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Carnival or Kanaval

Haiti Kanaval 2015

Haiti Kanaval 2015

Haiti Kanaval 2015

As per historians' records, the celebration of Mardi Gras was first started with the ancient Romans with the celebration of the festival known as "Lupercalia", worshipping the god of fertility and the god of agriculture and pastoral shepherds. Their celebrations always had Mardi Gras-like similarities--feasting, drinking and enjoying the "pleasures of the flesh". 'Mardi Gras' is a French word that literally means 'Fat Tuesday.' It was introduced in the America by the early French settlers. Mardi Gras is a big holiday time in Haiti when all the schools and businesses remain closed. The purpose of celebrating Mardi Gras is to enjoy of food, drink and fun before the beginning of fasting for the Catholic holiday Lent, as a way to indulge before the Lenten season. It begins on January 6th, the twelfth day after Christmas and serves as a final shebang before the 40-day abstinence of Lent.

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Le Peuple S'Amuse - Haiti Kanaval 2015

Le Peuple S'Amuse - Haiti Kanaval 2015

Le Peuple S'Amuse - Haiti Kanaval 2015

These floats, regardless of the genre of the Krewe, share some commonalities-- they are always colored in traditional Madri Gras colors of gold, purple and green. Every year, the Krewes take out new signature floats with revamps and touch-ups while some floats are created with the new theme of the season. In New Orleans, float riders are required by law to have a mask on. There is a tradition to carry 'Flambeaux' (flame torch). The tradition of throwing beads with predetermined colors started with the king in 1872. Purple for justice, gold for power and green for faith. Each year, a Rex or the King of the Carnival is chosen by 'Rex Organization' and a symbolic key of the town is handed over to him by the city Mayor.

Haitian Carnival is not same as Mardi Gras. It is a celebration held over several weeks before each year, leading up to end with the celebration of Mardi Gras. In addition to the main carnival, Haiti has smaller carnival celebrations (Rara, Koudyay, Carnaval des Fleurs, Kompa carnival, etc.) throughout the year which are different from the main carnival.

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The biggest Street Party - Haiti Kanaval 2015

The biggest Street Party - Haiti Kanaval 2015

The biggest Street Party - Haiti Kanaval 2015

Although the exact date of the first celebration of Madri Gras in New Orleans is unknown, but as per record, the first Mardi Gras parade was held in New Orleans in 1837 and the first parade of floats on Feb. 24, 1857 by the Krewe of Comus. When people think of Madri Gras in New Orleans, the first thing that comes into mind are its incredible colorful floats that brings the festival parades into life. Since its first appearance in New Orleans, the floats of Madri Gras, day by day, have become progressively more detailed, complex and spectacular. The occasion generates $840 million annually with a number of recorded attendance of 1.4 million. However, for safety reasons, the city authority of New Orleans has restricted the heights of the floats to a maximum of 18 feet to avoid hitting traffic lights, but without restricting their lengths. Some of the biggest floats in the city, like "Leviathan", "Bacchus" are more than 50 feet long!

Port-au-Prince hosts one of the largest Mardi Gras carnival in the Caribbean and North America. Each year the city explodes in vibrant color, light and festive music. These celebrations are each year funded by the government, wealthy Haitian families and businessmen.

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Port-au-Prince en Fete - Haiti Kanaval 2015

Port-au-Prince en Fete - Haiti Kanaval 2015

Port-au-Prince en Fete - Haiti Kanaval 2015

Mardi Gras Float History Compared to Haiti Carnival Float

"Mardi Gras" or "Fat Tuesday" (as it is symbolized by consuming all forms of fat during the celebration) in Haiti is always an exciting display of Haitian people; their creativity, art, religion, music and culture. It is the day before the Ash Wednesday, and that is always 46 days before Easter. In Haitian Creole, a "Madigra" is an ugly or masked person during the Haiti carnival season. Haiti with a vast and diverse cultural heritage background, associates itself with many diverse beliefs and practices. In spite of many ups and downs in its political and economic paroxysms, Haiti celebrates diversified rituals, traditions and customs drawn from vast and diverse cultural heritage of French, Spanish and African traditions as well as its Caribbean island culture. Other than a celebration, it is one of Haiti's limited sources of revenue, as well.

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Display of Beauty and celebration - Haiti Kanaval 2015

Display of Beauty and celebration - Haiti Kanaval 2015

Display of Beauty and celebration - Haiti Kanaval 2015

"Mardi Gras" is a Christian holiday and popular cultural phenomenon that dates back thousands of years to pagan spring and fertility rites. It is celebrated in many countries around the world, dominated by Roman Catholic populations-on the day before the religious season of Lent begins. It is the day before the Ash Wednesday when the Christian puts a mark of ashes in the form of a cross on their forehead as a mark of repentance. Along with Christianity, Mardi Gras spread from Rome to other countries. Brazil, New Orleans and Venice play host to some of the holiday's most famous public festivities, drawing thousands of tourists and revelers every year. The first official Mardi Gras parade in the United States was held in Mobile, Alabama in 1703 under the French rule. Parades of Mardi Gras are organized by members of some private organizations, termed as 'Krewe'. Each Mardi Gras Parade Krewe has own history, tradition and themes, but with some common practices. Each parade must have floats, the designs and decoration of them take thousands hours of preparation and work. Elaborate, colorful parade floats are inseparable part of celebrating Madri Gras. Floats are mobile platforms on trucks, each extravagantly decorated to depict one subject related to the parade's theme of the year.

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Barikad crew electrocuted during Kanaval

Barikad crew electrocuted during Kanaval

Barikad crew electrocuted during Kanaval

A video recording shows that during the three-day long carnival festival "Nou Tout Se Ayiti" (we are all Haiti), a large float for a band named the Barikad Crew was performing beneath a series of high-voltage overhead power cable. When the procession was passing the presidential stand packed with spectators, one of their singers who was standing high on the float, attempted to remove the high voltage wire with a pole. All of a sudden, he came into the contact of a wire that sets off a bright flash of light and he was dead. A sudden panic caught the people around the float and they started running helter-skelter.

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Kanaval in Haiti killed 18 people

Kanaval in Haiti killed 18 people

Kanaval in Haiti killed 18 people

Power Line Fell On to a Carnival Float in Haiti

The unfortunate incident occurred during the high spirited three day carnival festival "Nou Tout Se Ayiti" (we are all Haiti), that began on Sunday with dancing and singing. We should remember that this year's carnival was being celebrated in the country's capital for the first time in the last four years and it attracted large night-time crowds who were eager to witness competing bands atop highly-decorated floats. In the last three years, as per the decision of the country's concerned official, three provinces, Les Cayes, Gonaives and Cape Haitian, had celebrated the festival.

Later on the same day, the new Haitian Prime Minister Evans Paul arranged a silent condolence parade on the Champ de Mars where the accident occurred. People attended the parade in white dress. Three days of national mourning was observed, flags were flown half mast till Saturday, the day when the state funeral was held. The Haitian President Michel Martelly has expressed his sincere sympathy and gave his condolences to the victims on Twitter.

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Four Barikad Crew members and driver died in a 2008 accident

Four Barikad Crew members and driver died in a 2008 accident

The accldent in 2015 was not the forst time the musical group Barikad crew was involved in accident in Haiti. In 2008, four Barikad Crew members and their driver died in an accident.

At least 16 people were killed and more than 60 people were injured of stampede in an ensuing panic by the bystanders when a carnival float hit a power line in the Haitian capital on February 17, 2015. As per Associated Press news agency report, someone on the float used a pole to move a live power line out of the way so that the float could pass under it. The persons, who had received the direct contact, were electrocuted immediately with a flash of sparks. A post in the "You Tube" shows that the electric cable caught the head of a singer from the hip-hop band 'Barikad Crew' while the float was passing the presidential stand packed with spectators. The star singer of the group "Fantom" has been admitted to the hospital and reported to be still in critical condition.

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kanaval accident 2015 - Seconds after event

kanaval accident 2015 - Seconds after event

kanaval accident 2015 - Seconds after event

Float Accident at Haiti Carnival Parade, 20 Dead. Following the accident, the government has commented on being desirous of preventing such occurrences from taking place in the future. Their quick response, as detailed by Rothschild Francois Jr., Minister of Communications, was to set up an inter-agency commission to report on the incident. He said they would be inspecting for safety all high tension cables as a short term plan to protect the public, and also looking into the modernization of the electricity framework as provided by the state-run electricity company, EDH. These modern improvements may consist of the laying out of lines underground on those streets where the carnival would be held annually.

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Second before Kanaval accident in Haiti

Second before Kanaval accident in Haiti

Second before Kanaval accident in Haiti

While no carnival celebration anywhere in the world is without its instances of danger, the 2015 Haitian Carnival season was marred by a particularly gruesome accident which resulted in the deaths of 20 people and injury to many others including a popular singer. Reports surfaced on Tuesday, February 17 that a singer, Fantom, from the Hip-Hop group Barikad Crew came into contact with an overhead power line that touched him as the float passed by. The man was electrocuted, and several others were reported to have been as well.

The real danger was a stampede that occurred when the public realized what was happening. Scores of panicked carnival goers began to run away from the float, trampling underfoot those unfortunate enough to fall. Initial tallies were that 15 men and 3 women had been killed, but that number has since grown from 18 to 20 people with a reported 70 others injured.

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