Spanning around two months, the Carnival of Guadeloupe is a major event of the archipelago and a real tourist attraction. It begins on the Sunday after the epiphany and ends on Ash Wednesday. It is the Catholic colonists who are at the origin of this festive event dating back to the 17th century. It was intended to allow Christians to enjoy one last time some pleasures like eating meat and party before starting Lent synonymous for them deprivation. This Lent is a period that lasts 40 days just before Easter and begins on Ash Wednesday. Gradually, the slaves were allowed to take part, and they were quick to add their distinctive touch. They introduced masks as a nod to their African origins as well as percussions that are also specific to their culture. It was also an opportunity for them to laugh at their masters without fear of reprisals. This ancestral tradition is today a colorful festival taking place in the main cities of Guadeloupe: Pointe-à-Pitre, St. François, Deshaies, BasseTerre, Sainte-Rose. Fat Sunday is marked by masked parades where whips can be heard. The use of the whip is there to satirically recall the hard years of slavery. Then follow the three fat days that are the culmination of the carnival. Monday is the day of burlesque weddings and on Tuesday the day of red devils.
Origin of Carnival in Guadeloupe
No carnival at school this year 2021, because of COVID, but each year our students and their parents go by the streets around the school, for a parade.
Le roi et la reine chez les élèves: The king and queen of carnival school
Carnival 2019 : Queen and king
Le tissu traditionnel ,le madras , sert aussi pour les costumes de carnaval : The traditional fabric, the madras is also used for costumes
Les carnavaliers fabriquent un pantin surnommé « Vaval » qui défilera et qui sera brulé le mercredi des cendres: The carnivals make a puppet nicknamed "Vaval" that will run away and burn on Ash Wednesday.
Il représente toutes les mauvaises choses dont le peuple veut se débarrasser un cortège de femmes en deuil et en pleurs le suivra. Il sera jeté à la mer.: It represents all the bad things that the people wants to get rid of. a procession of women in mourning and crying will follow him. It will be thrown into the sea
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Quelques groupes défilent avec des costumes faits de matériaux de récupération : Some groups parade with costumes made of recycled materials
Les tambours sont fait avec des tonneaux en plastique: The drums are made with plastic barrels
Beautiful costumes
Conch conch is a big sea shell
Qui suis-je ? Le chacha, fabriqué à partir de la calebasse est un instrument de musique Caribéen que l’on retrouve en Guadeloupe dans les groupes musicaux. La calebasse est le fruit d’un arbre appelé calebassier, de forme ronde ou ovale. Pourquoi le nomme t-on « Chacha » ? Le nom chacha viendrait certainement du son très agréable qu’il produit « tcha tcha tcha….» une fois que les graines placé à l’intérieur se mettent à glisser et frotter à l'intérieur du fruit séché. Pourquoi et comment l’utilise t-on ? Le chacha est surtout utilisé dans la musique traditionnelle. Mais il trouve une place toute particulière durant le carnaval de la Guadeloupe Les groupes à pieds ont toujours une section chacha au sein de leur formation musicale. Le son aigu du chacha vient assouplir le son grave des tambours et autres caisses claires. La pratique du chacha est simple : -Saisir le chacha à l’aide de ses deux mains -Le secouer en suivant le rythme que l’on veut Le son du chacha harmonisé à celui d’un tambour gwo ka donne une très belle ambiance au parfum créole. Chaque chacha est unique car c’est avant tout un fruit qui est transformé en instrument de musique. Il est naturel et sain.
Le chacha Who am I ? The chacha, made from the calabash is a Caribbean musical instrument found in Guadeloupe in musical groups. The calabash is the fruit of a tree called calabash tree, round or oval. Why do we name it "Chacha"? The name chacha would certainly come from the very nice sound that it produces "chacha cha ..." once the seeds placed inside begin to slide and rub inside the dried fruit. Why and how do we use it? Chacha is mostly used in traditional music. But he finds a special place during the carnival of Guadeloupe. The groups on foot always have a section chacha within their musical formation. The high-pitched sound of the chacha relaxes the bass sound of the drums and other snare drums. The practice of chacha is simple: -Enter chacha using both hands -Shake it by following the rhythm that we want The sound of the chacha harmonized with that of a drum gwo ka gives a very beautiful atmosphere with Creole fragrance. - Each chacha is unique because it is above all a fruit that is transformed into a musical instrument. He is natural and healthy.
Les chachas sont faits avec des calebasses séchées , vidées et qu’on remplit de graines ou de petits cailloux: Chachas are made with dried calabashes, emptied and filled with seeds or pebbles
Les flûtes en bambou servent aussi pour le carnaval: Bamboo flutes are also used for carnival
Le groupe de diables rouges : a group of red devils
Les groupes fabriquent des tambours d’aisselles de fabrication artisanale avec de la récupération de boites de conserves de différentes tailles, des peaux de cabri sur les deux faces du fût et des lanières de bois tendre pour construire les cercles maintenant les peaux. Aujourd’hui ,on remplace les tambours en tôle par des tambours en bois, et les joueurs sont tambours solistes.
The groups make homemade armpit drums with the recovery of tin cans of different sizes, goat skins on both sides of the barrel and softwood strips to build the circles keeping the skins. . Today, the drums are replaced by wooden drums, and the players are drums soloists
Carnival’s drums
Some instruments for playing music during Carnival
The drums are made with plastic barrels
Caribbean Carnival donuts recipe 25 cl of water ( a glass) 125 g flour sifted 75 g of butter Cinnamon Nutmeg 4 eggs (according to size) 2 tablespoons of sugar 1 lime zest Icing sugar 1 liter of oil Preparation : 30 min Baking : 5 min Step 1 Put in a pan the water, the butter , the cinnamon , the nutmeg and the zest of lime . Step 2 When the mixture begins to boil, throw in the flour (all at once) and mix. Continue mixing off the heat. Do not worry if the mixture is not smooth. Let cool. Step 3 Add the eggs one by one with a fork. Let stand a few minutes. Step 4 With two teaspoons, form small balls of pasta that you put in the hot frying bath. Step 5 When the donuts are golden brown, drain on paper towels. Srinkle with icing sugar. Enjoy !!!
Carnival donuts: the different steps