On May 20th - 26th 2007, the city gates of
Aalborg, Denmark, open up for the celebration of carnival. Without any doubt,
the streets will be filled with all sorts of people dressed up in both
imaginable and unimaginable costumes. The Aalborg Carnival is the largest
carnival in Northern-Europe in terms of number of active participants. In
fact, the participants number about 25.000. It is the celebration of the
people – a vivid celebration of life. And they’re doing it the Danish way!
There is no need to sign up anywhere. Just show up and join the party.
A Mosaic of Traditions
In the year of 2007, the Carnival in Aalborg celebrates its 25th anniversary and on that occasion, the celebration will be more intense than
ever. In one special weekend in May, the streets of Aalborg is turned upside
down in a massive celebration of spring, life and fantasy -disregarding religious
and political differences. Although the Carnival in Aalborg is only going on
its 25th year, the carnival tradition is much older and dates way back in
time. Actually, no one knows for sure exactly how it all started, but
elements such as erotic expressions, masquerade, fantasy and creativity are
common features in the hundreds of years of history of folk festivities
worldwide. One theory suggests that carnival traditions date as far back as
to the ancient Egypt where the sun’s cycle and the changing of the seasons
were celebrated with festive rituals. Another theory suggests that the
carnival came from the ancient Roman Saturnalia celebrated in December in
the honor of Saturn, the god of harvest and earth. Through recreation of the
palmy days of equality, happiness and well being without any borders of
classes or private properties, the goal was to forget restrictions, disputes
and social roles and do whatever one could think of. In general, it was the
time to eat, drink and be merry.
Centuries later, Catholics in Italy started a tradition of holding a wild
costume festival right before Lent. They called their festival “carnevale”,
which means “to put away the meat” referring to the fasting during Lent.
This tradition became increasingly popular in most Catholic European
countries and later in colonial countries. In African cultures there are
traces of carnival traditions too; traditions that celebrated people’s power
as individuals.
The Aalborg Carnival has its roots in the ancient Carrus Navalis, which
means “The Ship of Fools”. The main feature in Carrus Navalis was the
festive welcoming of the spring and light’s victory over the death of winter
and darkness. Each year, Carnival in Aalborg honors the diversity of the
world’s carnival traditions. Presenting different kinds of traditions in the
Carnival’s Grand Parade does this.
Thus, the common denominator for all these traditions is the welcoming of
the new and turning the world upside down through a rejection of “the
ordinary” - a play of the idea of something alternative.
The Aalborg way
At Carnival in Aalborg, people come together to welcome the spring in a
grand celebration filled with life and festivities. Every year a theme for
the carnival is chosen and the participants create their costumes according
to this theme. The theme for 2007 is “Masquerade”, which captures the very
essence of the carnival – passion and creativity and also adds a bit of
magic and mystique to the festivities. The carnival is seen as a medium for
creative folk culture in the welcoming of the new. The participants break
with the role of being merely spectators and engage passionately in the
rhythmical and musical display. The face becomes the canvas and the body a
dancing sculpture. This manifests in the Aalborg Carnival’s motto: “Paint
Your Face – Dance the Street”. The Carnival is the people’s tool of
self-expression and discovery of other. It is a tool to seek cultural roots
and develop new forms of looking at the world. The Carnival provides a forum
for discovering what we all have in common, not to mention to celebrate what
makes us different. There is freedom in the creativity that underlines the
traditions of carnival - and that is what Carnival in Aalborg is all about!
Carnival Programme 2007
Sunday, May 20th: Children’s Carnival: The
children have their own parade and party to celebrate carnival. Painted
faces, princesses, pirates and all sorts of characters come together in this
magical world for children. An event for the whole family.
Friday, May 25th: Battle of Carnival Bands: A celebration of the
diversity of the carnival cultures of the world with spectacular carnival
groups from all over in the spotlight. Outrageously large Caribbean costumes,
humorous Mid-European characters, colorful gypsy dancers, samba and many
more are competing for the title “Best Carnival Group 2007”.
Saturday, May 26th: the Grand Parade and Garden Party in Kildeparken: Fantasy and
freedom is the motivation of the dressed up people in the carnival
celebration. Everyone is invited. An experience you don’t want to miss!
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