Puerto Rico

Puerto Rico Carnival

Puerto Rico, a country that comprises people of many different cultures such as Spanish, African, American and indigenous root blend into the tradition of carnival. Carnival celebration continues until Ash Wednesday, which is forty days before Easter.
There are several different festivities that take place in Puerto Rico during the year and each festivity has it's own unique mask. These masks are worn by the "carnival devils" throughout the festivities and are important expressions of Puerto Rican identity and culture. Carnivals are ancient origin and have been organized to celebrate different events. The masks are made of papier-marche into scary and devilish shapes.
Puerto Rico is a country with a very strong Roman Catholic presence and thus the Carnival has a special meaning. Carnival refers to the last days before the beginning of Lent. Carnival starts on February 2nd and continues until Ash Wednesday. Carnival here in Puerto Rico varies from region to region and is highly influenced by the traditions and its settlers.
Carnival in ponce dates back to the mid 1700s and involves revelry, music, masks and costumes. The masks are made in scary devilish shapes with horns and brilliant colours. The main idea is to have the good devils get rid of the evil devils through their colourful native dance known as bomba y plena. Folks tunes "estribillos" follow the rhythm of the colourful dance. The "vejigante" masks are made with two sets of horn, a large fiery mouth and two large hollow eyes. They are made in such a way to depict a dragon that is on the verge to attack. In reality, the dragon is friendly, a character inspired by the typical vejigante roaming the crowds during the Lenten Carnivals in Ponce. The "vejigante" masks are a classical example of the fusion of African, Spanish and Caribbean cultures. These carnival themes can be magical, satirical, political or just purely entertaining. The important thing is that everyone is there to enjoy and have a fun time.

Ponce Carnival

Carnaval de Ponce is celebrated each year and coincides with Mardi Gras of New Orleans and Carnevale of Venice and Rio de Janeiro. It is hosted in the beautiful city of Ponce and is said to have been in existence for about one hundred and forty five years. The tradition of this carnival includes parading masked figures called “Vejigantes”, So called because they carry "vejigas" or ballooned animal bladders that are painted bright colors. The Vegijantes are diabolical creations. They are masked horned figures who try to frighten everyone and who come around to beat the unsuspecting bystander with his vejiga. Of course, it doesn’t hurt because it is like a balloon. With the tradition of Carnival everyone tries to have a great time eating and drinking all night. Music abounds and there are chants to encourage the Vejigante characters to dance and make merry. "Vejigantes a la boya, pan y cebolla" just one of the traditional chants. There is Plena music everywhere and parades for the king and queen of the Carnival. The very last day of the festivities, Shrove Tuesday, the "Entiero de la Sardina" takes place. This is a mock funeral with drag queens as mourners and a chorus of folks crying for the death of the Sardine. The sardine is buried because, for the next forty days begins Lent, a time of fasting and abstinence. No more meat we’ll have to eat sardines from now on. So the last night of Carnival is delirium and crazy fun. For tomorrow we have to fast!
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