Carnival is a madness of parties and fun that takes part all round the world! Its phenomenon lies in the fact that it has been organized in the form we have known for several hundred years and there is no indication that carnival traditions will disappear into oblivion. Carnival is a time of winter fun and masked balls, starting on the Twelfth Night and lasting until the Tuesday before Ash Wednesday. The last days before Lent are the period of the most intense and loudest parties. The Polish word carnival is a loanword from the Italian carnevale, meaning farewell to meat. Hence, during this merry time, meat dishes and sweet snacks cover the tables. We want to eat as many of them as possible so that we do not miss them during Lent.

Compared to the games organized by the Polish nobility in the past, the current Polish carnival is quite pale. In the past, throughout the duration of Shrovetide, Sarmatian brothers visited each other and feasted until dawn. The most popular carnival fun was sleigh rides, i.e. horse-drawn sleigh rides. People would then visit all the surrounding manors, eating and drinking in each of them. The sleigh ride could last up to several days, with breaks for a short sleep and regeneration. Carnival came to Poland in the 18th century from Italy. First, it made himself at home in Warsaw – carnival balls were held there several times a week, in palaces. Carnival masks were a must-have. Anyone who did not wear a mask was asked to leave. People spent time playing cards and dancing to the accompaniment of the orchestra.

The most popular carnival in Rio de Janeiro. What happens there?

Samba – a showcase of street parades performed by dance schools. The director of each samba school prepares the script, background music and designs the costumes. She or he passes this information on to the dancers, who sew their own costumes and practice the steps. Such preparations last almost the whole year. A few weeks before the carnival itself, the dancers start rehearsals at the Sambadrome (a parade ground designed especially for this occasion).

At the beginning of the pageant, a porta-bandeira (a dancer who is supposed to attract the attention of the judges and spectators) dances.  He holds a samba school flag in his hand. The outfit of this dancer  is also impressive – it is richly decorated, full of sequins and feathers. A man is standing next to the dancer (he is called metre-hall). He has to protect the flag bearer from unfair competition, which in the past even resorted to violence.

Photos taken from: 1, 2, 3,

🎊🎠 🎡 🎪 2023/2024 © Natalia Obarska, 1 rok, Pedagogika,  Akademia Nauk Stosowanych w Koninie