Carnival time
Dig out that wig and the dodgy outfit
Somewhere tucked away at the back of our wardrobe we’ve all got one. It’s that glittery and hideously bright costume that we cringe to look at but somehow still absolutely adore. We wouldn’t of course be seen dead in it under any normal circumstances. But we do love to make excuses to put it on.
There are the times that our lover seriously disappoints us and we pour the wine, put on the loud 60s music, and out comes the outfit complete with wig and bright lipstick as we prance around the house pretending to be a true stage diva, arms in the air and belting at the top of our lungs.
Then there’s the second excuse to wear it – carnival time! And no, it’s not just females who resort to such silliness. Every man seems to have an unleashed Don Juan within him and perhaps even more bizarre is that many males rejoice in the chance to dress up as women. Of course, it’s all completely acceptable during carnival because somehow absolutely anything goes, and just as long as you don’t wake up still wanting to wear your outfit out to lunch the next day, you’re absolutely safe.
Around the world, people love the idea of dressing up and having wild parties. But how did it all the crazy festivities begin? With carnival celebrations taking place in so many countries around the globe, the origin of the world ‘carnival’ is often debated, but it’s most commonly believed to come from the Italian word ‘carnevale’. The word literally means ‘to say farewell to the meat’, and because Catholics are not supposed to eat meat during lent, they began the tradition of holding a wild costume festival right before the first day of lent.
Carnival then became a yearly festivity where people lost their inhibitions and indulged in an orgy of feasting, dancing and other sensual activities. As time passed, carnivals in Italy became quite famous and spread across Europe and Latin America.
Just like many other festivities and cultural traditions, Cypriot carnival celebrations actually date back to the beginning of the last century, when homes in Limassol opened their doors and welcomed round friends and family for a feast of food and wine.
“They began celebrating privately,” says Skevi Antoniou from the Cultural Department of Limassol Municipality, “and would dress up in old costumes, completely disguising their faces. They would then go over to friend’s houses and tease them as they would pretend to be someone else.
“It was all about having a great laugh and experiencing one day a year when you could pretend to be anyone you wanted to be.”
The Greek word ‘Apokries’ is symbolic, as just like ‘carnevale’, it literally means ‘without meat’ and so everyone would tuck into juicy delights before the fasting was set to begin. Crowds would roam the streets singing and dancing, and even the donkeys were decorated and proudly paraded around town. The Limassol Municipality then began to realise how much people enjoyed prancing around the streets and took the initiate to organise carnival events on a yearly basis.
Although things are undoubtedly a little different today, Limassol remains the centre of all the fun, and hosts the largest parade down Archbishop Makarios III Avenue. But all the fun begins days before the parade. This Tuesday, you can go along to a big carnival fiesta outside the Mediaeval Castle, where everyone is invited to go along disguised in costumes and participate in all sorts of fun with music and dancing. On Thursday, a second dance will take place in the square of the First Municipal Market, where the Dreams Choir will be keeping you on your feet with old and new hits. At both the parties, awards will be given for the best three carnival costumes.
The big grand parade in Limassol this year will be taking place on February 18, with all the usual bright and cheerful floats and spectacles. It may not be Rio, but efforts are being made to make the carnival bigger and better each year. As festivities coincide with Valentine’s Day celebrations, you can expect many associations with passion and love. And for those of you who’ve already set your sights on the Carnival King in the centre of town, you’ll have probably realised that he represents the king of love.
“The carnival in Cyprus is really getting bigger and better each year. There are more costumes, more colour and more and more people who want to take part. The unified music means people have started dancing in the streets and have really become more enthusiastic than ever,” says Antoniou.
Some of the biggest floats in this year’s parade include ‘Antonio and Cleopatra’, ‘Carnival from Venice’, ‘Spiderman’ and ‘Oliver Twist’. But the most intriguing are the rather imposing ‘speed camera’ floats. Are the authorities trying to prove a point by any chance? The parade will be followed by the Limassol Municipality Philharmonic Orchestra, and prizes will be awarded for all the best floats, groups and individuals.
There will also be celebrations taking place in Paphos, with a grand parade on February 17 place on Poseidon Avenue as crowds gather to cheer all those taking part. Now all that’s left is deciding on your outfit. Unless of course you’ve already put on that wonderfully bizarre gorilla costume half way through reading this article.
CARNIVAL EVENTS
Limassol Dances
February 13: Carnival Fiesta, outside Mediaeval Castle Square, 8.30pm
February 15: Outdoor Carnival Dancing Event, outside Municipal Market, 8.30pm
Grand Limassol Parade
February 18. Starting point, Ayios Nicolaos round about, ending at Ayia Sophia traffic lights, Archbishop Makarios III Avenue. 1.30pm.
Grand Paphos Parade
February 17. Poseidon Avenue. 4pm.
For more information, Tel: 25-745919/ 25-343120
