C’est Carnaval!
Carnival (aka Carnaval) season has begun on across the Caribbean, which basically means every week leading up to the week long celebration (Feb 2nd-6th ) there are street parties around Guadeloupe and many islands alike. People gather to watch the various Carrnival groups march and sing in costume. I march with a group called Akiyo, one of the largest and oldest groups on the island.
While some groups have very elaborate costumes, Akiyo, by its very mission, is a group of the people. Akiyo calls for only simple, natural and/or reusable items so anyone can participate. There is a different theme every week. This Sunday the costumes were made out of green vegetation; the variety wasn’t important but one type of vine seemed to prevail. My friend, Andrea, and I made costumes of mostly palm leaves.
Participating in Carnival is a great time. You march, sing, and dance through the streets of a city; in my case Les Abymes and Pointe-a-Pitre. There is a group of drummers at the heart of the group drumming a constant rhythm. The streets are lined with people and vendors along the route. Young boys and some teenagers make whips which crack loudly in all directions. The air is filled with smoke from from the mixture of plants and sap that a group member carries at the head of the parade.
The march is probably about three miles in length and there are two breaks around 30 minutes long for rest and socializing. Food vendors follow the group so you can buy bokits, pastries, drinks etc. Right before each rest stop and the end of the march there is a drumming/dancing frenzy. My legs are pretty sore from it all and I lost my voice a bit, but it’s all worth it!
Each week I’ll let everyone know what Akiyo, and I in turn, are up to. Unfortunately the season is shorter than usual because Carnival is falling on the first week of February. It usually seems to fall around the third week of the month. Regardless, it should be a lot of fun.
Wish me luck!!
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