What is “Kanaval”?
“Kanaval” (Carnival) in Haiti is a colorful and exciting
time of year. Starting in January, Haitians begin to celebrate the period of
time leading up to Mardi Gras (Fat Tuesday) on weekends, which is the last day before Ash Wednesday. Many enjoy listening to upbeat
and repetitive music that asks listeners to “Jump!”, “Dance!” and “Spin your
shirts above your heads!”. One example of Kanaval music is below:
On the days leading up to Mardi Gras, the celebrations are
at their peak. Haitians deck themselves out in multicolored outfits, some shower
themselves in glitter, and others wear masks. Many carry maracas in their hands
to shake to the never-ending joyful tunes. In major cities like Port-au-Prince,
Les Cayes, Cap Haïtiene, and Jacmel the celebrations are especially vibrant.
Party-goers meet somewhere central in the city to follow floats adorned with
colorful decorations and dance to the songs of famous musicians performing live atop the
floats for all to hear.
What does it look
like at Espwa?
This is a special holiday and cultural tradition for
Haitians and, of course, the kids at Pwoje Espwa love to celebrate along with
their country. This year masks, hats, and glitter were purchased for the kids
to wear on the Monday before Mardi Gras. With schools closed for the holiday,
the kids all met outside on the big field to listen to Kanaval music, dance and
celebrate with their peers. Huge speakers blasted music and a DJ came to play
the most popular Kanaval tunes. Everyone had a blast!
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