Carnaval Climax

I honestly don’t even know where to start. Carnaval. The short version: Noise. Dancing. Sequins.

I’d planned to write a pretty detailed post…but I’m too tired. In all versions of the sentiment. My ears are literally still ringing. One day I will look back on this and laugh. Right now, I’m still reeling.

To avoid being redundant, let me first voice things that, if it were up to me, I would change about Carnaval: Noise level. Length of time. The need to be able to dance Colombian dances. The ability to tell Cumbia songs apart.

I am not being entirely fair. Carnaval, from a less in-the-thick-of-it-all point of view, is incredible. The dancing, costumes, history and traditions are stunning. The will to party and endurance to do so under hot sun and through the wee hours of the morning is truly amazing. If I hadn’t had to endure two months buildup, a week of torture within my school, and then finally Carnaval itself in all its bulla, I would have probably loved Carnaval. I can love it…I promise I can.

But meanwhile, here you are: first, a Carnaval overview, Carnaval Characters and then the Carnaval recap:

Overview:

Carnaval is officially a four day celebration during which everyone gets out all their party and sinful tendencies prior to commencing Lent. Barranquilla hosts the second largest in the world. Each day brings a parade, each with its own significance, and there is a set cast of Carnaval characters who represent different aspects of Carnaval as well. There is also specific Carnaval music—think along the lines of Christmas carols, but dirtier.

Because four days are not enough to contain all the party, the city begins celebrations long before we reach the opening Saturday of Carnaval (see previous posts for more details). During the four days, the entire town shuts down to host parties that are probably four times the size of the Macy’s Day Parade, with approximately a thousand times more music, dancing, and sequins. Yes, this math is possible. In addition, events occur all throughout the city, including music concerts formal and informal, and barrio parties of various sizes. Blond hair becomes a common place thing—not just because of the wigs people wear, but because of the vast influx of gringos.

Carnaval official events include mostly giant parades, starting with the Batalle de Flores, with ridiculous floats and singers and dancers. The other parades have separate significance historically but in reality look pretty much the same, but get smaller as the days go on. Rich people buy shady bleacher seating which costs about 80 dollars a day, other people buy seats for about 20 dollars in the sun, and the rest just pack themselves onto sidewalks and wreak havoc in the side streets. There are also traditional music concerts, events where dancing can and does take place, lots of family gatherings, and lots of street parties as well, which include people hauling out the family 8-feet-fall speakers, and forcefully entertaining the neighborhood until the sun begins to rise.  

Carnaval Characters:

Barranquilla’s Carnaval celebration is a conglomeration of cultural phenomenon from all over the coast and continent. Most of these characters come with either specific duties or a specific song and dance. Some of the most ubiquitous cast of Carnaval characters includes:

Queen entering her float via crane

 La Reina: the queen of Carnaval. Barranquilla appoints a reina, who oversees all events, equipped with magnificent dresses and dance skills.

He has his own float, but it's not as awesome

El Rey Momo: The king of Carnaval. He dances, too, but is far less important than the queen. He has far fewer duties and in parade importance, is generally several floats back from the queen; they are rarely seen together

  El Monocuco: Represent the Carnaval party—dressed in head to toe in a beachball-resembling hooded cloak, carrying a staff and wearing a sparkly mask

having lost a few pictures, this is from El Heraldo

El Marimondo: Represent “disorder”—they have a special dance to special music that includes tuba licks, lots of wiggling, booty slapping, and spasming on the ground. Their mask is one of the most emblematic symbols of Carnaval, appearing on stuffed people all around the city, earrings, purses, etc. Fun fact: that is not an elephant trunk….it represents a penis.

Me and one of my Marimondo students at the school's Carnaval

El Garabato: Dancers who represent the success of Carnaval over death. Women dress in black dresses and dance and are smote down by Death, after which the hero comes and vanquish Death

                                                         

Another not-my picture, from El Heraldo

La Negrita Puloi: From Cartagena. They dress in blackface and wear curly wigs. Which came first, the Minnie Mouse or the Negrita Puloi? 

El Africano: Perhaps the most racist character, they go around in blackface and paint their tongues and lips bright red, and go around rolling their eyes and waggling giant tongues. A history teacher at my school told me they’re imitating how the Spanish folk perceived their African slaves to be talking when they spoke their native languages.

 

  

Carnaval Recap:

Pictures really do speak louder than words. And if you could only hear the music that went along with the pictures..you'd probably have to close your computer. But since you can't, it's safe :)  So here are a couple pictures:

Ultimately, I have never been so happy to commence Lent. These past weeks were the loudest weeks I’ve ever experienced. Exhilarating, colorful, bountiful, enlightening…and exhausting. The city is still recovering. My ears are still ringing. School is lacking in loud noise and enforced dancing.

 So that means we’re back to the grind, right? Maybe we’ll get schedules? Maybe we’ll do real work?

Me: “We’ll get schedules now, right?”

Coteacher: “Maybe. Soon. Probably.”

Me: “But there’s no more Carnaval.”

Coteacher: “But Semana Santa is almost here. That’s a great time to plan things like schedules.”

Me: “That’s a month away”

Coteacher: “We like to say that school starts mid-April around here…”*

*Semana Santa is Easter week. I informed him that we will not be waiting this long to commence actual work. He agrees a month may be long enough to get some work done prior to our next holiday week…