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The
Demon of Joy welcomes the new year in Colombia
Another Carnival of January in
Colombia and again in the Axe of Coffee. The Riosucio Town in
the State of Caldas, the seat of the Carnival in which the
center is the Demon of Joy. We found this article in
www.viajeros.com and
translated it for our media. The article was written a year ago
by Marcel Cabrera but it shows very well one of the most
representative carnivals of Colombia, declared also by the State
as a cultural patrimony. It is a Carnival with an old history of
more than hundred years and it is an excellent model of how hate
can be changed by the joy of a feats.
Calle del Comercio (The Commerce Street), during a night of
Carnival. Picture by Luis Pérez.
By Marcel Cabrera of www.viajeros.com |
Translated by Albeiro Rodas
A short mention of the Carnival of
Riosucio, one of the most bright and colorful feasts in the city
of Riosucio, Caldas, Colombia, celebrated at the beginning of
the year. The Carnival of the Demon is a magnificent feast
celebrated in Riosucio, Caldas, in the Colombian Axe of Coffee
and it is also one of the most original feasts of the nation.
About its origin there are some
versions, but they are agreed in state that it was born at the
middle of the 19th century,
about 1845.
What we know today as Riosucio-Caldas,
was actually two opponent communities (San Lorenzo and
Quiebralomo.) Their opposition was so serious than even they had
each one their own plaza and their own church until a priest,
José Ramón Bueno, tired of that insane enmity, gathered both
communities in what is today the “Calle
del Comercio”
(The Commerce Street), inviting them to end any opposition under
the treat that other problem would be punish by the same Devil.
To celebrate the union they founded a feast in honor to the Magi
Kings on January 6th, the reason why the Carnival
takes places during the first week of the first month.
Another version says that the first
inhabitants were of African origin and they used to go around
the town during the first week of January to scare everybody. To
do so, they covered their face with masks and hit the people
with cow bladders. This aspect is remembered in the anthem of
the Carnival as “vejigazos
a más no poder”
(hitting too much with bladders). This fact is the origin of the
“matachines”,
characters who are a part of the Carvanal.
Other last version is even simpler
and says that the Carnival is a tradition brought from Spain.
According with this only three places in the world render cult
to the prince of darkness: a town in Spain (I do not know the
name), Oruro in Bolivia and Riosucio in Colombia since more than
157 years ago.
At the center, the famous Colombian singer of Vallenato Alfredo
Gutierrez during a night of Carnival. Picture by Luis Pérez.
The Parade of the children
Although the many versions of its
origin, the Carnival of Demon is today one of the most fabulous
cultural manifestations of Colombia. It is a great river of
happiness with no planetary comparison and it is a feast full of
colors that starts a day at 12:00 to end seven days after, with
the tired bodies of the participants and a face of fulfillment
that will remain for two years in order to prepare the next
Carnival.
The event starts with what is
called the “awaken”. This is the first activity that gathered
locals and visitors in Plaza de la Candelaria at 12:00 with
unique songs of the Carnival while people jump and run by the
main streets of the city involving the static persons and ending
the long wait of two years for the feast.
It is in that moment that the
initial joy becomes a permanent happiness of seven days when the
Riosucians and visitors join around the different and colorful
activities.
The first day of the Carnival is
dedicated to the children with their parade by the streets in
colorful costumes giving the spirit of this popular feast. The
customs are representations of the Demon of Joy and the children
song promising the remaining of the Carnival for the centuries
to come, because the happiness of the Carnival is on their
blood.
At the second day there is the
“Colonial” Parade. The Riosucians who are settled in other
regions of Colombia or abroad met and prepare their own teams (“cuadrillas”):
groups organized with appropriate customs to sing and perform by
the streets.
The awaken of the Demon
But the most important part takes
place in the third night. Suddenly the streets of Riosucio
become a human massive invasion in order to be witnesses of his
majesty, the Demon, lord of the Carnival. Hence, at 24:00,
starts the great parade with a colossal demon, with shining eyes
and slow movements to greet the participants who came to see him
and enjoy the happiness offered by the Riosucians due to their
dedicated preparation.
The feast continues with groups of
music in the popular stages of streets and plazas, thousand of
persons with customs of demons, fire games and small bullfighter
performances.
The fourth day comes the adult
parade with the teams of impressive customs prepared during two
years with different subjects, songs with funny compositions
dedicated to national news of politics, people, the same
Carnival and, of course, the demon of joy.
The Church takes parts in the
pagan celebration knowing that in this opportunity the demon
unites the people and give them happiness for seven days out of
the normal life.
In this way it is celebrated the
Feats of the Demon. It is not a perverse Devil of chaos and
hate, but a good one, joyful and friend of all the Riosucians in
order to make the city visited by thousand of persons to know
one of the most beautiful feasts of Colombia.
You can arrive to Riosucio from
Cali, Medellín, Manizales or Pereira. The climate is good, the
food is delicious. You can find a good lunch in U$3, a hotel
room night in U$5 and there is the possibility of camping.
Proyectos |
