Bryan's Blog

Carnival 

Carnival in Ecuador

The Ecuadorian Carnival is celebrated with cultural and water, foam carnival, talc, eggs or flour to paint their faces or any type paint vegetal5. They are famous Carnival songs with humor and picaresque phrases sung in groups. The best known of this celebration is the city of Guaranda, capital of Bolivar State, 4 hours from the capital of Ecuador, where they come from the same mountain range and the coast of Ecuador to be in the middle of Ecuador. liquor typical of the area, the "blue bird" drinks. There is a parade of floats, identifying various issues and most traditional carnival parades dance anthem "Carnival of Guaranda" has been organized in this province the main festival carnival every people a different day and Thursday in Chillanes on Friday in San Miguel, on Saturday in Chimbo, Guaranda on Sunday. A similar celebration is to be held in Guano, better known as artisanal capital of Ecuador located 15 minutes from the city of Riobamba Chimborazo province in the canton takes place from Saturday carnival at night with the contest bands of people, the next day the Corsicans in the Santa Teresita and in the evening the Rondalia, carnival Monday in the canton Guano is the great Corsican carnival being the main attraction and evening enjoying fireworks and artists of national and international reputation, just as in Ambato, land of flowers and fruits, where the characteristics are cultural troupes are carried out parades of floats decorated with flowers and fruits in the area and delegations from other countries come to ride on it.

In Chimborazo Carnival is celebrated in several villages, noted for his strength and that of Guamote for its tourism and events the Guano, where the festival town bands on Saturday, Sunday parade of the night, called Rondalia is done and on Monday the great parade of carnival in which you play with inks, flour, eggs, dust and water accompanied by the singing of the songs of the carnival.

In the southern part of the country, especially in the provinces of Azuay and Canar, water and some other items such as flour it is also used in some kind of wars, usually between friends and acquaintances. In addition there are several public and private shows. The typical dish of this holiday is the motepata Cuenca. But in this area, this date is also used by many to go on holiday to other parts of the country, which is why, in the city of Cuenca, the most populated area, the number of pedestrians and vehicles considerably reduced. On the coast also holding water, foam and balloons also joins the cultural celebrations of the area and international festivals Esmeraldas where African-American cultures are performed in places like "La calle 8" and the Balneario Las Palmas. This celebration has been well received by the population, so much so that in each of the cities will offer beautiful and cultural shows.

In Guayaquil, the largest and most populous city in Ecuador, known as the "Pearl of the Pacific" is from 2008, the Carnival of Guayaquil, thanks to the initiative of the Most Illustrious Municipality of Guayaquil, has been promoted as a festival culture. various activities involving children, youth and adults, have made this festival will constitute a tourist and major cultural event in the city. art shows, parades with floats, parades, among other activities, have made the image of the carnival is to play with water, ink, flour and oil, will fade, to turn it into an event full of color and full of tradition which for four days flooded the streets of the city with a lot of rhythm and fun.

In Quito, capital of Ecuador, the carnival is lived in the tradition of playing with water, foam carnival. flour and others. However, many of the capital's advantage this time to visit other parts of the country, especially the coast and the Amazon.

In Latacunga Carnival is celebrated in several maneras6, the traditional carnival with water, flour and foaming where people get wet for several days in most of the city, the carnival with religious celebrations that is done in the La Laguna and festive carnival that is done through the central streets of Latacunga with parades parade, with floats and costumed carnival grounds and culturares.
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In other country

The Brazilian Carnival is an annual celebration that takes place in Brazil, begins forty days before Easter, marking the beginning of Lent, dated variable (between February and March depending on the year). It has some variations with respect to their European counterparts, as well as differences over the Brazilian territory.

The main celebrations are held in Rio de Janeiro, Salvador, Recife / Olinda and São Paulo, where the samba schools, blocos and bands occupy entire neighborhoods. Some of them are:

In janeiro river
Mangueira, Portela, Salgueiro, Beija-Flor, Imperatriz, Imperio Serrano, Mocidade Independente, União da Ilha, Estacio de Sa, Unidos do Viradouro.

In São Paulo

Nenê de Vila Matilde, Vai - Vai, Mocidade Alegre, green shirt and Branco, Rosas de Ouro, Unidos do Peruche, Leandro de Itaquera, X-9 Paulistana, Barroca da Zona Sul.

Origen


Carnival is a celebration that takes place immediately before the start of the Christian Lent, which starts in turn with Ash Wednesday, which has variable dates (between February and March depending on the year). Carnival combines elements such as costumes, parades and street parties. By extension some similar parties are named in any season. Despite the great differences that its celebration presents in the world, their common characteristic is that of being a period of permissiveness and some slippage. In the beginning, probably with a certain sense of modesty own religion, Carnival was a parade in which the participants wore costumes and wearing masks. However, the habit was transforming the celebration into its present form. The origin of its celebration seems likely of pagan festivals, such as those performed in honor of Bacchus, the god of wine, the Roman Saturnalia and Lupercalia, or those performed in honor of the Apis bull in Egypt. According to some historians, the origins of this festival date back to ancient Sumeria and Egypt more than 5000 years ago, with celebrations very similar at the time of the Roman Empire, where the custom in Europe expanded, being brought to America by the Spanish and Portuguese in the fifteenth century sailors.


Carnival, although it should be emphasized that the Church does not admit it as a celebration of religious tone is associated with Catholic countries, and less so with the Eastern Orthodox Christians; Protestant cultures have modified traditions, such as the Danish Carnival.


Huehues Yauhquemehcan Carnival of Tlaxcala Mexico

Initial Huejotzingo Carnival Parade
According to the Guinness Book of Records, the celebration of the world's largest Carnival is Rio de Janeiro; 1 and the largest carnival group (comparsa), Galo da Madrugada city of Recife, site of another carnival very importante.2 other internationally famous carnivals are those of Santa Cruz de Tenerife, Las Palmas de Gran Canaria, Cadiz and Carnival of Aguilas (Murcia) in Spain, Cologne, Germany, Oruro in Bolivia, Venice in Italy, Carnival of Barranquilla Carnival of Blacks and targets of Pasto in Colombia, Veracruz, Mazatlan, Guamuchil, Mocorito, Angostura and Carnival of Huejotzingo. The longest are the Carnival of Montevideo, Uruguay, 3 extending for 41 days and Gualeguay and Gualeguaychú in Entre Rios, Argentina, and lasting from the first weekend of January until the first weekend in March [ citation needed]. Carnivals of Havana and Santiago de Cuba in Cuba have enjoyed the same international reputation comparándoseles with Rio Janeiro during the Republican era (1902-1959).


Ethnologists found in the carnival surviving elements of ancient festivals and cultures, such as the winter holiday (Saturnalia), Greek and Roman Dionysian celebrations (Bacchanalia), the pre-Hispanic Andean festivals and African American cultures.

Food

Ecuador and Colombia are among countries that also have carnivals recognized worldwide and also where the food is the star.

Ecuador

In Guaranda, capital of the Ecuadorian province of Bolivar, live in these days "festival" and is on the street where you can taste their dishes more simbólicos.En this time meat, especially pork, they are those that serve to carnival culinary star cook: the "mote con fry" a plate of pork cooked in water and orange juice with cumin, garlic, onion, salt and pepper and served with mote (roasted corn).

Blue bird

he Blue Bird is a typical inter-Andean region of Ecuador brandy. This liquor is originally from the province of Bolivar and is made from sugar cane liquor with an alcohol content approximately 30 ° GL.1


This alcoholic beverage whose appearance is bluish and local sources are listed among the ingredients leaves orange, tangerine, broth and chicken meat and aniseed cane; moreover, it is a favorite for locals and tourists visiting the traditional carnival held in the streets of Guaranda annually.

Music

1.- Life is a party. This is probably one of the most popular carnival songs and versioned worldwide. Popularized by the Cuban salsa Celia Cruz, it has been used in more than a carnival as the main theme. Its refrain encouraged to dance even the most reluctant: "Do not mourn, that life is a carnival and more beautiful to live singing."

2.- Carnival, carnival. This is one of the most emblematic songs of Georgie Dann, the Parisian established in Spain achieved great success with his songs of summer. Catchy choruses and danceable not leave indifferent to his generation and even today continue to hear.

3.- Carnival has arrived. It interpreted by the Open Formula group, it is an upbeat song that has all the right components to be memorable: a catchy chorus and a catchy rhythm.

4.- Carnival night. This song has also had numerous versions but one of our favorites is the Colombian Fonseca, who has managed to impart to each of his words a delicious rumba rhythm "carnival night only feel joy and carnival night with liquor and bleeding".


5.- Fanfarra (Cabua-le-le). Probably the title of the song does not sound like much but if you say who plays Sergio Mendes may begin to refresh your memory. In fact, it is one of the most prolific musicians of Brazil. Obviously, we could not close this list of the best carnival songs without inserting a topic to remind us of the famous celebration of Rio de Janeiro.

Traditions

Water play continues as the largest carnival tradition in Ecuador and consists of soaking each other, with family or friends, rubber balloons inflated with liquid or large containers, which ensures wet.


But carnival in Ecuador is a celebration that also includes the cultural syncretism, because in many indigenous peoples of the Andes the party fail to give thanks to the "Pacha Mama (Mother Earth in Quechua)" by the start of the harvest, especially fresh beans and potatoes.

Videos

Curious fact

Why is rescheduled Carnival every year?

The carnival is a public celebration that takes place immediately before the Christian Lent, dated variable (between February and March depending on the year), combining elements such as costumes, parades and street parties.

Knowing this, we can see that the date will depend Carnival of Lent, which as we know it also changes every year depending on the liturgical calendar. The dates of this calendar are related to the lunar cycle and accommodate day for Holy Thursday is always full moon (choose the first Thursday of full moon between March and April).

Now, why it is so important that it is a full moon on Holy Thursday? as the story goes, the night when the Jewish people left Egypt, the moon was full and that allowed them to dispense with lamps not discovered them soldiers of Pharaoh. This event will celebrate the Passover, which always match moonlit night. With that the church can ensure that on Holy Thursday (when Jesus celebrated the Passover with his disciples) was a full moon night.


So in conclusion, the carnival is always going to accommodate so that the last parade is the day before Ash Wednesday, which will move according to the lunar cycle.