which takes place a Friday before the Saturday of carnival.
The Carnival starts on the Saturday before Ash Wednesday with the Battle of the Flowers, which is the most important event of the carnival. The Battle of the Flowers is a traditional float parade composed of the greatest and most colorful creations. Approximately, is a six hour show of floats and it is led by the Carnival Queen followed by folk dances, musicians, dance groups, costumed groups, marchers, disguises and fire breathers. The audience can enjoy all the carnival characters here.
Sunday of Carnival is when the Great Parade takes place. It is considered a day of mask and disguises because floats are not present this day. Different dance groups compete against each other for the coveted prize of performing in the Battle of the Flowers the following year.
Monday is marked by an Orchestra Festival, with Caribbean and Latin bands from early afternoon until early Tuesday. The Festival involved various categories and groups that compete for the coveted Golden Congo. The Fantasy Parade is also presented on Monday, and it is a very colorful parade in which all kinds of customs are seen.
Tuesday signals the end of the carnival, announced by the burial of Joselito Carvajal, who is mourned by everyone. Joselito, a character who symbolizes the joy of the festivities, who had resurrected the Saturday of carnival and dies on the last day tired and hungover to resurrect the following year in the next carnival. Tuesday`s parade is shorter than the other parades, and here happy widows participate crying because of this personage`s death. It is similar to burial. At night, a funny litany
Litany
A litany, in Christian worship and some forms of Jewish worship, is a form of prayer used in services and processions, and consisting of a number of petitions...
is celebrated with simple lines and its characteristic tone, and current national and international affairs are criticized. The next day is Ash Wednesday and Lent
Lent
In the Christian tradition, Lent is the period of the liturgical year from Ash Wednesday to Easter. The traditional purpose of Lent is the preparation of the believer – through prayer, repentance, almsgiving and self-denial – for the annual commemoration during Holy Week of the Death and...
, a period of religious devotion and abstinence, begins.
All of the carnival events are often broadcasted live by regional television channels. The Carnival of Barranquilla is very important for the economy of the entire region. Tourism increases significantly these 4 days, which are holidays in Barranquilla.
Music and Dancing
The music contains a mixture of cumbiaCumbia
Cumbia is a music genre popular across Latin America. The cumbia originated in the Caribbean coast of Colombia, where it is associated with an eponymous dance and has since spread as far as Mexico and Argentina...
, porro, mapale, gaita, chandé, puya, fandango, and fantastic merecumbés. These are examples of many styles of Colombian music. It is a party that gathers up tradition based on the creativity of the Colombian people, and it is expressed by various forms of dancing, by means of music, by different forms of art works, by the wearing of different costumes, and by the way of celebrating. The Carnaval of Barranquilla
Barranquilla
Barranquilla is an industrial port city and municipality located in northern Colombia, near the Caribbean Sea. The capital of the Atlántico Department, it is the largest industrial city and port in the Colombian Caribbean region with a population of 1,148,506 as of 2005, which makes it Colombia's...
is unique because of its cultural diversity and because it is a party where the people are the main protagonists. Every dance, every folkloric group, and every custom play different roles to make the party the best show on earth.
The Carnaval of Barranquilla is multicultural, diverse, and rich in different cultural expressions. Its dancing and dancing expressions, just like its music, is gathered from every city of the Caribbean part of Colombia. The Carnaval's diversity can be categorized in seven different blocks: Traditional dances or folkloric dances; dances relation or manifestation dances; special dances or choreographic dances; Comparsas (a form of live music), with which the choreography and creativity of dances are expressed; Comedies, which are traditional and folkloric popular theater, where oral expression is its primary characteristic; Litany, which are traditional groups that sing along a choir; and last but not least the customs. These can be individual, or collectives, structural, and dramatic.
Costumes and Dances
La Marimonda, which are hooded figures with long noses, floppy ears and bright trousers and vests, is the most popular costume because is the only with origin in Barranquilla. The rest of the customs comes from African origin.The Carnival´s dances are: La Cumbia, El Garabato, El Son de Negro, El Congo, El Mapale, El Caiman, El Paloteo, El Gusano, Las Farotas, De Relacion and Las Pilanderas.
"The cumbia, a good example of the fusion of Indian, Black and White elements that simulates a couple courting and is characterized by the elegance and subtle movements of the woman’s hips to the rhythm of a drum and flute." Another of the main dances is the Garabato, which represents a mystical battle between life and death. The Congo represents African tradition in its movement and also the memory of slavery in America.
See also
- CarnivalCarnivalCarnaval is a festive season which occurs immediately before Lent; the main events are usually during February. Carnaval typically involves a public celebration or parade combining some elements of a circus, mask and public street party...
- Carnival in ColombiaCarnival in ColombiaThe carnival in Colombia was introduced by the Spanish. The Colombian carnival has incorporated elements from European culture, and has managed to syncretise, or re-interpret, traditions that belonged to the African and Amerindian cultures of Colombia...
- Festivals in ColombiaFestivals in Colombia- Major Colombian Carnivals and Festivals :*Barranquilla's Carnival , it holds the second largest carnival parades in the world after Rio de Janeiro's...
- Masterpieces of the Oral and Intangible Heritage of HumanityMasterpieces of the Oral and Intangible Heritage of HumanityThe Proclamation of Masterpieces of the Oral and Intangible Heritage of Humanity was made by the Director-General of UNESCO starting in 2001 to raise awareness on intangible cultural heritage and encourage local communities to protect them and the local people who sustain these forms of cultural...