"Carnaval in Mexico!"
By Ralph F. Graves
February 2004 Guadalajara-Lakeside Volume 20, Number 6

     February is Carnaval Time—a final and often frenzied spate of fun and frivolity before the onset of Lent. In Mexico, as in other countries throughout the Christian world, the week before Ash Wednesday is a period of gaiety sparked by fiestas, pageantry and all around fun. But like so many celebrations here, Mexican versions of Carnaval are likely to combine elements of pre-Columbian folklore and legend with Catholic tradition to create events unlike those encountered elsewhere.
     Actually, the tradition of Carnaval (or Mardi Gras, as it is known in some places) pre-dates Christianity itself, having roots in ancient Greek rituals honoring Dionysus, god of wine and revelry. The Romans, who were always ready for a good party, continued the tradition in their Saturnalia rituals and orgies, celebrations later combined with pagan rituals of other conquered people.
     As Christianity spread throughout Europe, the old tradition became linked to a time of merrymaking preceding the annual Carnes Levandas, a Latin term meaning removal of meat (for Lent) which was later shortened to Carne Vale and finally Carnaval.
     Songs, dancing, parades and spectacles became the focus of such celebrations and various city-states competed to stage the most elaborate festivities.
     Meanwhile, across the ocean, the ancient Mayans were holding religious festivals in early spring with processions and dances that mocked their officials and chieftans. Other pre-Columbian cultures held elaborate rain-making ceremonies at the height of the dry season. Certain fertility rites were also staged as the dry season neared an end.
     As the European and Mexican cultures combined, Carnaval became another occasion for indigenous people to maintain a bit of their ancient tradition while accepting the new Christian beliefs. And, as the years passed, Carnaval in Mexico became more and more energetic and imaginative.
     Today, specific proceedings vary from place to place with the coastal cities of Veracruz, Mazatlan and Acapulco staging brilliant fiestas highlighted by gaudy parades and processions. Colorful floats vie for prizes as clowns, mimes and masked impersonators poke fun at local dignitaries. Lavish balls are often held during the week, and a Carnaval king and queen are crowned.
     In Merida, parades usually feature flower-laden floats while colorful dances of obscure origin are performed. But the celebration of Carnaval is not limited to the large city-parades; games, fiestas and allegorical dances are staged in many other towns and villages all over Mexico.
     In Santa Ana, Tlaxcala, for instance, impersonators don pink masks and dress up in exaggerated finery as they mock tourists and big city folks. Other towns holding unusual festivities include Papantla, Veracruz, where umbrella-toting masked men mimic pre-Hispanic rain-making ceremonies; Tuxpan, Jalisco, where the old fertility bull dance is often the highlight of the festivities; and Zaachila, Oaxaca, plus a number of towns in the.. state of Mexico where the mock battles between Christians and Moors are staged. Perhaps the most unusual pageantry over the years has been the enactment of a famous legend in the town of Huejotzingo, Puebla.
     Here, nearly all the villagers take part in an elaborate four to five day drama in which a young rancher-turned-outlaw abducts the beautiful daughter of the mayor and escapes to a hillside hideout. He is pursued by police and soldiers and is captured just as the wedding celebration reaches a climax. The entire spectacle varies from year to year but always seems to include lots of soldiers, masked outlaws, Apaches and police, to say nothing of fireworks, music and dancing.
     Celebrations at Lakeside are perhaps not as dramatic, but you’re likely to encounter a considerable amount of music, festivities and good spirits throughout the pre-Lenten period. Chapala, in particular, usually has parades with floats, fireworks and all the trappings of a grand fiesta. It’s best to check local papers for schedules of specific events around the Lakeside area, then pull out the camera and join the fun—before the “removal of meat.”

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