Track 1 ~ Origins and Evolution of Carnaval

We all know Carnival is a fun, rowdy celebration, but what‘s its origin? Where does it come from?

The word Carnival comes from the word Carne, which means meat in Latin. Carnival comes just before Lent, a time when all people of the Catholic Church give up meat and other things they enjoy, until Easter Sunday.

So before they do this they want to celebrate, have fun and forget about worries. The last day of Carnival is Mardi Gras, which actually means Fat Tuesday. The next day is Ash Wednesday, the first day of Lent. The earliest recorded description of carnival is from the 12th Century in Rome. Over the next few centuries the popularity of this celebration grew and it spread all over Europe. It started with the aristocrats but soon spread to all social classes.

As European culture spread to the Americas, the tradition of Carnival came with it, especially wherever the Catholic Church was. It took on it’s own particular flavor in the Americas and became an even more rowdy celebration. European Carnival traditions merged with the religions and traditions of the indigenous people of the Americas in a dynamic way. During slavery times it developed some of the characteristics and traditions of African religions. African culture and Catholic traditions fused to make something new. After slavery was abolished, Carnival became a great celebration of freedom.

Carnival became a mix of cultures and races. The people came together to create beautiful costumes and elaborate headdresses that have bright and colorful feathers to go with the music and dances. Eduardo Mendonca, a Brazilian musician, explains about the real meaning of carnival.

The Carnival definitely is one of the strongest ways to understand what community is about.

So what it’s really all about is people coming together to have fun and celebrate their heritage.