- File
Fanci Anansi' leads the way during 'Mangerine Carnival '92.
Tanya Batson-Savage, Staff Reporter
THE COSTUMES. The music. The revelry. Carnival has grown to mean many things. Originating from the Italian word carneval, which means 'to put away the meat', carnival has become a grand indulgence of the flesh.
The near nude bodies engaged in wanton abandon on carnival day create both a riveting spectacle and a source of controversy.
For many, carnival is a grotesque example of licentiousness; for others, it is a licence to 'wine up' on perfect strangers; and yet others see carnival as a wondrous display of unity, freedom and self-expression.
Regardless of what it means to revellers or critics, carnival is probably one of Europe's greatest cultural exports. While in the West Indies Trinidad carnival is the epitome of this spectacular bacchanal, various forms of carnival exist throughout the world.
SHAKING IT
By taking place on Easter Sunday, with events which run all through Lent, carnival in Jamaica shakes its ample behind at carnival's origins. Carnival gets its name because of its association with Lent. The celebration became the last hurrah to meat, which many Christians give up during Lent.
The grand masquerade was one of the concessions that the Catholic church made to change paganism. Rather than attempting to do away with the wild costume festivals that made up some pagan celebrations, it was instead doused with Christian ritual. Carnival was created as a pre-Lenten celebration before one had to give up meat. Thus, carnival traditionally ended on Mardi Gras (fat Tuesday), which is the day before Ash Wednesday.
Interestingly, it is not the constant gyrations, 'big trucks' in the road as people go 'chipping' down the street and mud and paint slinging that are a part of Caribbean carnival that gave the festivities its reputation. Even from its early beginnings carnival was a time of wild abandon.
Carnival began in Venice, with its long tradition of masks. The masked balls that made up the early carnivals gave Venetians a great way to shirk the moral conventions as, behind their masks, they were free to do anything. Anyone who has read The Merchant of Venice has a hint of carnival in Venice, as the play highlights how the masquerade could be used to cover other deeds. Shylock's daughter, Jessica, uses the masked ball and the carousing masqueraders as an escape from her father's house, taking bags of his ducats with her.
Guestinvenice.com provides details about the nature of carnival in the city of its origins. The website makes references to laws which prohibited men from dressing up as women and entering convents, which gives a hint as to the wild nature of the masked celebrations. Guestinvenice.com also illustrates that the punishments for being caught in carnival misadventures were quite steep. Wayward women could find themselves whipped and publicly ridiculed.
MASKS AND COSTUMES
Along with masks, Venetian revellers also indulged in elaborate costumes. The guestin
venice.com website provides a list of costumes that were worn and these ranged from 'a weeping Jew' to a demon.
After spreading across Europe, carnival made its way to the western world wrapped in the fist of colonisation. The French brought it to both the United States and Trinidad. According to allahwe.org, carnival went to Trinidad with the arrival of French settlers around 1785. After emancipation, the ex-slaves began having their own carnival. However, rather than merely mimicking the European tradition, Trinidadian carnival grew to reflect all the ethnic elements of the country.
The j'ouvert morning aspect of the celebrations, with its mud and paint slinging, came as a result of a 1948 decree. The decree stated that the festivities could not begin until Monday morning. The revellers then took 'morning' very literally and began partying at midnight.
Trinidad carnival is, therefore, a combination of the European tradition, mixed in with African ones. Carnival in Trinidad grew to reflect the country's creole identity, embracing the various ethnic groups.
THE TWIST OF THE WEST
Though carnival was originally exported to the Western world, we in the West 're-wined' and then re-exported it to other parts of the world. The Notting Hill Carnival in England and Brooklyn Carnival in the U.S. were born through the rhythms carried by West Indian immigrants to those parts of the world. In these areas, though they originally greatly reflected Trinidadian Carnival, these celebrations have taken on a more West Indian identity. An example of this is the growing importance of the sound system in these West Indian carnivals.
Carnival in Jamaica is, therefore, a mere 'bwoi' in terms of carnival's history. However, the celebrations have proven to be extremely adaptable to the cultures which practise it. History yet to be penned will in future years show how Jamaica will wriggle its way into the story of carnival.
