18 Aug Annual Carnival
Thinking about some colourful events that hold every year? Annual carnivals are always colourful and come with parades and cultural displays. Read on to learn more.
In the modern world, different tribes, traditions, and cultures hold an annual carnival which they celebrate as a festival in a larger way. Annual carnivals have been in existence for a long time, but many individuals of different tribes know nothing about them due to modern life.
Most have not experienced a carnival, so most people think a carnival is a traditional activity and should not be applied to modern ways of living. This notion that carnival is a traditional activity, which should not be a part of modern ways of living, has risen as a debate, and of course, it is worth arguing around the globe.
So, In this article, I will not be debating if carnival should be applied to modern life or not. I will discuss what is considered an annual carnival. When was the first carnival? What city has the largest carnival celebration? etc.
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What Is Considered Annual Carnival?
An annual carnival is a festival celebrated once a year in different regions. The celebration is huge, full of enjoyment, music, dancing in the streets, display of culture, and so much pleasure taken by people to ensure their happiness.
While some countries do not celebrate an annual carnival, most countries do; and it means a lot to them. Below are some of the countries known to celebrate annual carnival:
- Brazil
- Italy
- Belgium
- Spain
- Bulgaria
- Canada
- USA
- Germany
- Mexico
- Uruguay
- France
- United Kingdom
In addition to the listed countries, African countries are no exception.
When Was The First Carnival?
According to history, Carnivals were first introduced as pagan festivals in Ancient Egypt to pinpoint winter and celebrate the beginning of spring. It was labeled Sham El-Nessim.
Ancient Egypt thought of winter as a reign of the winter spirits, and they needed winter to be driven out for summer to return, so each time the winter season was driven out, they would gather to celebrate.
Some say that the oldest carnival of all time is the Kukeri carnival from eastern Europe, which evolved during the pagan time. The Kukeri festival is celebrated in Bulgaria. It emerges as the oldest tradition of Bulgaria that was established thousands of years ago. The Kukeri is celebrated between the New Year and the Lent period in Bulgaria until date.
What City Has The Largest Carnival Celebration?
Historians label the carnival held in Rio de Janeiro, Portugal the biggest carnival in the world. It was first celebrated in 1723. This festival is said to have a record of a minimum of two million people per day on each street of Rio de Janeiro. This parade is also considered the biggest show on earth and translated into Portuguese as O maior show da Terra.
The Rio de Janeiro Carnival is a cultural and religious carnival that naturally occurs during the seasons of Lent. It starts on Friday before Ash Wednesday (51 days to Easter) and ends on Ash Wednesday at noon (46 days to Easter). The carnival is held for 5 days with parties, parades, and open-air celebrations. There are speculations that Rio de Janeiro is somewhat related to the Rio, Brazil carnival.
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Which Is The Best Carnival?
Sometimes, the Rio, Brazil carnival is compared to Rio de Janeiro as the best carnival around the globe. The Rio, Brazil carnival is said to be the most famous, biggest, and most spectacular celebration in the world. This event, which normally takes place five days before Lent, was shifted to April 20 – 30 this year due to certain reasons.
The most important part of Rio Brazil is that 100 samba schools compete to be crowned as the best, and these schools parade, party, and play music in the streets all around the city.
Carnivals In Nigeria
Just like every other country that holds and celebrates carnivals, Nigeria is no exception. When it comes to everything carnivals, Nigeria has her share of the parade. Nigeria has the biggest and best carnival festival in Africa, surpassing every other African country.
Below are some of the most common carnivals in Nigeria –
- Calabar carnival and festival
- Port Harcourt carnival and parades
- Lagos carnival and cultural fiesta
- Kubwa, Abuja carnival and parades
- Imo carnival
- Ogwashi-Ukwa carnival
Best Carnival In Nigeria
The Calabar carnival and festival is an annual occasion that is popularly known as Africa’s biggest street party. Africa’s biggest street party is a popular cultural festival held specially to display Africa’s culture through costumes, drama, dance, and other cultural activities and creativities of the Calabar people.
The event takes place in December, and the date for the 2022 edition is yet to be announced. Usually, the occasion starts from December 1st to December 31st. Due to the covid 19 pandemic, there are suspicions that some changes may apply to the date of the upcoming Calabar carnival and festival in 2022.
Conclusion
Since the world tends towards technology and modern life, people have abandoned and care less about carnivals, cultures, traditions, and some ways of life in their region. However, people living in the cities where these carnivals hold annually will always hold beauty in their hearts. The people of old who began the carnival tradition had some reasons to do so, and one of those reasons is cultural preservation. Visit a carnival to observe and touch the root of the owners of the culture.
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