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Carnivals Of The World: Brazil, France And New Orleans
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Published: April 17, 2007
Every year in February, millions of people flock to cities celebrating many of the various carnivals of the world. Some of these carnival celebrations last for months with extravagant floats and costumes and parties, becoming the main tourist destinations for cities like Ponce, Puerto, Rio De Janeiro, Brazil, and New Orleans, La. While carnivals of the world are great fun for the attendees, and great business for the locals and sponsors, it's important to understand how these carnivals of the world came to be, and what roles these carnival celebrations play in the societies that honor them.
The earliest of the carnivals of the world came into being during the early parts of the Roman empire. The Romans celebrated their spring pagan holidays by hosting elaborate feasts, orgies, and costumed celebrations. Romans of high standing purchased or made elaborate masks and costumes. They would then put on performances to celebrate the gods and goddesses and their providence in the coming year. The impact of these carnival celebrations was felt throughout the Roman world, and the carnivals of the world became ingrained in local cultures.
After Christianity had gained a foothold in the shell of the Roman's lands, the people of Europe modified the carnivals of the world to be a celebration period before the contrite observance of Lent. It is here where the carnivals of the world get their name, because carnival in Latin means take away meat. One of the observances of the Catholic Church involves the giving up of the luxury of meat items during Lent, so those celebrating carnivals of the world have one last period of time to enjoy these pleasures of life before having to give them up on Ash Wednesday. In fact, the early France Carnival would involve parading cows through towns as a reminder that it was the last chance to enjoy the meat.
The France carnival, of course, was carried over with settlers to America, becoming one of the most famous carnivals of the world: Mardi Gras in New Orleans. Mardi Gras, meaning Fat Tuesday in French, was organized as a celebration of the 14 days leading up to Lent with a massive party in the city of New Orleans in 1857. Mardi Gras was so important to the city that even after the area was devastated by Katrina, one of the first rebuilding efforts for the city was making it presentable for the traditional carnivals of the world.
New Orleans isn't the most extravagant of the carnivals of the world. That honor belongs to the Brazilian Carnival simply called Carnaval. Again, it was French settlers who founded the masked parades in the 1830s. The celebration, which runs for weeks in Rio De Janeiro, is among the biggest parties in the world. The Brazilian Carnival in Rio features gigantic parties, multimillion dollar floats and costumes, and samba music and dancing in the streets at all hours of the day and night before the festival's end on Ash Wednesday.
Carnivals of the world are a fun way to party and celebrate with an entire country and take part in some of the history of the place. Mardi Gras, for example, is such a staple of New Orleans and Louisiana culture that it will not be stopped, not even by natural disaster. Tourists flock by the millions to these places just to take part in the exciting parties and spectacles of the carnivals of the world. Still, before going out to party in one of the great carnivals of the world, it's important to understand what and why the people of the area are celebrating.
Sources:
Carnival. Smithsonian Institute. 15 Mar. 2007. http://americanhistory.si.edu/vidal/carnival.htm.< br /> Hos-McGrane, M. Carnival in France and Belgium. Internet at Work. 4 Feb. 1999. 15 March 2007. http://www.internet-at-work.com/hos_mcgrane/holida ys/arnaud.html.
Mardi Gras History. Mardi Gras New Orleans. 15 Mar.2007. http://www.mardigrasneworleans.com/history.html. "Brazilian Carnival." Wikipedia. 14 Mar. 2007. 15 Mar. 2007. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Brazilian_Carnival.
In more hometown arenas one can find Inflatable Bouncers at the local carnival and amusement parks.
The earliest of the carnivals of the world came into being during the early parts of the Roman empire. The Romans celebrated their spring pagan holidays by hosting elaborate feasts, orgies, and costumed celebrations. Romans of high standing purchased or made elaborate masks and costumes. They would then put on performances to celebrate the gods and goddesses and their providence in the coming year. The impact of these carnival celebrations was felt throughout the Roman world, and the carnivals of the world became ingrained in local cultures.
After Christianity had gained a foothold in the shell of the Roman's lands, the people of Europe modified the carnivals of the world to be a celebration period before the contrite observance of Lent. It is here where the carnivals of the world get their name, because carnival in Latin means take away meat. One of the observances of the Catholic Church involves the giving up of the luxury of meat items during Lent, so those celebrating carnivals of the world have one last period of time to enjoy these pleasures of life before having to give them up on Ash Wednesday. In fact, the early France Carnival would involve parading cows through towns as a reminder that it was the last chance to enjoy the meat.
The France carnival, of course, was carried over with settlers to America, becoming one of the most famous carnivals of the world: Mardi Gras in New Orleans. Mardi Gras, meaning Fat Tuesday in French, was organized as a celebration of the 14 days leading up to Lent with a massive party in the city of New Orleans in 1857. Mardi Gras was so important to the city that even after the area was devastated by Katrina, one of the first rebuilding efforts for the city was making it presentable for the traditional carnivals of the world.
New Orleans isn't the most extravagant of the carnivals of the world. That honor belongs to the Brazilian Carnival simply called Carnaval. Again, it was French settlers who founded the masked parades in the 1830s. The celebration, which runs for weeks in Rio De Janeiro, is among the biggest parties in the world. The Brazilian Carnival in Rio features gigantic parties, multimillion dollar floats and costumes, and samba music and dancing in the streets at all hours of the day and night before the festival's end on Ash Wednesday.
Carnivals of the world are a fun way to party and celebrate with an entire country and take part in some of the history of the place. Mardi Gras, for example, is such a staple of New Orleans and Louisiana culture that it will not be stopped, not even by natural disaster. Tourists flock by the millions to these places just to take part in the exciting parties and spectacles of the carnivals of the world. Still, before going out to party in one of the great carnivals of the world, it's important to understand what and why the people of the area are celebrating.
Sources:
Carnival. Smithsonian Institute. 15 Mar. 2007. http://americanhistory.si.edu/vidal/carnival.htm.< br /> Hos-McGrane, M. Carnival in France and Belgium. Internet at Work. 4 Feb. 1999. 15 March 2007. http://www.internet-at-work.com/hos_mcgrane/holida ys/arnaud.html.
Mardi Gras History. Mardi Gras New Orleans. 15 Mar.2007. http://www.mardigrasneworleans.com/history.html. "Brazilian Carnival." Wikipedia. 14 Mar. 2007. 15 Mar. 2007. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Brazilian_Carnival.
In more hometown arenas one can find Inflatable Bouncers at the local carnival and amusement parks.
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