Carnival de Barranquilla |
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The carnival, strictly speaking, commences forty days before Easter, between a Sunday
and a Tuesday. This year the carnival runs from March 1 to the 4th. But in
reality the Carnival de Barranquilla is the longest in the world.. As soon as Christmas is over the pre-Shrovetride
commences. Every Friday, in a different barrio of the city, the Carnival
Queen presides from a dias with several orchestras and everybody in fancy
dress. The gaity of the people of Barranquilla is felt in all its magnitude
during this extended preperatory period, during which popular dances take place
in all the barrios. They are the open-air "verbanas", which take place in the
street. |
The carnival officially begins on a Saturday with the Battle of Flowers, a mad parade
with carnival floats, dance groups and masks. The Grand Parade takes place
on Sunday, a splendid and organized parade of dances, masquerades, Cumbia dancing,
and fancy dress. On Monday and Tuesday the Festival of Orchestras takes
place in the Baseball Stadium, in which national and international groups which
have been playing in different places during the carnival participate. The
winners receive the Congo de Oro. On Tuesday the Funeral of Joselito takes place,
the symbolic burial of a guy who represents the carnival. The carnival of Barranquilla keeps a sacred oath; everyone that participates should enjoy it tio their physical limits, dancing without respite and participating in the flour wars. |
Some guys showing their dancing ability on stilts during a long parade |
Marimondas of carnival,very traditional costume |
A beatuful blue unicorn float in the Flowers Battle parade on Saturday |
Dancing "Garabato" in a carnival parade: an alegory of Life &Death |
People enjoying the beautiful "Big Garabato dancing" of Barranquilla |
A big "Aligator Mask" float represents conservation of this species of
reptile |
An African tribe in one interesting movement of a modern "Mapalé" dance |
Cumbiamberos shouting the "Juepajé " of Cumbia" the typical dance of the northern
coast |
A close up of the chief of "Garabato Dance" |
