The Carnaval season will soon be kicking off across the Canaries. Engulfing the islands in a frenzy of celebration. But what are the roots of this annual institution? Here we take a look at the evolution of Carnaval on Lanzarote.
Carnival’s development into one of the major fiestas celebrated in Spain came about as a reaction against the strong social divisions that regulated daily life in the past.
Being able to put on a mask or costume was an easy way to blur the lines between classes and thus evade assumptions about status. It was also an ideal opportunity to forget about the daily hardships of life and in particular the deprivations of Lent. And an opportunity for individuals to transform themselves and their behaviours.
The traditions of Carnival continue today, with many Conejeros still adopting the costumes of Los Buches and Los Diabletes. The traditions surrounding Los Buches came about in the port area of Arrecife, where the fishermen who lived there, accompanied by their wives, would dress up in the clothing of farmer’s wives from previous times.
Their costumes were composed of pants, leggings, waistcoat, a cloth cap and a plume of multi-coloured material, whilst their wives wore a sheet tied with a belt of rope and in this garb they travelled around the streets of Arrecife with wicker masks. They carried with them blown up fish bladders, perhaps with the intention of illustrating who was the best fisherman in the community or merely to smack those they met along the way with these ‘weapons’.
Specific foods would be eaten, for example, sancocho (fish stew), tortilla, eggs and pastries. The tortilla was made following a particular recipe and served with molasses poured on top and with a slice of queso fresco. The tradition was very much for locals to open their doors to each other and for carnival-goers to walk in and share some of the food.
The music accompanying their merry-making was happy, derived from many fishermen’s songs and designed for dancing, played on instruments such as the accordion, timple and guitar.
But it wasn’t all fun and games as the occasional fight would break out amongst the participants. And in 1936, the entire celebration became prohibited under the dictatorship of Franco. It was only in 1963 that the customs began to be reinstated with the ‘Parranda’ or ‘spree’ once again hitting the streets of the town. The Parranda now also incorporates all kinds of workers, not just fishermen, all dressed in the traditional style of the ‘bucheros’.
The other type of costume worn frequently for Carnival was that of Los Diabletes. It is thought that this tradition may well pre-date the arrival of the conquistadors from mainland Spain, and could have its origins in a mixture of the Guanches beliefs and the ‘witchcraft’ of Moorish and African slaves.
Originally incorporated into the Christmas celebrations, over time the costumes and practices became part and parcel of Carnival. During the nineteenth century, certain changes came about due to Uruguayan influences, such as the introduction of masks combining the features of both the devil and bulls, using material decorated with red and black diamonds as a substitute for goat’s skin and carrying sticks, all with the intention of giving the children a fright. Los Diabletes were traditionally participants in Carnival from Teguise.
In other areas of the island, where the inhabitants had more limited resources, their celebrations of Carnival would be restricted to wearing old clothes, or the clothes of the opposite sex and blacking their faces with burnt cork or pinning a scarf to their shoulders. The austerity that normally ruled the lives of ordinary villagers, laid down by the Church and powerful landowners, could, for the few days of Carnival, be forgotten.
The celebrations would run from the Sunday until the following Wednesday, with Sunday being the most important day and Wednesday being the most solemn as it was to be followed by the return to work. Music formed an integral part of the festivities, as did the preparation of food and opening one’s house to whoever might wish to enter.
