Carnivals in Cadiz Carnival Cadiz Spain

Most towns and villages in Andalucia celebrate their Carnival with some kind of parade or procession where local groups of funny fellows make up satirical songs about celebrities and big shots, which sends the whole city into a state of frenzy.

The most important Carnival is celebrated in Cadiz. Cadiz is a quiet and serene city on the Andalucian coast, except when it plays host to Spain's ultimate party. The fun began in the 17th century when the city tried to keep up with the decadent carnival celebrations in Venice. The crews of the Spanish galleons that brought back gold and silver to Cadiz from the New World also brought back a variety of musical influences that are still evident at today's Carnival. African and Creole rhythms, sambas and rustic Colombian tunes all intermingle in the streets with local Andalusian songs and traditional flamenco music.

Cadiz is famous for the sense of humour of its citizens and Carnival is a festival in which authority, politicians, celebrities and the church are parodied and ridiculed. The central figures here are the choirs, agrupaciones, groups of between three and forty singers. Current events or personalities are mocked in comic song. The Falla´s Contest is a Music festival held in the Gran Teatro Falla before Carnival itself and, to a certain extent, it is a relatively serious competition.

The most popular type of group is the "chirigotas", choirs normally of ten unison or close-harmony singers, accompanied by bombo, caja (drum, box - used as a percussion instrument), and guitar. Their repertoire is the most satirical of the different types of groups and the literary quality of the songs can be very high, as they may be written by local authors. Only a few musical forms such as the tango or pasodoble are used, so that everyone knows the tune and can concentrate on the words.

Although there may be processions on the Saturday after Carnival, in Spain it has really ended by Ash Wednesday, when in many places it is marked by a historically anti-clerical ceremony called the Entierro de la sardina or the burial of the sardine. This may be life-size or a large effigy and the funeral procession is likely to be attended by groups of mourners in mock grief, many dressed up as priests or nuns, who,that if they are really sorry about something, it is the end of the Carnival.

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