CARNAVAL DE BLANCOS Y NEGROS

CARNAVAL DE BLANCOS Y NEGROS

Blacks and Whites' Carnival (Spanish: Carnaval de Negros y Blancos), is the largest and most important celebration in southern Colombia, its geographical indication belongs to the city of Pasto (The Surprise City). It's celebrated from 2 to 7 January of each year and attracts a considerable number of Colombian and foreign tourists.

In 30 September 2009, this Carnival was proclaimed by UNESCO, as one of the Masterpieces of the Oral and Intangible Heritage of Humanity

Origins

Strictly speaking, the modern carnival, arise at the dawn of an Epiphany day in 6 January 1912, based on the need to express imagination, play, friendship and sharing the joy that around that time of the year revives. In a fine and exclusive brothel in the city, the House of the Misses Robby located in the Calle Real (Royal Street, current 25th Carrera), was the place where the audacity of Don Angel Maria Lopez Zarama, renowned tailor of the city, leads him to take the French face powder of one of the most requested ladies and proceeds to gently spread the powder and some woman's perfume among all those present with the slogan ¡Vivan los Blanquitos! (Hurray the Whiteys!). Soon, the companions of the master cutter and victims of the powder, join the game. Then, everyone would go out to repeat the joke with the unsuspecting parishioners exiting the Kings' Mass from the nearby church of San Juan Bautista, repeating: ¡Que vivan los Negros y que vivan los Blancos! (Hurray the Blacks and Hurray the Whites!) that expression under the custody of Galeras was inserted with force and forever into the essence of Pasto.

However, other cultures and expressions have contributed to the formation of the intricate identity of Pasto's Carnival festivities. This fact characterizes and differentiates it between similar expressions.

Its genesis is also rooted in the rituals performed by the Quillacingas, an agrarian culture, which, at harvest time danced honoring the moon and prayed to the sun, asking protection for their crops.

Carnival Stages

The carnival includes four major stages: the Carnavalito (Chlidren's Carnival), the Arrival of the Castaneda Family, Blacks' Day and Whites' Day with the Grand Parade (this being the most important day for its beauty). However, it's necessary to consider the pre-carnival activities and in recent years, 7 January is considered another carnival day for Remate (Finish) with the celebration of the "Cuy's festival" when locals and tourists delight the typical dish of the region.

Pre-carnival

In Colombia, end of year festivities include an extended period, starting 7 December with the celebration of the eve of the traditional feast of the Immaculate Conception of Mary or Día de las Velitas, continuing by the celebration of the traditional Novena (16 to 24 December) and the Catholic Christmas, which tends to extended until the feast of Epiphany or 6 January.

Within this context eminently festive, many secular celebrations are considered a preface to Blacks and Whites' Carnival, and in the city of Pasto is mainly performed on 28 December (All Fools' Day) and 31 (New Year's Eve).

Fools' Day (28 December)

Water Carnival

On 28 December, day of the Holy Innocents some Pastusos play with water in what may be considered a prelude to the January holidays, imitating carnival customs of the neighboring country of Ecuador where the Carnival of Quito (February or March) is characterized by the use of water fun. What was initially a day to do tricks, practical jokes, and spread hoaxes on the unwary, became a questionable game with water based in the desire to tease or surprise the unsuspecting, innocent pedestrians soaking them completely.

This custom is not fully accepted and enjoyed, especially when the average temperature of the city hardly exceeds 55° Fahrenheit.Although the authorities have sought to control through bans to waste water, the most practical solution to combat this phenomenon has found by EMPOPASTO (Pasto Water Company), that day used to perform maintenance work on its two networks, cutting off water supplies throughout the urban area of the municipality, like a big practical joke on the players.

Moreover, since the late twentieth century are advanced alternative activities that seek to provide the public recreation and culture without losing the carnival sense on 28 December among them are the innocent tour and the rainbow on the asphalt.

Rainbow in the Asphalt

In 1996, as a cultural and ecological alternative to the water carnival and collecting student initiatives from to the Arts Department of theUniversity of Nariño, establishing the proposed "Rainbow in the Asphalt". Through art and using the imagination, with the color of chalk on the gray concrete inviting to recover urban space and regain the sense of carnival and celebration. So the pre-carnival in general, has changed, which seek to keep the festive spirit through art, creating a new attitude to the festival and the city.

 

New Year's Eve Puppets (31 December)

The 31 December of each year, Pasto streets are filled with dolls or puppets made from old clothes, paper and sawdust (formerly gunpowder) to represent the old year which will end at midnight when they are burned in a ritual with remote and deep meanings. From earlier in the day, kids who go to eager passersby with money requests such as "alms for the old year, please" and "widows" usually represented by men transdressed with dark veils aid request for "decent burial or cremation" of the "deceased year", after midnight. The main event of the day with crowd participation is a competition of the puppets are paraded through the main streets usually represent political allegory, in which year the dying leaves in a "testament" full of ironies, summarizing all that has shown relevant in that year for the city and country. The creators of the best puppets, receive cash prizes.

Thus ensuring a healthy and dignified spectacle. The winning design is burned in the Plaza del Carnaval at the end of that day, amid the popular festivities which usually organize the municipal authorities to receive the new year, and may in fact at that time the city begins to be invaded with playful and cathartic spirit of near carnival.

Starting in 2006, was banned the sale of Christmas gunpowder in the city, as established by Decree 0207 April 2005 as Mayor of Pasto and Corpocarnaval are the only entities authorized to organize events with fireworks to welcome the new year