Carnival celebration in Haiti and other Countries

Updated August 29, 2015 9:17 AM

Carnival is a pre-Lent festival often a blend of local pagan and catholic traditions that announces the end of winter and welcomes the spring. The true origins of Mardi Gras can be traced all the way back to the ancient Greece and Rome, and along with Christianity, Mardi Gras spread from Rome to other countries such as Brazil, New Orleans, Venice, Colombia, Trinidad and Tobago, Mexico, and Canada. The largest and one of the most famous festivals is held in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. It is the mother of all Carnivals and an absolute bucket list must-do, at least, once in a lifetime. Some of other best carnivals are held in Tenerife (Canary Islands), Venice Carnival, Italy, Binche Carnival, Belgium, Mardi Gras, New Orleans, USA, Cadiz Carnival, Spain, Oruro Carnival, Bolivia, Viareggio Carnival, Italy, Trinidad and Tobago Carnival, and Notting Hill Carnival, London. Mardi Gras is celebrated in most countries with Christian dominance.

Easter is celebrated in March or April. 40 days before the Easter, except no counting of Sundays, is the Mardi Gras (or Fat Tuesday) which is the last day of the carnivals. In German, carnival is called as "Fastnacht". In Italy it is known as 'Martedi Grasso', in Spain as 'Carnestoltes', Portugal as 'Terça-feira Gorda'. In Venice, during the carnival so many crowds gathers to Piazza San Marco, the canal town is seemed to sink under the water. The carnival of Venice was, for a long time, the most famous carnival in the world. Unfortunately, Napoleon abolished it in 1797 and only in 1959 was the tradition restored. The music culture in Trinidad and Tobago during the carnival is fantastic. The town people enjoy drinking Rum and music while watching competitions of the powerful sounds of 100 steel drums. There are hundreds of Samba schools in Rio de Janeiro. The carnival is the competition of Samba schools.

Haitian carnival always starts in January, known as 'Pre-Kanaval and held over several weeks each year leading up to Mardi Gras in February. The annual carnival of Port-au-Prince is one of the largest Mardi Gras carnivals in the Caribbean and North America. The festival is also celebrated in smaller scales simultaneously in Jacmel, Aux Cayes, and other locations in Haiti. People sing and dance in costumes, parades with hundreds of flamboyantly decorated unique floats, craft stands, so much food everywhere in the city and popular Kompa bands playing throughout. In the past Haitian Kanaval celebrations were criticized for disregarding indecent dancing, music, lyrics, mocking the government. Therefore, gradually it is becoming a government dominated and sponsored program with supports from wealthy Haitian families and businessmen.

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Carnival celebration in Haiti and other Countries

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