The Carnival is supposed to be a period of fun and frolic, when the Catholic community has one last hurrah before Lent sets in, and the rest of the state joins in. But is this really the case?
Goa is celebrating the Carnival. It is interesting how this season has taken on a new meaning for Goans. Traditionally celebrated by the Catholics in Goa, today Carnival is no longer symbolic of what it truly meant.
Centuries ago, the Catholic community in Italy started this tradition of holding a wild costume festival right before the first day of Lent. Because Catholics are not supposed to eat meat during Lent, they called their festival, Carnevale — which means “to put away the meat.” As time passed, this festival moved to various parts of the world like France and Spain along with the catholic traditions. This is how it came to be in Goa. With the Portuguese colonisation, the Carnival became part of Goan Catholic cultural traditions. It was not seen as a Catholic religious ceremony but instead a festivity enjoyed by the Catholic community before going into the season of lent.
The traditions of Carnival were many in Goa and depicted a day of fun, teasing and revelry. Also known as intruz, young children would have masquerades and would move around the neighborhood, from house to house, wearing masks and costumes demanding treats and playing pranks. Men dressed as women would dance a comic tune in the neighborhood while singing a melody that marked the spirit of Carnival “Hoje e nosa dia, dia de carnival, podemos fazer tudo, ninguem leva mal .. Viva Carnaval!” Loosely translated this melody meant “Today is the carnival day and we can do everything, nobody can blame us for it….” The origins of such traditions were in fact borrowed from various ancient cultures such as the African traditions of parading and moving in circles through villages in costumes and masks. Circling villages was believed to bring in good fortunes, heal problems and be a spiritual symbol of protection.
Of special favor was the tradition called Khell, a folk form of theatre which incorporated a Shakespearian style of performance, with only male actors, no stage and a line drawn on the ground, which the actors traversed to depict time, distance and character. People would gather in various open spaces known as mand, and backyards of the landlord’s mansion to enact witty snippets of the local political and social issues.
The idea was about having fun and indulgence of all that the Catholics would then forfeit for the next 40 days during Lent. The Carnival had an important life lessons that was cleverly woven into its practice. The lesson on having fun. The idea was people would enjoy themselves keeping in mind that the next 40 days was about solemnity, sacrifices and fasting. The question is, are we having fun during the Carnival or has it become a commercial venture of a political coterie seeking financial gain?
Moving from fun and gaiety carnival is now a drama of bids and negotiations, of tourism advertisements and youth seeking financial assistance to put up Carnival floats. We have moved away from Carnival as a community event of enjoyment, to a parade of well-orchestrated sequenced dances that people travel from far and wide to see.
‘Who is having the fun?’ is the question we need to consider. Are the dancers on the streets having fun or the viewers getting the glimpse of the foreign floats having fun? Are those VVIPs seated in the arena, well protected from the blazing sun having fun or the daily commuters from work who do not have a holiday to participate in this revelry and get caught up in terrible traffic jams having fun? While we advertise for the season of Carnival in Goa as place of fun and folic, are we having fun?
No doubt, in many countries over time, the Carnival has become a commercial venture with a global flavor. Borrowing ancient traditions the Carnival arts has evolved to become a dynamic tool for self-expression and exploration. For example, masks and feathers that are used in creating Carnival costumes is symbolic of certain spiritual force. A symbol, that represents our ability as humans to rise above problems, pains, heartbreaks, and illness — to travel to another world to be reborn and to grow spiritually. Dancing on the streets to a rhythm, large puppets, stick fighters, and stilt dancers are also an influence of the African traditions that were carried on in America.
Goan Carnival too seems to borrow such traditions. Locally, it can no longer be seen as a Goan catholic festivity but instead a tourism initiative to attract tourist to Goa to sustain its economics. Carnival celebrations have become a multi-religious ceremony and everybody from every religion are included in its practice and policy.
But we must not forget that Carnival today no longer symbolises the Goan Catholic traditions but instead is a tourist attraction. Yes, Carnival can still teach us to have fun and connect with each other as long as we stop promoting it as a representation of the Goan Catholic community and instead consider it an event which allows for more people participation and a scope to take a break and enjoy life.
Dr Aldina Braganza e Gomes is a clinical psychologist, psychotherapist and associate professor, HOD, Dept of Psychology Carmel College
