CADIZ CARNIVAL, SPAIN

Cadiz‘s carnival is one of the most famous carnival in Spain with the carnival of Santa Cruz de Tenerife.

The carnival of Cadiz seems to be like the Christians heritage. Its first signification is that it’s authorized to eat all kind of appetites which are prohibited during the lent period.
The Carnival is, with its signification social and psychological, equilibrated in all kind of subjects, even if in 1523 Carlos I banned the wear of masks.
With the time, a different carnaval was born in Cadiz. Cadiz met a big influence from Italia in the XV Century during their moving to Turkish‘s Mediterranean sea.
Traders and storekeepers coming to Occident met in Cadiz a settlement very communicative with their commercial objectives: North and Centre of Africa.
Masks, confetti, and all the rest are elements assimilated from Italian carnivals.


Cadiz carnival occurs during eleven days without taking in the times for the competition, gastronomic acts, and general rehearsals, and the “carnaval chiquito “(small carnival), or “carnaval de los jartibles”.
During the carnival’s week we can see illegal groups in different sites from the town organizing competitions of chorus slide trays, ceremonials for the Greek gods like the Goddess of carnival, the burning of the God Momo, of the Witch Piti, popular activities etc..
From the first Thursday, to the final Sunday is standing a big tent for disguised dances.
The different folk song you can hear there are : “tango”, “paso doble” ( double passing),” la parodia” ( the parody ), “el cuplé”(variety song), “ el estribillo “ ( the tune , sang by all the groups in the town together ), “el popurri” (potpourri) and , “el tema libre” (free theme ).
All the music done by boxes, bass-drum, guiro, guitars, keys and kazoo !

Now let’s get enjoying the festivities of carnival in south of Spain, you will like Andalusia! )