The history of Cartagena’s carnival
Carnaval (carnival) time has arrived and thousands of locals and dance groups are looking forward to parading along the streets and showing off their choreographed dance routines and impressive, satirical and skimpy costumes, regardless of the winter temperatures.
Carnival parades are very popular in Murcia region and the event is worth enjoying in Cartagena, where it has a long tradition. The carnival fiesta starts today (Friday, February 22) and it last until Tuesday, March 5.
The first carnival celebrations were held in the city in the 18th century. It was an informal but very popular occasion, and the last opportunity to have fun and indulge before the grey days of Lent arrived. In those days the Catholic Church still had a great influence on the daily life of the locals and Lent was strictly observed. Meat and other animal products were banned, so cooking habits had to be dramatically changed to suit the requirements.
Meat ingredients were replaced with vegetables, fish and legumes, although many people only observed it on Fridays. Lent was a time to think about one’s behaviour and sins, to repent and to get ready for Holy Week. Any kind of exuberant performance was banned during those 40 long days, so people had to take advantage of the last few days before it to have some fun.
Moreover, carnival was a way to escape from social conventions and it offered a unique opportunity to the humble working class masses to criticise and parody the elitist bourgeoisie they worked for and the stifling Catholic Church.
The locals made their own costumes of priests, farmers and rich people, and many men dressed up as women to defy the strict behaviour codes. The poorest residents held ‘battles’ with confetti on the streets and openly sang satirical songs about the upper classes and politicians.
The carnival celebrations were stopped across the whole country during Franco’s dictatorship but they were taken up again in Cartagena at the beginning of the 1980s under the brand new democracy.
The essence of the old carnival parades and fiestas is still preserved in Cartagena. Costumed groups parade freely across the historic city centre over the weekend and sing their ironic songs.
More than 50 carnival groups participate in the parade, for which they call up more than 5,000 locals of all ages. The competitions and parades are divided into three different categories - children, adults and elderly residents.
The costumes are full of colour and joy and the performances and dances are carefully planned. Several months of training are required to do a perfect show.
Some of the costumes, especially those competing for the Carnival queen award - are incredibly heavy and the girls train for months to be able to carry the weight and dance in it.
This year 60 carnival groups are participating in the great carnival parade on Saturday, March 2 starting at 18.00 from the avenue Alameda San Antón and finishing at the town hall in the historic city centre near the harbour.
Further information on www.carnavalcartagena.es