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Carnival is the annual "Celebration
of Life" that takes place throughout Haiti, the Caribbean and most of South
America. The Carnival Season in Haiti is a holiday period during
the two weeks before the traditional Christian fast of Lent.
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on Haitian Music
African Connection to Carnival:
African
slaves were not only imported to the United States, but also to many
other parts of the new world, including Haiti.
These slaves and their descendants in Haiti adopted and adapted to the
local music, and consequently changed the music profoundly as well as creating new
hybrids.
Since Africans have an ancient tradition of parading and moving in circles
through villages wearing masks and costumes. It was believed to heal problems,
chill out angry relatives who died and to bring good fortune. They also put
natural objects together such as fabrics, shells, beads, grasses and bones to
create masks and costumes. Each object and combination of objects were to
represent a certain idea or spiritual force.
Feathers were often used on masks and headdresses and would symbolize humans
ability to rise above illness, pains, heartbreaks and problems or to pas to
other worlds for rebirth and spiritually growth. Feathers are largely used in
many forms in creating Carnival costumes.
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viewers
Masks have two possibilities in Africa, to conceal the wearer or to reveal
another character than the wearer. Masks are important in the crossover between
sacred and secular life and usually has strict rules about who can wear them.
Masks are also an important feature in the Carnival costume. The famous masks
usually displayed in carnival in
Jacmel , Haiti clearly borrowed from these
ancient African
traditions. The following is a list of resources for Haitian
Carnival:
Carnival Haiti
Haiti carnival
Festivals bring people together and
in African societies they play an important part as it celebrate something
important in the life of the community. During carnival time normal life is
suspended and the daily worries are forgotten for as long as the festival lasts.
European Connection to Carnival:
The Carnival tradition also has
European elements dating back to the followers of the Catholic religion in
Italy, who started the tradition of wild costume festivals before the first day
of Lent. In Italy, the Festival was called "Carnivale" which means "to put away
the meet" since Catholics are not supposed to eat meat during Lent. The carnival
in Italy became quite famous and spread to France, Spain and Catholic countries
in Europe.
In many parts of the world where Catholic Europeans set up colonies and began
trading slaves the European Carnival traditions and the ancient African
traditions began to interact giving root to the Carnival as we know it today.
Brazil colonized by the Portuguese is perhaps most famous for its carnival, as
the Mardi Gras is in Louisiana where African-Americans mixed with French
settlers and Native Americans. The situation is the same in Haiti where during
the carnival season, most Haitians take the opportunity to enjoy themselves and
forget about their problems for a few days.
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on Haitian Music
The origin of the name "Carnival":
The origin of
the name "Carnival" is unclear as there are several theories. The most commonly
known theory states that the name comes from the
Italian carne- or carnovale, from Latin carnem
(meat) + levare (lighten or raise), literally "to remove the meat" or
"stop eating meat". It has also been claimed that it comes from the Latin words
caro (meat) and vale (farewell), hence "Farewell to meat". Yet
another theory states that it originates from the Latin carrus
navalis, which was some kind of Greek cart carrying a statue of a god in a
religious procession at the annual festivities in honour of the god Apollo. Most
commonly the season began on
Septuagesima, the third from the last Sunday before Ash
Wednesday, but in some places it started as early as
Twelfth Night, continuing until Lent. This period of celebration and
partying had its origin in the need to use up all remaining meat and animal
products such as eggs and butter before the fasting season. The celebration of
Carnival ends on "Mardi
Gras" (French
for "Fat Tuesday", meaning
Shrove Tuesday), the day before Ash
Wednesday, when the rigours of Lent's 40 days of
fasting and sacrifice begin. It sometimes lasts until
Piņata Weekend, the first Saturday and Sunday of Lent.
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Recommended Dealers For Haiti Music: |
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Galaxi Record - Miami, Florida
Looking for that special song from Haiti? - whenever you
want, however you want. And quickly buy entire albums or
purchase just a few select tracks in the Music match Music
Store. |
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HBC Productions - Massachusetts
All the music from Haiti: Troubadour, Music Konpa, KONPA
DIRECK Music. Choose from over 700,000 songs and counting. A
truly independent music store, We sell new and used records,
cds, tapes, videos, laserdiscs, collectibles and posters. |
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Island Faces Record - Orlando, Florida
Music Store has sold more than 200 million songs, providing
music fans with the best digital. Please Support the music
of Haiti. Increase the exposure of Haitian music article
related to Music. |
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Layite Record & Production -
Lauderhill, Florida
Find out more about your favorite artists with the artist
discography, song lyrics, and latest news - Haiti Music,
Compa, Zouk, Racines, Kreyol Jazz, compas, kompa, konpa,
salsa, Your best source online for Compas, zouk, latin and
reggae music, Haitian Music |
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Les Disques Soleil Des Iles -
Montreal, Canada
The music of Haiti: Troubadour, Music Konpa, KONPA DIRECK
Music. See artist photos, music videos, live interviews and
exclusive performances.
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Marc's Record Shop - New York
Music Store has sold more than 200 million songs, providing
music fans with the best. For the hottest bit from Haiti:
artists, concerts, promotions, music videos & more, visit
us. |
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