HISTORY - Many people associate mascaras (masks) with Carnaval. The traditions of wearing mascaras goes back to ancient pagan rituals. One disguised oneself for protection against evil spirits at a time when these spirits were thought to be wandering about.

The word Carnaval comes from Latin meaning "Goodbye to the flesh" which refers to the 40 days of Cuaresma (Lent) during which time the Christians, Roman Catholics in particular, would not eat meat. There were many other restrictions during the 40 days of fasting and praying. In the 1800's the end of Cuaresma meant the end of drinking and the end of eating certain foods. Meat was replaced by fish and eggs; the wild colorful clothing was replaced by dark gloomy attire. the partying stopped. Even marriages did not take place during the 40 solemn days of Cuaresma. Therefore, the days preceeding Cuaresma became days of carefree abandon and indulgence. Wild behavior was accepted as a necessary outlet. These days, called the Carnaval season, officially started el seis de enero (Jan. 6th, Epiphany) and continued until midnight on the martes antes del miercoles de Ceniza (Tuesday before Ash Wednesday, "Shrove" Tuesday usually falls in February or March). Most Carnaval celebrations now take place during the week before miercoles de Ceniza.

SPAIN - Carnaval is celebrated throughout Spain but it is especially popular in the south. The city of Cadiz, for example, is well-known for its desfiles (parades), elegant processions and elaborate costumes.

In most areas of Spain, Carnaval is celebrated during the week before miercoles de Ceniza. Students do not have classes during this week because there are dias de fiestas. A cohete (a rocket) is fired to open the celebraciones. Then the streets fill with trajes de colores (colorful costumes) and floats. The desfiles and bailes de enmarcarados (masked balls) play a big part in the Carnaval celebrations.

SPAIN - Carnaval is celebrated throughout Spain but it is especially popular in the south. The city of Cadiz, for example, is well-known for its desfiles (parades), elegant processions and elaborate costumes.

In most areas of Spain, Carnaval is celebrated during the week before miercoles de Ceniza. Students do not have classes during this week because there are dias de fiestas. A cohete (a rocket) is fired to open the celebraciones. Then the streets fill with trajes de colores (colorful costumes) and floats. The desfiles and bailes de enmarcarados (masked balls) play a big part in the Carnaval celebrations.

The name.

There are several names for Carnival . The most used names are "antroido" and "entroido" but we must also bear in mind names such as "introido", "entrudo" or "entrudio". The word "antroido" has got its Spanish equivalent in the word "antruejo", which comes from the Latin "introitus" and it refers to the arrival of Lent.

Origins.

These celebrationns started in the Middle Ages as a contrast to Lent. The massive amount of meat which they used to eat, and the typical festivals were in contrast to the forebearance and recollection of the Lent.

The Carnivila in Galicia is called "Entroido" which means the beginning of a new year or the arrival of spring.

The beginning of the festival could be traced back to some ancient pagan celebrations. Carnival lasts two weeks and a half. The most important days are "Jueves de comadres" (Godmothers´day) , "Domingo de Entroido" (Shrove Sunday), Shrove Monday , Shrove Tuesday and Ash Wednesday.

These are the main aspects of Galician Carnival.

Liberating aspect Carnival days are day when the things which are forbidden the rest of the year are allowed now. Events, statements which may be considered as incredibly offensive are allowed in Carnival.

The most important right which masked men /women have is to unveil people´s faults without their being anoyed.

Carnival is a ritual celebration full of cermonies. Disguising is a ritual, eating turnip greens and pork´s shoulder is a ritual, joking is a ritual... But the principal ritual is to make a guy of straw , dress it, judge it and sacrifice it or bury it at the end of the Carnival. This guy stand for Carnival.

In Carnival all the rules, habits are not considered any more. It is a time for uproar and "madness". But this sudden explosion of madness has its strict orders too, or perhaps even more strict than in everyday life.

The mask men have rights which nobody can deny. Our duty is to welcome them at home, to give them gifts and typical dishes of Carnival, to pay them drinks when we meet the on the street, to accept their jokes , however hoax they might be. Our duty is to bear their throwing eggs, water, etc at us. These Carnival laws force everybody and even the authorities to put up with event which coul be punished in some other time.

Carnival stands for a upside down world . A sort of parody of everyday´s life. Men dress as women and viceversa.

Carnival takes off everyday life . It makes fun of the different professions, it mocks authorities, associations, religious processions, solemn gatherings and even religious celebrations. There is an underlying intention to laugh at everything and above all there is a clear aim to criticize society. People ten to criticize and mock what is above themn , and without being aware of it, they mock what they cannot do in a formal way. The neighbours ´ life is hoaxed in public by means of songs where their faults are made public.

Dramatic aspect.

In Galicia , it is traditional to perform shor farces and comedies. Apart from that, the carnival rituals, the songs and sayings of the charades have the definite flavour of theatre. Carnival is a sor of mime of real life.

Carnival levels everybody even it is just for one second. It pulls downs social barriers, in Carnival noboy is neither young nor old. All of us are the same: masks and we do no have to keep our distance as usual.

In the beginning, Carnival lasted fifteen days , longer than the present Shrove Sunday and Shrove Tuesday. Even in towns a new day called "Domingo de piñata" (Scrap Sunday) is added so as to make Carnival longer. The main symbol of Galician Carnival is a sort of icon with different names: "Momo" in A Coruña, "meco " in Urco (Ourense), "entroido " (the supreme god of paroy and uproar).

"Domingo Fareleiro" (Bran Sunday) or "Domingo Borralento" (Rubbish Sunday) . It is a dy meant for jokes. People also therow seeds as a symbol of fertitlity.

"Xoves de compadres" (Godfathers´Thursday) (xoves de compadres). Next Thursday to "Domingo fareleiro" (Bran Sunday) . Boys and girls fight one another in a battle of sexes.

"Domingo Corredoiro" (Running Sunday) or "Domingo Cacheleiro" nasmed after the "cachelos" or bolied potatoes which they eat that day. Boys and girl throw flour, eggs and water with syringes over the people, who are forced to carry umbrellas eve if the weather is sumnny. This day the cock (solar symbol) is released before a group of young men and the one who succeeds in grasping it will be a daredevil.

"Xoves de comadres" (Godmothers´ Thursday) It is the opposite to Godfathers ´ Thursday, this time, girls attack first.

From this day onwards the classical Carnival days come as follows:

Shrove Sunday: Carnival is at its peak. Everything is alllowed this day and there is a jiggery pokery atmosphere on the streets.

Shrove Tuesday. It is the last day and therfore the noisiest too. In some parts of the country , the "meco" - a symbol of the almost finishe winter and Carnival. This "sacrifice" represents Nature´s eternal cycle.

The "meco " has its own will where social criticism is involved so as to improve our habits.

Ash Wednesday: The burial of the sardine is held. This bring the arrival of Lent. Carnival , where people are both audience and actors, is over.

The next day, el miercoles de Ceniza, there is another ceremony called El Entierro de la Sardina (Burial of the Sardine). The "fun times" are buried because it is now la Cuaresma - a time of fasting and praying. The sardina is a symbol which reminds the people that now they will be eating fish instead of meat. (Catholics still observe the tradition of not eating meat on miercoles de Ceniza and on Fridays during la Cuaresma). In the "old days" a real sardina was used in the mock funeral processsion but now a sardina plastica is often used.

The people in the funeral procession are dressed in black. The men wear suits and chesteras (top hats). The women wear vestidos negros (black dresses) and velos negos (black veils).

The women pretend to cry as they walk to the river. When they reach the river, the sardina is thrown into the river or sometimes it is burned instead. Later this day, people go to church where they receive cenizas in the form of a cross on their foreheads. (The custom of El Entierro de la Sardina is no longer observed in some areas of Spain).

Profesores: Jytte Hildebrand (Dinamarca), Monica Reimann (Austria), Marcella Tinazzi (Italia), Maria Nelida Barbeito, José Lúgaro, Teresa Fojón, Gloria Palacios, Carmen Barrós, Victoria Díaz, Asunción Mantiñán, Juan Cambeiro, Sara Debesa, Pilar Hermida de CEIP Graxal_Temple.

Asistencia Informática : Departamento de informática y Seminario permanente "Informática aplicada ao ensino" do Ceip Graxal _Temple.