| Wednesday, February 14, 2007 |
| WORLD PARTY |
WORLD PARTY.....In one last blast, revelers in many countries indulge in a riot of sensual pleasures before the austere observance of Christian Lent. Mardi Gras, Shrove Tuesday, Carnival, Carnaval, Carnavale -- by whatever name, the celebrations sizzle with music, dancing, extravagant costumes, and wild parades. New Orleans, Rio De Janeiro, Venice, and Port-of-Spain host the biggest bacchanals.
1.) NEW ORLEANS
HISTORY
Louisiana Mardi Gras celebration in the 1700s imitated the masked balls of Paris. Parades began in the 1800s.
FOOD
King cake, iced in gold, purple and green. Whoever gets the tiny doll baked inside is obligated to host the next party.
RITUALS
Masked balls, parades of floats, jazz brass bands, throwing beads and doubloons to the crowds.
DID YOU KNOW?
Social clubs, or krewes, organize parades and balls. The oldest, Mistick Krewe of Comus, began in 1867. The first African-American club, Zulu, was founded in 1906.
2.) RIO DE JANEIRO
HISTORY
Reverlers hurled food and liquid at each other in a raucous street fight before parades became the rage in the mid-1800s.
FOOD
Bolinhos de bacalhau (cod fritters) feijoada (meat and bean stew)manioc fries, caipirinha (sugar cane liquor, lime, sugar)
RITUALS
Formal balls, and a parade of floats and thousands of samba dancers through the Sambadrome.
DID YOU KNOW?
Kicking off Carnaval in 2006, a free Rolling Stones concert drew more than a million fans to Copacabana beach.
3.) VENICE
HISTORY
Carnevale's origins reach back to the 11th century. Celebrations died out after Venice's 1797 fall to Napoleon but revived in 1980.
FOOD
Frittelle (fritters) crespelle (crepes) sfingi and galani (doughnuts) berlingaccio (sweet bread), sanguinaccio (blood pudding)
RITUALS
Masked balls, parades, processions of gondolas, pantomines, juggling, fireworks, concerts.
DID YOU KNOW?
At the height of the 10-day festival, some 150,000 visitors a day flock to the city's historic center, home to 62,000 Venetians.
4.) PORT-OF-SPAIN
HISTORY
French planters brought Carnival with tem in the 18th century. It was taken up by former slaves after their 1834 emancipation.
FOOD
Pelau (chicken, rice and pigeon peas) bake and shark (fish sandwich) doubles (curried chick peas in fried dough), rum.
RITUALS
The Carnival season of parties , concerts, and steel band shows climaxes in two days of parades.
DID YOU KNOW
Soca, the soul-influenced calypso sound native to Trinidad and Tobago, propels Carnival parades with a pounding rhythm.
(Source: NATGEOMAG by:A.R. Williams) |
| posted by infraternam meam @ 9:21 AM |
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