The Brazilian Carnival is an annual festival in Brazil held 40 days before Easter and marks the beginning of Lent. During Lent, Roman Catholics are supposed to abstain from all bodily pleasures, including the consumption of meat. The carnival, celebrated as a profane event and believed to have its origins in the pagan Saturnalia, can thus be considered an act of farewell to the pleasures of the flesh.Carnival starts today and ends on this coming Tuesday, known in some places as Fat Tuesday. Mardi Gras means Fat Tuesday in French.
Have you ever been to Carnival in Rio or Mardi Gras?
Text Attribution: Wikipeda
Text Attribution: Wikipeda
7 comments:
MDC, now people can't say you didn't do anything for the fellas ;-). Thanks ...
and no, I've never celebrated that event, but I wanna someday ...
As someone who was born and raised in Louisiana as a Roman Catholic, I know a lot about Mardi Gras and Lent. I was raised in Lafayette, which is a part of French Louisiana known as Acadiana. When most people think of Mardi Gras, they think of New Otleans, but Mardi Gras is really big in Acadiana. Alot of people sleep on Lafayette, which comes alive during the Mardi Gras season. I suggest to everyone if they want to enjoy Mardi Gras without the craziness, go to Lafayette where the celebration is lively but the crowds are smaller and the food is better too.
MDC,Yes, I have celebrated and have been hypnotized by the beautiful Rio Carnival,(the Greatest show on Earth),and I also have a few dazzling Carnival video tapes.Some of the very Carnival samba themes (songs) have been fabulous hits.One thing though, I wish Afro Brazilians would do more than just "deleitar" (delight)the public during the Pre-Lenten period. I am waiting for the day when Afro Brazilians-the largest Black population in the Americas take their rightful place and become politically accountable and not a quasi- invisible force only seen during the carnivals. One great place to visit is Salvador, Bahia in Brazil. Salvador is mesmerizing and spiritually stimulating.
Saaludos.
I haven't been to Carnival outside of Baltimore. But the one here was so awesome that it made me want to see the true versions in their homelands.
I have never been to either of them. I probably never would, just because I hate crowds.
Jose,
Your welcome. :)
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Tasha,
Wow that's the kind of info I love to have!
I'll have to do a little research on Lafayette. Who knows it may end up on my list of places to see!
Thanks.
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Ana,
I've heard quite a few things about the plight of many Afro-Brasilians.
I hope their situation gets better.
You are the second person to mention Bahia today on the blog. I’ll take that as a sign that I should look into it.
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Lady Di,
I didn't know Baltimore had a carnival. Is it at the harbor?
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No, they hold one @ Druid Hill Park (Dru Hill, the group, named themselves after this park) and even another much smaller version near Park Heights Ave. They are very small in comparison but it just makes you want more. I have not been in several years but do a net search on Baltimore Carnival and you should get a site and who knows what else. Our Caribbean population is tiny but they make themselves heard. Oh and DC carnival is criss too.
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