It's party time!

Source: Steven Lasry en Unsplash

Carnival in Spain

Banned during the Franco years, Carnaval is now undergoing a new popularity in Spain

Carnival, that explosion of colour, music and celebration which takes place just before Lent, is believed to owe its origins to the pagan festivals which were held by the Romans to celebrate the end of the harsh winter and welcome in the Spring. There are a number of theories as to the origins of the name itself: from the ‘carrus navalis,’ a wheeled boat which was used to carry the high priest of the god of wine, Bacchus, or from the Latin ‘carne vale,’ farewell to meat.

*Source: typicallyspanish.com 

*The link to the text no longer works. 

Vocabulary:

to ban -

to undergo -

to owe -

to hold (a festival) -


harsh (adj) -

to welcome in -

a priest -

farewell -

Lent -

as far as sb/sth is concerned -

trading links -

to carry on -

ahead of sb/sth -

a choir -

a heat -

to back (a group, singer) -

to make up (a group) -


to beat (sticks) -


an aim -

to herald -

sea urchins -

oysters -

to come along -

to witness -


a rehearsal -


packed full -

bedecked -

to mar -

to complain -


to whistle -


to boo -

a mourner -


a nun -

to mock -

grief (n) / to grieve -

to wail -

a widow -

(men) in drag -

Are you doing anything for Carnival this year? 

Have you ever been to Cádiz, Tenerife or elsewhere during the Carnival period?

 

Have you ever dressed up for a Carnival party?