The 4-day Carnaval celebrations begin today. It was introduced during the days of the Portuguese regime but it did not originate in Portugal. It is a unique festival, though the modalities of the celebrations have undergone a transformation during these years. In this paper I will elaborate its celebrations while Goa was under the Portuguese rule.
Carnevale, Carnovale or Carnaval are some of the different spellings of the word Carnaval. The most accepted spelling is Carnivale, which in Latin means, farewell to flesh-meat (Carni + vale). Hence it denotes the last few days of ‘licence and feasting’ immediately before Ash Wednesday, when the Lent season begins. In Konkani, the Carnaval is known as Intruz, a word derived from the Portuguese word entrudo which comes from the verb entruder. With time it got corrupted into Antruz and Intruz.
Carnaval festival is not a Christian festival. We can trace its roots to several pagan festivals, such as a festival in honour of Isis, the nature god in Egypt, Dionysius, the god of Fertility and Wine in Greece, Bacchus, the Roman counterpart of Dionysius,Saturnalia, the Roman festival in honour of Saturn, the ancient god of agriculture.
In yesteryear, Carnaval festival was a ‘people’s festival, with people, young and old, the elite and the common folk, participated in it. King Momo, (in Greek mythology Momus(Momo) the god of satire and mirth; was cast out from heaven by Jupiter, as a mocking censor and carping critic, and found by the revelers who made him king), dressed in a colourful attire, seated on a bullock cart / horse-drawn carriage (olden days), would proclaim on Sobado Gordo - Fat Saturday), four days of festivities, with the proclamation ‘Viva Carnaval’ - days of revelry and merry making. He enjoyed his ‘status’ of supreme sovereign for four days giving his ‘citizens’ through a royal proclamation the right to complete freedom while his reign lasted. The celebrations would then begin. During these days (Saturday to Tuesday) all the fatty foods, such as meats, cheese, butter, milk, eggs, bacon would have to be consumed. These could not even be kept in the homes during the season of Lent. Hence an increase amount of rich foods during the week before Ash Wednesday. Hence the name Fat Saturday / Tuesday or Mardi Grass in Italy, France and Portugal or Butter Week in Russia or Fatty Days in Poland, etc..
Celebrations
During these four days of festivities, the revelers wore colourful caps, made of cardboard and covered with crepe and adorned brilliantly with gold or silver paper. Every second person wore a mask, usually of some animal or comic character. Some even painted themselves red and blue. Men would dress like clowns while women wore attractive and gaudy clothes. For men it was the time to take liberties and for women, it was the time to let their hair down.
Some revelers would go around the cities, singing and dancing. Others would go around, carrying with them bags full of cocotes (cylindrical shaped cartridges made of kite paper and filled with Xedd - fine clay powder), rotten eggs, tomatoes, indigo powder and sometimes even soot. They would use cocotes as ammunition to fight mock battles against different groups they encountered on their rounds. Some masked young boys, fancily dressed, would parade around the homes throwing powder and indigo on the inmates. Talcum powder was thrown on the females and the indigo on the males. Of course, there was no clear cut rules on the usage of the above mentioned items. Anything could be thrown on anyone. These young boys were called Lupte-kar. Some groups organised Assaltos. They wouldenter the houses and ransack the kitchen, eat whatever was available and mess up the house.
There were also entertainment programmes on all these days, from Sabado Gordo to Shrove Tuesday, such as dances, fancy dress competitions, etc. Prominent dance celebrations were: Sabado Gordo at Vasco da Gama Club; Domimgo Gordo at Club Nacional and at Harmonia Club; Festa de Leques at Sinquetim in Navelim. The bands would play throughout the night. The musicians would manage without electricity; they would manage with a petromax. There was no sound system and there were no sponsors too. At the dance venue one would see hawkers sell caps, masks, confetti, water-guns, etc.
There were also traditional open street dances, with riotous merry-making music, performances at verdant garden squares with local talent and attractive street stalls selling ‘carnival items,’ and Felos or brincos, inter-village open-air plays using the medium of song and dance, local and historical themes. The butt of the earthly, yet effective, jokes for the street plays were the Government, the Regedor, the Bhatkar, acolyte officials and the rich. . The players journeyed from village to village, performing whenever and wherever convenient. The music was provided with dolacaix or gumot, the clarinet, violin or trumpet and the stringent whistle of the mestre or stage manager, who played an important role as an imaginary curtain-raiser. In few villages, the players even undertook native dances, a perennial favourite being the Mussol-on-khel, which ensured them a warm welcome by the villagers. Finally the four days of mock carnage, innocent fun and riotous revelry would come to a close on Shrove Tuesday night.
Conclusion
Carnaval festival celebration was a great event in the bygone days. It was the time of ‘frolic and clean fun.’ It was not used for profit making but was celebrated purely for ‘pure fun and pleasure.’ When one compares today’s Carnaval celebrations to the days gone by, one can say that there has been a total revolution. It is no longer the ‘populist festival ’ but one that is ‘organised’ and ‘sponsored’ by the government. Hence one does not see in it the old charm, where one does not stand as an onlooker but as an active participant.
(The writer is director of Thomas Stephens Konkani Kendra, Porvorim)
