Many countries around the world have a Carnaval celebration somewhere between the months of January and March, depending on the year and the tradition of the particular country. It is a festival leading up to the season of Lent, based in the Roman Catholic tradition. Uruguay is known to have the longest Carnaval celebrations in the world, so even in spite of the popularity and fame of the Brazilian Carnaval that takes place right next door, the 80 day celebration in Uruguay is something to brag about. The celebrations here were kicked of with el desfile de las llamadas, or the parade of the calling. This is an all night parade with costumes, masks, huge flags, scantily clothed women, and lots of dancing. The whole thing can be heard from blocks away as the traditional afro-uruguyan condombe drumming moves the parade along in rhythm. It is a sight to see, but you have to be ready to squish in with crowds of people and push your way to a viewing spot. I went to the parade with a group of young adults and we caught glimpses here and there, but mainly stayed on the outside, talking, walking around the traditional barrio sur, and listening to the rhythms of the chico, repique and piano drums that make up the sounds of the condombe. A
t the beginning of the parade you see groups of drummers standing around a fire on the side of the road, warming up the inside of their drums while the rest of their groups put finishing touches on costumes, organize the giant flags and wait anxiously for their turn t
o go dancing down the street. Each condombe group generally consists of a group of drummers, followed by a group of ladies dancing, then leading the pack there is a young vibrant woman with the least amount of clothing, her male partner in crime, and two older couples, the women with large dresses and fans and the men always with a cane and top hat.
As the days of Carnaval continue, all over town at different parks, outdoor stages, and theaters, you can find Tablados where there are performances of traditional Murga, a musical group and style that is often referred to as opera, but I view more as a show choir, with singing, dancing, acting and of course you can't forget the vibrant and colorful costumes! While Argentinian murga has an emphasis on the dance, Uruguayan murga emphasizes the music and the lyrics. Often times comical, the lyrics are written to send social and political messages. In the past, murga was a form of subversive public expression against the dictatorship and other oppressive and unjust laws and political structures. I have been to two different tablados and seen four murgas perform. The statements are still political, and issues like war, justice, and the environment have all been popular topics. But it's not all seriousness either, there are fun and games weaved in there as well... I have also heard them talk about everything from the act of making love, to tourists! Obviously I can't catch every joke and play on words because as much as I would like to say it, I am not a native Spanish speaker, but the performance as a whole is well worth the 80 pesos, or 4 dollars it costs to go.
...and the fiesta continues! I'm sure I will have more to tell regarding Carnaval, and I hope to post some pictures as soon as I get a better internet connection.
Miss you all!
Kate
t the beginning of the parade you see groups of drummers standing around a fire on the side of the road, warming up the inside of their drums while the rest of their groups put finishing touches on costumes, organize the giant flags and wait anxiously for their turn t
o go dancing down the street. Each condombe group generally consists of a group of drummers, followed by a group of ladies dancing, then leading the pack there is a young vibrant woman with the least amount of clothing, her male partner in crime, and two older couples, the women with large dresses and fans and the men always with a cane and top hat.As the days of Carnaval continue, all over town at different parks, outdoor stages, and theaters, you can find Tablados where there are performances of traditional Murga, a musical group and style that is often referred to as opera, but I view more as a show choir, with singing, dancing, acting and of course you can't forget the vibrant and colorful costumes! While Argentinian murga has an emphasis on the dance, Uruguayan murga emphasizes the music and the lyrics. Often times comical, the lyrics are written to send social and political messages. In the past, murga was a form of subversive public expression against the dictatorship and other oppressive and unjust laws and political structures. I have been to two different tablados and seen four murgas perform. The statements are still political, and issues like war, justice, and the environment have all been popular topics. But it's not all seriousness either, there are fun and games weaved in there as well... I have also heard them talk about everything from the act of making love, to tourists! Obviously I can't catch every joke and play on words because as much as I would like to say it, I am not a native Spanish speaker, but the performance as a whole is well worth the 80 pesos, or 4 dollars it costs to go.
...and the fiesta continues! I'm sure I will have more to tell regarding Carnaval, and I hope to post some pictures as soon as I get a better internet connection.
Miss you all!
Kate
Lo describistes bastante bien...
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