Carnaval!

Carnival Trivia

• Wearing a mask is an ancient Venetian tradition allowing people to conceal their identity. Everyone, rich or poor, young or old, can leave their ordinary lives, don a mask, and let go of their inhibitions.
• In Tlaxcala, Mexico, groups wander the streets performing French quadrilles and square dances for their families and sponsors, dressed in costumes that mock the Europeans who once colonized Mexico.
• Fifteen-foot paper maché puppets color the Olinda Carnival in Brazil. These giant puppets represent famous figures in Brazilian life, from politicians and soccer players to traditional characters that show up every year.
• Natives disguise themselves in brilliantly colored masks of big-eyed, long-horned diablos in Oruro Bolivia during the Carnival season.  Diabladas (devil groups) are common masqueraders who worship the Andean god of the underworld, Supay. 
• The King and Queen competition in the Port of Spain Carnival is an important event held on the outdoor stage on Dimanche Gras (French for “Fat Sunday”).  Candidates from Carnival groups strut across the stage  in elaborate costumes that embody the group’s theme.
• Beware of the mischievous, confetti-carrying Waggis in the Carnival or Fasnacht in Basel, Switzerland. He can show up at any time to rub confetti into your hair and clothes. With large teeth and a bulbous nose, he represents the stereotypical view many Swiss have of unruly French Alsatian farmers.
• Participants in Laza, Spain ritualize aggression during their entroido (the named used for Carnival to mean “beginning” or “entrance”), they throw ashes, flour, water, and dirt filled with ants at each other.