In Guadeloupe, the carnival begins the first weekend of January after the Epiphany and ends (special Guadeloupe) on the evening of Ash Wednesday.
But it takes such a preparation that most groups are preparing for this big celebration in the month of September.
The groups are associations that parade parades. These gatherings of neighborhood, village, or school.
Some, such as Akiyo or Voukoum Masmoulmassif or begin to be increasingly recognized and are very hard and concerts.
Before Mardi Gras, we see numerous parades (groups, masks, population and school, etc.) in particular every Sunday.
These parades are masks for some youth, a way to make money after dancing and singing from door to door or stopping motorists on Sunday mornings in particular. You will encounter
including all the sights, enjoying the windfall of the flow of tourists this time of year.
In fact, the carnival began in earnest at the onset of "fat days".
Friday, each school has its own parade in his district, from kindergarten to high school, everyone participates . And large groups of musicians come along. In the evening there is an election of the carnival queen.
Saturday is the parade of children.
Sunday afternoon is the first big parade.
Vaval, King of Carnival, a big doll, opened the parade with the Queen.
More than fifty groups follow.
They are preceded by their fouetteurs (boys who are chattering with big whip on the asphalt to pave the way) and people dressed as monsters to scare small children spend watching maskers
masks are everywhere especially on Sundays or during the numerous parades.
The term "mask" refers to both the physical element but also the person wearing the mask.
Again, the aspect of "derision" in the heart of the carnival Guadeloupe remains pervasive. Thus we can see the masks of certain public figures (Mitterrand, Chirac, Giscard D'Estaing, etc.).
Little in-depth review of the different masks:
- the "Mas at FWE" is the favorite mask of Angel. The children chanted his name to scare
- the "Mas con'n A": This is a costume made of dried banana leaves. The "Mas con'n A" is held by a rope or chain and tried by all means of escape.
- the "Mas A Kongo", where the maskers are coated with black oil to recall the last Africans who have arrived.
- the "Mas kinnkong" not need translation, I guess everyone understands Creole.
- the "Mas lanmò" which in the evening to the sound of drums, wrapped in large white sheets and fitted with pins chase all people still outside.
- The "Mas zombie" somewhat in the same spirit as the previous
- the "Mas to earth" : homage to the original inhabitants of the island: the maskers are coated with earth.
- The "Mas rukoo," he greeted the Caribbean Amerindians. The annatto seeds is a tan-colored crushed in the Caribbean ¹ s oil. They then smeared the body of this oil to protect against mosquitoes.
- The "Mas Bamou: they in fact represent African deities.
- The "Mas bag" in memory of slaves who had the bag of flour or cod for ¹ s dress.
Many groups with these costumes recall that slavery was current in Guadeloupe and other French islands until 1848.
It is because of slavery that Africans were forcibly taken to the Caribbean to work in the fields.
But the carnival is also a myriad of colorful costumes beautiful.
Here are some photos taken during the parade of Pointe-Noire.
Monday morning, there is a parade in pajamas, at five o'clock!
Shrove Monday is devoted to marriages burlesque.
Couples followed by a long procession come before the oath and the registrar.
The man is dressed as a woman and the woman dressed as a man. These marriages
funny enough trigger the delight of the audience and reflects the dual aspect of celebration and satire.
Mardi Gras is the culmination of the carnival as a musical level, the disguises, originality. The festivities were opened by the Queen of Carnival. Contests are numerous (best group, best costume, etc.).
Mardi Gras precedes Lent abstinence food. We deprive ourselves of meat, fats and eggs. The culinary specialty of Mardi Gras is the consumption of donuts.
That day, the most beautiful parades are located in the cities of Basse-Terre and Pointe-à- clown. Groups vie ingenuity (and means ) To offer us magnificent costumes, and sometimes tanks.
The evening is usually devoted to party since the end of the carnival is near.
But now, since Ash Wednesday: the end of the carnival.
is an opportunity for a last show in black and white, the color of mourning in Guadeloupe (see: the cemeteries). Boys dress as girls and girls as boys
At nightfall, the revelers gather in the main square to burn Vaval. Everyone sings and dances around the fire, and some are mine crying Vaval chanting Vaval, Vaval ka kite nou (Vaval left us) until dawn.
Thursday of Lent, at halftime between the Carnival and Easter is a day of respite during Lent.
The carnival comes to life for a day: the day the Devils red and black.
This day symbolizes the resurrection of Vaval.
Carnival (kannaval in Creole) was originally a modest popular festival celebrated by the Italian Catholics before the austerity of Lent.
The tradition of Lent banning all meat and greasy food, the Italians called their party "carnelevare" which means "remove the meat."
Given the growing success of these "carnelevare", other Catholic countries in Europe (France, Spain, Portugal) have decided to adopt the same practice.
As a result of colonization of the Americas and other regions in the world, including the carnival spread to the West Indies.
In Guadeloupe, where only settlers could celebrate Carnival at the beginning of colonization, African slaves brought their subsequent cultural touch to the celebration of European origin (drums, masks, songs, etc.).
slaves saw in the festival with a unique opportunity to unwind but also to ridicule by their masters disguises including rulers.
Idea of derision that will be included in the 80's by the group "Akiyo" who did not hesitate to don the khaki and pith helmet, symbol of colonial oppression. The prefect of the time rebelled against this practice "disrespect". It was not uncommon for slaves in possession of whips, the manifestation of the dominance of the settlers.
In sum, the carnival has always been regarded as an outlet and a way of derision
cities of Pointe-à-Pitre and Basse-Terre are the main centers of attraction. It should be mentioned in numerous competitions (the King and Queen of Carnival, the best band, best music, best costume, etc.) in Pointe-à-Pitre. Queen throne head of parades throughout the day Mardi Gras.
The music is pretty special parades. It is produced from various salvage (bottles, cans, plastic salt meat of different sizes hit with a stick on the end of padded fabric and rubber, gourds for the "chacha" packed with licorice seeds, wood- bamboo, conch shells, etc.), whistles, the Tiyobanbou (bamboo pipe), Siyak Tanboura (drum flat and round).
Now the classification of groups in the parade that I saw my house in Pointe-Noire
1st prize: Kasika (Capesterre-Belle-Eau )
2nd prize: Silver Sun (Pointe-Noire)
3rd prize: Pirouli Band (Baie-Mahault)
4th prize: Kreol Star (Capesterre-Belle-Eau)
Here are some videos taken during the parade of Pointe-noire, they are taken at the contest judges and allow better get an idea of the atmosphere that prevails during the carnival
