Essay --

Brazilian Carnival History is more in-depth and more interesting than many people might think. There is a lot more to Carnival than simply parties. The pre-Lent festivities known as carnival originated in Italy in the 1400s. The tradition spread rapidly among Catholic countries in Europe and was in the end adopted in the Americas, taking hold especially in the devoutly Catholic nation of Brazil. The Carnival of Brazil is a festival annually held Friday to Tuesday before Ash Wednesday, which marks the beginning of Lent, the forty-day period before Easter. On certain days of Lent, Roman Catholics and some other Christians traditionally restrain themselves from the consumption of meat and poultry. This is where the term "carnival" comes from, carnelevare, which means "to remove meat." Carnival has roots in the pagan festival of Saturnalia which was adopted in Catholicism becoming a goodbye to things in a season of religious discipline to practice repentance and prepare for Christ's dea th and resurrection. The Brazilian Carnival has gone from being just a party before the silence of Lent to being a major production. It can be traced back to Christian traditions, African influences and Brazilian Indians. Each part of Brazil has developed its own particular style for Carnival. The history of the carnival has multiple influences. Modern Brazilian Carnival History started in the 1800's. Throughout the 1800's a cobbler named Josà © Nogueira de Azevedo started having parades with his friends and family. In 1855 a more organized parade called the Grandes Sociedades, or Great Societies was held. In 1870 a more common parade began, complete with traditions of wearing masks and costumes. Samba Schools are a big 20th Century Part of Brazilian Car... ...ed, and a little something from the food stands that line the festival area. After the parade most festival participants indulge in the country's record famous dish, feijoada. Feijoada can be made in a countless number of varieties. However, in Brazil it nearly always has black beans and always includes a mixture of salted, smoked and fresh meats. Some types are a little spicy from the sausages while others are absolutely mild. Some people’s feijoadas are thick while others are more similar to a traditional stew. Regardless of the variation it is customary to serve this stew with white rice, black beans, and hearts of palm salad, hot peppers, and orange slices. I chose this holiday because it has many parties, different types of music, and amazing costumes. It is a huge festival that attracts many people from different places to just have fun and enjoy themselves.