Carnaval de Ponce

Carnaval de Ponce

Poster bill of the 2011 Carnaval de Ponce, celebrated March 2–8, 2011, in Ponce, Puerto Rico.
Official name Carnaval Ponceño
Also called Carnaval de Ponce
Type Local, cultural
Celebrations Parades, parties
Date week before Ash Wednesday
2015 date 11–17 February
2016 date 3–9 February
2017 date 22–28 February
2018 date 7–13 February
Frequency annual
First time 1858
Related to Lent

The Carnaval de Ponce (English: Ponce Carnival), officially Carnaval Ponceño, is an annual celebration held in Ponce, Puerto Rico. The celebration lasts one week and it ends on the day before Ash Wednesday. Thus, it is generally held in February and sometimes in March. It is one of the oldest carnivals of the Western Hemisphere, dating back to 1858.[1] Some authorities, such as the Smithsonian Institution, believe the Ponce Carnaval can be traced to as far back as 250 years ago.[2] The Carnaval coincides with the Mardi Gras of New Orleans, the Carnival of Venice, and Rio de Janeiro's Carnival. The estimated attendance is 100,000.[3] Scenes of the 2011 Carnaval Ponceño were featured in the Travel Channel on 7 August 2011.[4]

History

There are no documents stating the official origin of the Carnaval, but there are documents mentioning the celebration back in 1858.[5][6] The Carnaval de Ponce thus began in 1858 and was started as a mask dance by a Spaniard by the name of José de la Guardia.[7][8] The mascarade dance continued as a tradition through the years, but it was not until the 1950s that the municipal government added the parade to the Carnaval.[9]

In 1937, the Carnaval was officially adopted by the Puerto Rico Tourism Company.[10] In 2012, a local news weekly called Carnaval de Ponce "Puerto Rico's National Carnival".[11]

Costumes and masks

Illustration of a vejigante mask

One of the traditions of the Carnaval is the appearance of the "vejigantes", which is a colorful costume traditionally representing the devil or, simply, evil. Vejigantes carry blown cow bladders with which they make sounds and hit people throughout the processions. The vejigante masks are made of paper mache and usually have many horns.

The Carnaval ends with the Burial of the Sardine, at which point everyone sings a song in Spanish that translates into:[12]

The Carnival is dead now
They are burying him;
Throw just a little dirt in
So he can rise again.

Economics

The municipal government invests close to $100,000 in the Carnival and the event infuses some $500,000 into the city's economy.[13]

List of events

The Carnaval starts on the Wednesday before Ash Wednesday, and the events are as follows.[14][15]

Wednesday: Vejigantes Party
Thursday: King Momo Entrance Parade
Friday: Crowning of the Child Queen
Saturday: Crowning of the Carnival Adult Queen
Sunday: Main Parade
Monday: Carnival's Ball Dance
Tuesday: Burial of the Sardine

Carnaval queens and child queens

2011 Sand Sculpture by the Sand Masters on Plaza Degetau, Ponce

The following are the Carnaval queens and child queens.[16]

Queens

2000 - Luzmila del Carmen Pagan Ocasio
2001 - Luz M. Barrero Rodriguez
2002 - Karen Marie Molina
2003 - Robelyn Caraballo Ramirez
2004 - Miraida Rodriguez Muniz
2005 - Anabeliz Alindato Figueroa
2006 - Pamela Sierra Rivera
2007 - Vilmarie Reyes Flores
2008 - Christal J. Ponce Roman
2009 - Alisheanne Santiago Coll
2010 - Xiomara Ramirez Rodriguez
2011 - Solymar Feliciano Montero
2012 - Chrystal N. Gonzalez Rivera[17]
2013 - Stephanie Echevarría Llanes[18]
2014 - Glorymar Batista Rivera[19][20]

Child queens

2000 - Glorimar Batista Rivera
2001 - Stephania M. Rivera San Antonio
2002 - Christal J. Ponce Roman
2003 - Jennifer M. Rivera San Antonio
2004 - Layla N. Velazquez Rivera
2005 - Christal M. Velz Carlo
2006 - Aida I. Garcia Munoz
2007 - Joymar Ramirez Villadares
2008 - Marisabel Montalvo Ruiz
2009 - Betimar Alcala Cintron
2010 - Naomi Mercado Corder
2011 - Gabriela Bonilla Duque
2012 - Sullymar Rangel Maldonado[21]
2013 - Dayivette Díaz Rosado[22]
2014 - Joanne M. Ruberté Rivera[23][24]

See also

References

  1. ↑ Ponce Carnival Goes International In its 150th Anniversary Edition. Let's Go To Ponce. Ponce Carnival. Retrieved April 12, 2010.
  2. ↑ The Smithsonian Institution. A Puerto Rican Carnival: How to Dress for the Ponce Carnival.
  3. ↑ Attendance Retrieved April 12, 2010.
  4. ↑ Carnaval Ponceño y escultura de arena por Travel Channel. El Sur a la Vista. Ponce, Puerto Rico. 5 August 2011. Retrieved 27 August 2011.
  5. ↑ Activan plan de seguridad para Carnaval. La Perla del Sur. Ponce, Puerto Rico. 15 February 2012. Retrieved 21 February 2012.
  6. ↑ Carnaval, Carnval, Llego el Carnaval! El Señorial. Ponce Municipal Government. "Anuario: Carnaval Ponceño 2013." February–March 2013. Page 18. Retrieved 30 September 2013.
  7. ↑ Tradiciones de la Perla del Sur: Fiestas del Carnaval de Ponce. Government of the Autonomous Municipality of Ponce. Retrieved 7 July 2012.
  8. ↑ Mantienen viva la tradición carnavalesca. Reinaldo Millán La Perla del Sur. Ponce, Puerto Rico. 6 February 2013. Year 31. Issue 1523. Page 24. Retrieved 6 February 2013.
  9. ↑ Tradiciones de la Perla del Sur: Fiestas del Carnaval de Ponce. Government of the Autonomous Municipality of Ponce. Retrieved 7 July 2012.
  10. ↑ Activan plan de seguridad para Carnaval. La Perla del Sur. Ponce, Puerto Rico. 15 February 2012. Retrieved 21 February 2012.
  11. ↑ Activan plan de seguridad para Carnaval. La Perla del Sur. Ponce, Puerto Rico. 15 February 2012. Retrieved 21 February 2012.
  12. ↑ The Smithsonian Institution. A Puerto Rican Carnival: How to Dress for the Ponce Carnival. Retrieved April 12, 2010.
  13. ↑ Cierra La Sonora el Carnaval Ponceño . La Perla del Sur. Ponce, Puerto Rico. 6 February 2013. Year 31. Issue 1523. Page 28. Retrieved 7 February 2013.
  14. ↑ Carnival Program Retrieved April 12, 2010.
  15. ↑ Travel Ponce Retrieved April 12, 2010.
  16. ↑ Carnaval Ponceños 2012: Dedicado a los "Ponceños y Ponceñistas destacados en los Medios de Comunicacion". Page 34. Municipio Autonomo de Ponce. Oficina de Desarrollo Cultural. February 2012.
  17. ↑ Ponce celebra su tradicional Carnaval.
  18. ↑ Cierra La Sonora el Carnaval Ponceño . La Perla del Sur. Ponce, Puerto Rico. 6 February 2013. Year 31. Issue 1523. Page 28. Retrieved 7 February 2013.
  19. ↑ Todo listo para la celebración del Carnaval Ponceño 2014. RadioIsla. 25 February 2014. Retrieved 6 March 2014.
  20. ↑ Listo Ponce para los 156 años de su carnaval. Darisabel Texidor Guadalupe. Primera Hora. 25 February 2014. Retrieved 27 February 2014.
  21. ↑ Ponce celebra su tradicional Carnaval.
  22. ↑ Cierra La Sonora el Carnaval Ponceño . La Perla del Sur. Ponce, Puerto Rico. 6 February 2013. Year 31. Issue 1523. Page 28. Retrieved 7 February 2013.
  23. ↑ Todo listo para la celebración del Carnaval Ponceño 2014. RadioIsla. 25 February 2014. Retrieved 6 March 2014.
  24. ↑ Listo Ponce para los 156 años de su carnaval. Darisabel Texidor Guadalupe. Primera Hora. 25 February 2014. Retrieved 27 February 2014.

External links

Coordinates: 18°0′00″N 66°37′00″W / 18.00000°N 66.61667°W / 18.00000; -66.61667

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