martes, el doce de febrero

LI – Citizenship – learning about other cultures and traditions

Hundreds of years ago, the followers of the Catholic religion in Italy started the tradition of holding a wild

costume festival right before the first day of Lent. Because Catholics are not supposed to eat meat during

Lent, they called their festival, carnevale — which means “to put away the meat.” As time passed, carnivals in

Italy became quite famous and spread to France, Spain, and many Catholic countries in Europe and America.

Spain is well known for its many “Fiestas”. However of all the crazy Spanish fiestas that take place throughout the year there is nothing better than the Carnival celebrations in late February. The week leading up to Lent is a time for wild partying in some parts of Spain when the country plays host to Europe’s biggest and best Carnival festivals.

La cabalgata de carnavalCarnival parade

Una carroza de carnavalA carnival float

During Carnival week masked balls, processions of decorated floats through the streets, costume parades, and feasting generally mark the celebration.

The first day of the carnival season varies from country to country. Mardi Gras, Pancake Tuesday come from the custom of using up meat and fats in the home before Lent, but in Spain it is Fat Thursday – Jueves Lardero. Very often in Spain they eat omelettes rather than pancakes.

La Carnaval de Cádiz es una fiesta musical.

La Carnaval dura diez días en febrero.

Hay una competición musical importante en el teatro en Cádiz.

Muchos grupos de hombres cantan canciones originales, de política, amor y aventura.

Llevan sombreros, pelucas y gafas.

¿Qué opinas de la música? ¿Por qué?

Las canciones son ruidosas, divertidas o serias, de política, amor y aventura.

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The fun begins on 'Fat Thursday' ('Jueves Ladero') 7th February and ends the following Wednesday – Ash Wednesday.

It ends with a traditional ceremony in which sardines are buried to symbolise the beginning of the fast.

It ends with a traditional ceremony in which sardines are buried to symbolise the beginning of the fast.

El entierro consiste (consist) en un desfile (parade) que parodia (that parodies) un funeral.

Las viudas (widows) de las sardinas lloran y gritan (cry and scream) ...

El entierro de la sardinaThe burial of the sardine

It marks the end of carnival and the beginning of Lent

It marks the end of carnival and the beginning of Lent

Los fuegos artificialesFireworks

Grilled sardinesGrilled sardines

The dictator General Franco banned “El Carnaval” for forty years!

Carnival in Spain is celebrated nationwide. While each town has its own unique celebration they all have a devotion to having a good time. In these main destinations during Carnival it seems that no one sleeps as the drinking and dancing go from dusk until dawn. You’ll see extravagant costumes and people in masks everywhere and, in any of Spain’s Carnivals, you’ll have a lot more fun participating in the masquerading than you will just watching.

Una máscaraA mask

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oQWQ7GizK3c

El Carnaval masks!-Cut out a basic mask shape. -Draw your own, or use our templates.-use coloured (preferably purple, gold or green) card, or white card -add colour, sequins, beads, ribbons, glitter, feathers etc to decorate-Using a hole punch, punch two holes at each end and cut string or elastic to fit.-decorate your mask to be really "over the top" and fancy!

Some ideas