A Brief History of Rio Carnival
The world famous festival has built a reputation known for its decadence and excess. Yet, its rich history is often forgotten in the news.
We’ve all seen the colourful and extravagant images of Rio carnival either through experiencing it in reality or on our TV screens, in newspapers, online and in magazines. Floats, scantily clad samba dancers shining like golden cherubs from their well-oiled bodies, dancing with joy and elation through movement and joyous sounds.
Hundreds of drums such as the tamborims play a vital part in the bateria (samba band), and other instruments beating in rhythm of the music. Everyone sings along to the theme tune of the samba schools parading in the Sambadrome in Rio de Janeiro.
This costly multi-million pound affair that commences on the Friday before Shrove Tuesday and ending on Ash Wednesday, marks the forty-day Lent period before Easter. During certain days of the religious calendar, Roman Catholics and some Christians refrain from eating meat and poultry, bringing forth the term ‘carnival’ from the Latin word carnelevare, meaning to ‘remove meat’.
