October 5, 2020

Carnival – An Event Which Practiced Throughout the Year

No Comments

Carnivals are a mixture of activities that revolves around public celebrations such as parades, public street parties, circus, and other entertainment activities. The Carnival festival shows social unity where diverse ethnic groups demonstrate their cultural heritages and festive traditions. People wear masks and costumes and participate in the event. Every year this huge event is held throughout Christian countries, and many people come to see the celebrations and diversity of the cultural colors in the world.

Table of Contents

Historical and Religious Significance

Historians say that the first event of Carnival in world history took place by 18 century in Trinidad and Tobago when the French settlers brought the fat Tuesday masquerade party tradition with them to the region. The origin of this festival was found in Italian Catholics in Europe, and later on, it spread all over Spain and France. The French settlers fled to the Caribbean islands. Somehow, the festival influences all significant Christian communities in places like America, Australia, the United Kingdom, and many cities. They all celebrate the Carnival festival before the Lenten season.

The celebrations continue for many days and weeks, and it is one of the popular and liked traditional festivals that people enthusiastically participate in and enjoy with families. It is the only festival which is prepared for the whole year. In the event, many organized fun activities were held in which young, elders, and children took part. The word Carnival has the meaning of “to remove meat,” and Catholics abstain from the meat to remind the physical and spiritual sacrifices of Jesus.

Canada’s Carnival Festivities

Like other regions in the world, Carnival is also held every year in Canada and is known as the Québec – Carnaval de Québec. Unlike other areas, Canada welcomes the huge festival carnival in January and the beginning of February in the foggy, cold, wet, and extremely winter season. For the visitors, Canada is still freezing during the festival. Bonhomme Carnaval is the ambassador of the festival. People come together with families to attend the festivities of Carnival in Canada.

Making ice sculptures is a big part of the festivities. Many teams that took part in this competition came from across the world. Teams compete with each other to form the most beautiful frosty sculpture. Québec Queens is also decided, and the seven girls are appointed to different duties. The queens are called Duchesse of the event, and one of them won the queen’s crown and sold more candles throughout the event.

Carnivals History in the USA

In the USA, the heartland of Carnival is New Orleans city. The city was founded in 1718 by the French, and the French settlers brought the tradition of Carnival to this region from Catholic Europe. In America, Carnival festivities are held between January and March before Lent. Across the continent, from Mexico to Argentina, all celebrate the carnival festivities. Some of the places are most popular for their carnival festivities and are the largest in Latin America.

New Orleans is a place that represents the French culture segments in the whole event, and it is seen. Mardi Gras was the big day when all the unique and yearly-trained parades were held on the last day of Carnival. For thousands of years, old clubs have organized programs with various music and fun activities. Thousands of plastic-bead necklaces are thrown from the float, and it has become a ritual practiced every year during the Carnival. Streets, malls, and houses are decorated with colorful flags, which are symbols of special social norms.

Barranquilla Awarded With the Title from UNESCO

The city of Colombia attracts millions of people from across the world who come to attend the carnival festivities. It includes one of the most outstanding events in the whole of Latin America. Some celebrations are the highlights of this festival, such as the most prominent one is the Battle of Flowers by the Carnival Queens; this is the opening of the carnival festival. In 2003, Barranquilla was awarded the title “Intangible Heritage of Humanity” by UNESCO due to its wealth of dance acts, music, and traditional costumes. The open-air celebration is another part of the significant festivities. The people of Colombia welcome the event with cheer.

Brazil is another Throw the Lavish Carnival Festival

Rio de Janeiro, the city of Brasil, is another prominent place that throws a lavish and incredible carnival festival. Similar activities were followed by the people of Brasil but with a mixture of three different cultural terms, including Portuguese, Afro-Brasilian, and Spanish. A group of people called the bolocos wore theme-based costumes all the way to the festival. Theme-based costume performances are held by the samba schools, which are prominent in organizing the most recognized dance performance in the whole event. The samba school is mainly created for the practice of carnival parades in the town.