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Bissagos Carnival, Guinea-Bissau

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Quelimane Carnival, Mozambique

 

What is the Carnival of Bijagós?

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The Bijagós Carnival is the main celebration in Guinea-Bissau. The Carnival consists of an incredible mix of both African and Portuguese traditions. The carnival takes on the greater force in the afternoon across the main regions of the archipelago, when masks of different participants from all the nearby regions begin to perform various presentations and parades.

Participants wearmasks of all kinds of themes and indoles, including homemade masks made of papier-mâché. The women who are part of the celebration wear small pearls made of glass and masks of various shapes and colors tied around their waists.

 

 

The protagonists of the festivities are the differentmusical groups and comparsas dressed in masks andanimal costumes such as toros, hippopotamuses among others, which are a representation of thefauna and flora of the region.

 

Bijagós carnival participants wear masks and attire resembling the region's fauna

Bijagós carnival participants wear masks and attire resembling the region’s fauna

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When is the Bijagós Carnival?

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Carnivals in Bijagós take place a week before Lent, so the dates of the carnival could vary between February and March.

 

 

History of the Bijagós Carnival

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Carnivals were brought to the nation through the colonizers coming from Portugal, which is why the culture of this country is linked together with several Portuguese traditions. Carnivals used to be celebrated with strong European influences, however, when Guinea-Bissau achieved its independence in 1973, the carnival acquired a more national sense of its own.



Today, the Carnival in Guinea-Bissau, especially in Bijagós, is celebrated as a unique tradition in which both cultures and roots, the AAfrican and the Portuguese.Colors, costumes, dances and instruments peculiar to the country are incorporated, which is why the result is a celebration both peculiar and interesting.

 

Where is the Carnival of Bijagós?

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Bijagós Carnival is celebrated in the small African country of Guinea-Bissau. The town of Bijagós is made up of 88 small islands where the carnival comes to life year after year, allowing the locals to dress up in traditional masks and costumes.

 

Colorful costumes brighten Bijagós carnivals

Colorful costumes brighten Bijagós carnivals

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How the Bijagós Carnival is celebrated

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Carnivals in Bijagós are celebrated withtraditional music and bamboo wood instruments and drums. It is a rather simple celebration, therefore, the festivities focus on traditional dances while people dress in colorful costumes that resemble some animals of the local fauna such as toros, hippopotamuses and crocodiles. In addition, they also take as examples the various animals found in their region and incorporate them into their traditional dances. In this way, the carnival is transformed into a wonderful celebration full of traditions and diversity.

During the events many tourists come to the islands to witness the dances. In addition, locals take advantage of the occasion to promote their culture and traditions.

 

Tips for going to the Bijagós Carnival

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If you wish to attend these carnivals, there are different companies and travel agencies that provide itineraries so that you can witness for yourself the carnivals of the archipelago, as well as the different tourist attractions and events that the locals hold during the season.

If you want to know more about tourism in this country I recommend this guide:.

 

Events in Bijagós Carnival

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The carnival comprises several ceremonial events, some of these are the dresses that resemble thelocal fauna, as well as different animal designs that are incorporated into the dances. The ceremonies are carried out with traditional music to the rhythm of the tambores, maracas and the different instruments made of bamboo wood. The celebration lasts 4 days, in which the different ethnic groups and inhabitants gather to celebrate a festival that exalts their rich tradition.

 

Colorful and straw costumes are traditional of the Bijagós carnival

Colorful and straw costumes are traditional of the Bijagós carnival

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Bijagós Carnival Parades

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The most representative parade of the locality is the parade of masks made of papel maché. Most of these masks seek to resemble some species that can be found in the fauna of the country or the Bijagós archipelago.

 

 

The music accompanies the whole event of people with suits made of straw and bodies painted with bright colors and patterns. Interpretive dances are also part of the tradition of the parades, in which locals from different regions have the opportunity to compete among themselves with the sole purpose of having fun and being part of their country’s tradition.

 

Parade route

 

During the carnival celebrations, participants wear typical costumes and disguises of the region

During the carnival celebrations, participants wear typical costumes and disguises of the region

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Guinea-Bissau carnivals take place in different locations; however, one of the most emblematic is in thearchipelago of Bijagós. Some of the carnivals have been held in the Orango National Park where locals from small adjacent villages participate.

 

jollof is a typical rice of the region during the carnivals

jollof is a typical rice of the region during the carnivals

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What to eat at the Bijagós Carnival

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The Bijagós archipelago has a variety of traditional dishes such asjollof rice which is a dish of rice with tomato, tomato paste, onions and goat or sheep meat. There is also equsi soup which consists of a soup thickened with melon seeds containing a variety of vegetables. Restaurants in the archipelago are scarce; however, some hotels and places to stay contain small restaurants withlocal and international food.

 

Equsi soup is typical of the area and is consumed during the carnival of Bijagós

Equsi soup is typical of the area and is consumed during the carnival of Bijagós

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Travel Insurance

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From Carnavalesdelmundo.org we recommend to hire a good insurance to visit this carnival and to know the rest of the country. For being our readers we offer a 5% discount on all IATI insurance. Read more information about all insurance offers here:

 

 

What to see and do inside the Bijagós Carnival

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During the Bijagós Carnival you can get closer to the cultural roots of the archipelagos and the country, since the activities that take place are extremely rooted with the mix of cultures from Africa and Portugal. You can appreciate the ceremonies and dances that the locals organize. Finally, you mustwitness the spectacle of drums and traditional costumes that the inhabitants of the archipelago wear during the celebrations.

If you don’t want to complicate things, here you can book interesting excursions in Spanish in this city:.

Guided tours in Spanish around the world

 

What to see and do outside the Bijagós Carnival

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Since the Bijagós archipelago is made up of several islands, each one contains at least one small village and because of their proximity, you can visit some of them and explore what they have to offer you.

 

Bubaque Island

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It is the commercial heart of the archipelago and the only island that is connected to the mainland side of the country. There is a small market and some local bars that you can visit.

 

Canhabaque Island

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It is one of the islands with more religious importance, here are performed many of the spiritual rituals that happen in the archipelagos. As it is not usual to see tourists on this island, they will always offer you a warm welcome.

 

Orango Island

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One of the islands with the greatest biodiversity of the archipelagos, in fact, it is the island where it occupies the largest percentage of the Orango National Park. Here you can see the hippos that are part of the local fauna.

Also if you want to visit museums and important buildings in this city we recommend that you book your ticket in advance through Tiquets: .

Book tickets in the city you are visiting

 

Safety at the Bijagós Carnival

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The Bijagós archipelago is a fairly remote land far from mainland conflicts. Although it is relatively safe to travel to the locality, it is best to listen to the warnings and advice given to you by local authorities and travel agencies. In addition, it is always a good idea to keep your valuables in a safe place to avoid theft and misplacement. Also, we recommend the following products to keep your valuables safe:

 

 

Weather at the Carnival of Bijagós

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The weather on carnival dates ranges from 22 to 35 degrees Celsius, so the weather is quite hot. If you wish to attend the carnivals, take the necessary precautions against this type of weather.

 

The local fauna is present at the carnival celebrations in Bijagós

The local fauna is present at the carnival celebrations in Bijagós

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How to get to the Bijagós Carnival

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How to get there by plane

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In order to access these archipelagos, you must be transported by light cargo aircraft that can access Bubaque from the city of Bisau or in the city of Dakar in Senegal. Travel to the archipelago is somewhat expensive.

You can also access the island via private aircraft if you have the possibility, as it costs $400 per person.

We recommend buying airline tickets through Kiwi.com or Skyscanner where they are usually cheaper. More information on this link to review Kiwi.com..

 

How to get there by boat

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TheBubaque Island is the main entrance to the archipelagoes, with the exception of Bolama Island which is the main port for private boats or resorts.

You can access the archipelago through canoes, although it is somewhat dangerous and the trip takes about six hours or through motor boats whose journey takes two hours. These boats can be purchased at Bubaque Island or Rubane Island.

 

Where to stay at the Bijagós Carnival

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Hotels are quite scarce and most are located on Bubaque Island. Some of these are:

 



Booking.com

 

Dakosta Eco Retreat

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It contains restaurant and bar. In the surroundings you can find a garden, a service lounge and guided tours are also managed. Rooms include balconies and sea view.

 

Saldomar B&Biosphere

It has a restaurant, bar and garden. Guests can enjoy an a la carte breakfast. The hotel offers a terrace and bicycle rental service, as well as a private beach.

 

Wefa hotel

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3-star hotel with restaurant and garden. All rooms have a balcony and continental breakfast is available. All rooms have a bathtub and sauna.

 

Bubaque Island Hotel

The hotel has a terrace and garden views, it also has a restaurant. The establishment offers some common rooms and each room has a private bathroom. The hotel has nearby areas where you can snorkel and also offers bicycle rental service. People staying at this hotel have the opportunity to see the ocean from the barbecue area that is incorporated in the vicinity of the hotel.

We recommend you use Booking.com to book hotels at a good price, check more information here:.



 

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