CARNIVAL

Origin

Carnival is a celebration that takes place immediately before the start of the Christian Lent, which starts in turn with Ash Wednesday, which has variable dates between February and March depending on the year. Carnival combines elements such as costumes, parades and street parties. By extension some similar parties are named in any season. Despite the great differences that its celebration presents in the world, their common characteristic is that of being a period of permissiveness and some slippage. In the beginning, probably with a certain sense of modesty own religion, Carnival was a parade in which the participants wore costumes and wearing masks. However, the habit was transforming the celebration into its present form. The origin of its celebration seems likely of pagan festivals, such as those performed in honor of Bacchus, the god of wine, the Roman Saturnalia and Lupercalia, or those performed in honor of the Apis bull in Egypt. According to some historians, the origins of this festival date back to ancient Sumeria and Egypt more than 5000 years ago, with celebrations very similar at the time of the Roman Empire, where the custom in Europe expanded, being brought to America by the Spanish and Portuguese in the fifteenth century sailors.

Traditions and activities in Ecuador

allegorical parades, the traditional game with water and indigenous celebration of the first crops come together in a mix of colors, textures and flavors in the carnival of Ecuador. Almost everywhere in the country except the major cities have lost their usual tumult and noise, the carnival has reached its fullest, in the absence of a day to finish this festive period which began on Saturday.

Carnival has been intense, especially at sites of tourist concentration in the central highlands, but above all, on the beaches. Water play continues as the largest carnival tradition in Ecuador and consists of soaking each other, with family or friends, rubber balloons inflated with liquid or large containers, which ensures wet.

In some parts also attend other most striking elements such as flour or aniline dyes, difficult to hide, but the game almost always ends with a good sip of "canelazo" an infusion of cinnamon combined with cane liquor. the traditional game with water coming from the colonial times, when the parishioners, at the time of the carnival, was soaked as a symbol of cleansing or purification before entering Lent which leads to Easter.

However, water use has mutated and now, in many cities, allegorical parades are held with flashy extras that invite dancing and singing. The carnival in the Andean city of Guaranda is one of the most striking because it combines water play and comparsas, marinated with the warmth of its people at this time opens the doors of the houses to invite acquaintances and tourists. It is also very traditional carnival of Ambato, also in the center of the Ecuadorian Andes, known as the parade "of fruit and flowers" where the allegorical carriages are decorated by a variety of own vegetables this agricultural area and livestock . 

In Ambato water play is not supported, although it is usual to use foam carnival. In the town of Amaguaña, near Quito, visitors can enjoy the game with water, flour and aniline, amid a torrent of people march to the sound of bands people. In Esmeraldas, in the north-west coast, the beaches invite to dance and sway of palm trees attracts thousands of tourists, also attracted by the festival of African music, with groups from Colombia, Peru, Jamaica, Mexico, Argentina and African countries.

Food in Ecuador for "carnival"

Ecuador is a country which also features carnival recognized worldwide and also where the food is the star.

In Guaranda, capital of the Ecuadorian province of Bolivar, live in these days "festival" and is on the street where you can taste their dishes more simbólicos.En this time meat, especially pork, they are those that serve to carnival culinary star cook: the "mote con fry" a plate of pork cooked in water and orange juice with cumin, garlic, onion, salt and pepper and served with mote (roasted corn).