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Every year when the sun regains its strength and the vernal equinox
promises that spring is coming, the pagan, Carrus Navalis moves
through the streets of Aalborg, keeping an ancient tradition alive.
The Carrus Navalis (Car-naval) parade in Aalborg is inspired by
ancient pagan traditions and serves as a proclamation of spring,
fantasy and fertility - and the start of a new carnival season. |
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The pageant is originally composed by symbols and represents a part of an
extensive carnival tradition that praises light’s triumph over
darkness. The pageant, or parade, is lead on by mask dancers, Shadow Dancers and men with bells, Bell Men, meant to
chase away darkness, winter and evil spirits. Behind them, the boat, Carrus Navalis, is drawn accompanied by
both a captain and his sailors - all of them giving landlubbers a
very hard time! Behind the boat, a farmer with his plough and a pair of ox, is
preparing the earth for sowing and the farmer lays the seeds in order for new life to begin. Nothing grows without the sun, and
the sun is attributed through an accurate copy of the Chariot
of the Sun, carried as part of the pageant. Ending the
pageant, cannons are saluting the coming of spring accompanied by
music, samba rhythms, dancing and joy.
Symbols in the Carrus Navalis
The boat was originally man’s most important mean of communication.
Without boats communication and trade with other people were not
possible. Thus, the boat was a basic need for progress.
Carrus Navalis – the boat that is dragged through the streets – has been, and still is, a crucial element in carnivals all over the
world. The boat symbolizes change, both physical and mental change. Also, the boat also symbolizes the relation between
the body and the mind.
Retrospect of History
The boat as a symbol dates back to ancient Greece and the Roman
Empire, where people of that time celebrated the return of life, and
the triumph of light and spring over wither and darkness. As part of
the celebrations, a manned boat was decorated and dragged through
the alleys amidst great festivities. In this way, the new beginning
was symbolized: life was changing, moving from one point to
another. Fruitful times were coming for which reason it was time to
put the past year behind and make a fresh start.
In Norrköping in Sweden rock carvings from the Bronze Age (3500-1000
BC) have been recovered. The rock carvings indicate that the custom of
dragging a boat over land has been used in Scandinavia as well –
presumably used in fertility ceremonies similar to the ones in both
ancient Greece and the Roman Empire.
The Carnival Tradition in Aalborg
Also in Northern Jutland the dragging of a boat through the streets
is a well-known custom: at the office of local history in
Aalborg, photo material documents the existence of the tradition. Up
to 1895, the association of skippers in Aalborg was known to arrange pageants in
which a boat was placed on wheels and dragged through the streets.
Onboard were seamen and around the boat musicians and seamen walking with collecting boxes - the middle classes would then either
give money to these sea men or experience public humiliation through
abusive language and rude accusations.
The Influence of the Church
March 1st was, until 153 BC, the beginning of the new year. Most likely,
different New Year-celebrations, fertility parties and carnivals
have been held all around the world at this time of year – a theory
supported by e.g. the Latin name of the month
September which originates from the Latin word septem that means seven –
the seventh month – which conforms to March being the first month of
the year.
With the entry of Christianity, pagan celebrations were incorporated
in the ecclesiastical year and tied to the Catholic Lent. The word
“carnival” was ascribed to another meaning - a meaning with its roots
in the Medieval Latin word Carne Levare; goodbye meat! The
celebrations around March 1st were the last before Lent, and Lent
meant abstaining from meat for 40 days, corresponding to the time
Jesus spent in the desert without food or water.
Carrus Navalis Today
In Aalborg we believe that the word carnival should be understood in
the light of meaning and symbolism of the Carrus Navalis for which
reason the boat – like in other carnivals steeped in tradition –
has a significant meaning to the celebration. |
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