Carnaval De Panama

By D.C.

Terminology

What is Carnaval ?

It started in the 1900’s when the country declared its independence from Spain, and was celebrated for the four days before the Catholic holiday of Lent.

The word Carnaval means “feast of the flesh” because , during Lent, people can not eat any meat for forty days.

In the beginning, the holiday was similar to the other Latin countries, but later on; Panama had its culture and customs mixed in the holiday and made it unique to the rest of the world.

It is a celebration that is four days long, and it is the second largest carnival in the world.

The carnival stretches from Las Tablas to Panama City, which is around 112 miles to 121 miles; and it is also a four hour drive.

What Happens during Carnaval?

The Carnaval begins on the Friday before Ash Wednesday. On that day, the Carnival Queen and her court is chosen and some of the city hotels sponsor dancing events in the evening.

On the main street of Panama City, people start to crowd onto the street, eager to dance; the people dance every Spanish dance from the salsa to Panama folk music.

Tuesday is the biggest Carnival celebration day, which has a New Orleans theme parade with decorated floats and costumed brigades from all sectors of society, and the party finishes in the early hours of the morning.

Traditions of Carnaval

One Panamanian tradition during Carnaval is the, "mojaderas" or "getting drenched" in water because the temperatures are very hot, and no one wants to get heatstroke. People get wet by fire hoses, water balloons, or buckets of water. Please keep your phones or any electronic devices at home.

On Sunday, the women dress in their native dress and have their own parade called a "pollera" parade because it is the type of dress that the women and girls wear.

In Las Tablas, there is a “feud” between two groups called Calle Arriba, “Upper Street,” and Calle Abajo, “Lower Street,” which compete to see who can make the best elaborate floats and who has the best Carnival Queen.

At the end of the last day of Carnaval, sardines are put in little coffins and are thrown into the ocean or buried beneath a tree to signal the start of Lent.

Examples of Carnaval Masks

Video During Carnaval

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