THE CARNIVAL
ORIGIN
From
an anthopological point of view, carnival is a reversal ritual, in which
social roles are reversed and norms about desired behavior are suspended. Winter was thought of as the reign of the winter
spirits that were to be driven out for the summer to return. Carnival can thus
be regarded as a rite of passage from darkness to light, from winter to summer:
a fertility celebration, the first spring festival of the new year.carnival in ecuador
In Ecuador, the carnival
celebrations are expected each year for cultural and social value. In every region
and city, the celebration of Carnival varies, with clear differences in the
Ecuadorian coast and in Highlands.
The holidays are the most popular
carnivals Guaranda and Ambato. In Guaranda, the carnival celebration is marked by parades and processions,
accompanied by typical local drink, the "pájaro azul", which is
consumed by the spectators and participants of the processions. In Guaranda,
people still playing with water, and at night, the artistic presentations to
hundreds of tourists gather in the streets and parks.
The carnival in Ambato, is unlike
other celebrations for their cultural troupes, involving students from schools
and colleges of the city, and invited delegations from other cities and
countries. The arrays of floats are made with fruit, flowers and pieces of bread. Ambato is the
only city where carnival is celebrated without water, making it one of the
country's most striking celebrations.
In Quito and Guayaquil, the
country's largest cities, still maintained the habit of playing with water,
flour, paints, foams and other, but in recent years, the municipalities of both
cities have begun to encourage citizens, to change these practices with festivals, parades and other
activities in the city. Yet many citizens of these cities come to celebrate
the carnival in other destinations.
In the Ecuadorian Austro parties
are very similar to those of Guayaquil and Quito, with scheduled events,
concerts and performances.000000
In conclusion,
Ecuador remains a culturally diverse country, invites
tourists to enjoy the carnivals at
different locations, with several options for all likes.
