Jacmel Carnival, Haiti
Spicemas Carnival, Grenadines
Saint Kitts and Nevis Carnival
Content of this article
What is the Carnival of Jacmel?
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Jacmel Kanaval, or Jacmel Carnival, is a celebration that occurs every year in the community of Jacmel and is considered one of the most peculiar festivals, since its main attraction is the masks and structures of paper Maché. The Jacmel Carnival celebrations are famous throughout Haiti and every year thousands of people attend the festival to participate in this fantastic spectacle.
Jacmel becomes a scene that does not seem out of this world, as this carnival does not have the typical elements of traditional carnivals, neither brilliant, nor fireworks, but handcrafted masks in the shapes of dragons, colorful birds, giant rum bottles, figures from the Bible, historical characters from Haiti, demons or fantastical animals. One of the characters that can be found in the parades is Lanset Kod, characters wearing a pair of shorts, with the body covered with a mixture of charcoal and sugarcane syrup. They also wear horns and strings, depicting the era of slavery and the struggle against it.
The main attraction of the festivities is the parade, which runs for 3 hours. At the event there is a lot of ruckus, the dance troupes, floats and masked characters. Once the parade is over, there are a lot of sound systems in the streets toentertain the participants, live music is also performed.
The carnival provides an opportunity for thecity artists and amateurs toshow their Haitian identity, and denounce slavery and inequality. The artisans of thepapier-mâché pieces work for weeks, even months to get each of the masks, sculptures and designs ready for the carnival.
Jacmel’s carnival parades are celebrated with masks made by local hoopers resembling fantastic animals
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When is the Jacmel Carnival
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Jacmel Kanaval takes place one week before the traditional carnival celebrations. Once theJacmel Kanaval¸ a week passes and the day-to-day carnival activities on the island begin.
History of the Carnivals of Jacmel
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Carnival celebrations were traditionally considered “sinful” by Haitian Protestants, who advised the population not to participate. The celebrations were criticized for tolerating sexually suggestive dances, plays full of profanity, music lyrics mocking authority andvodou and kompa music. Carnival in Haiti has been a celebration with its ups and downs and for some years stopped being celebrated for fear of political reprisals, natural disasters and epidemics.
The Jacmel Kanaval began in the 1920s, however, the use and representation with papier-mâché took place in 1950 and it was in the 1970s and 1980s that it became a national event. Jacmel organizes its own carnivals a week before the national carnival and occupies street parties, traditional dances, music and parades.
Where is the Jacmel Carnival
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Carnivals are held in the commune of Jacmel, in the southeast of the island. Parades and events occur in the local street.
The masks at the Jacmel carnival resemble animals, dragons or fantastic beasts
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How the Jacmel Carnival is celebrated
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Jacmel Kanaval is an unusual celebration, as it does not have the typical characteristics of traditional carnival festivities. These festivities have much deeper and more traditional features, occupying masks made by the same artists and artisans of the locality, which makes the feeling of the festivities much more own.
The parades held in the streets bring with them the use of papier-mâché masks, some of these are simple figures of typical animals, dragons or fantastical creatures. Showever, we can also see the representation ofcharacters from legends and myths within the parades. It also highlights the character Lanset Kod, who is the representation of the dark past of colonization and slavery of the island’s people.
Tips to go to the Carnivals of Jacmel
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If you want to spend your carnivals here, be sure to plan your trip in advance, make a travel itinerary and book your place to stay.
Also, be sure to pack comfortable clothes and shoes, as well as stay hydrated and apply sunscreen.
If you want to know more about tourism in this country, I recommend this guide:
Events in Jacmel Carnival
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The main event is the dparade of the masks, the most awaited celebration. Groups of people line up in the streets wearing their costumes and masks to start the party. Around 30 musical bands play and make the streets of the town vibrate with traditional rhythms. Among the streets you will be able to see the months of practice of the bands and the hours of work that the artists occupied to make the masks so iconic of the Jacmel Kanaval..
Lanset Kod is one of the characteristic characters of the Jacmel carnival. People cover themselves with charcoal and wear masks
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Jacmel Carnival Parades
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The main event is the parade of masks that goes through the town. The streets are filled with people to watch the differentworks of art that local artisans and artists have created in recent months. The main streets of the town become a congregation point for masks featuring historical characters, legends and myths, biblical characters, birds, animals, demons and fantastical beasts.
The band accompanies the procession, allowing the participants to dance, sing and celebrate their history and culture.
Parade route
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Drum and local music accompanies the parades of the masks at the Jacmel carnival
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The parade takes place in the main streets of the locality of Jacmel.
Kibbe is a typical dish of the region. It is a wheat dough stuffed with meat
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What to eat at the Jacmel Carnival
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One of the popular foods is the Accra, taro fritters fried in oil. We also have the Kibbe, wheat dumplings stuffed with meat.
The gastronomic offerings of the locality are somewhat limited, however, there are some places like Cafe Koze that sells a variety of food. There are also some inns that offer restaurant service.
Accra are typical local fritters made with tubers
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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 insurances. Read more information about all insurance offers here:
What to see and do inside the Jacmel Carnival
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During the carnival you can witness the art that is presented in the streets of the town. During the parade the different groups with masks and costumes conglomerate, it is the perfect opportunity to see the designs of the different masks and learn a little more about their culture and history. You can alsobe part of the parade dances, around 30 bands are on the streets to give rhythm to the festivities.
What to see and do outside of the Jacmel Carnivals
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The attractions are somewhat copycat, however, you can visit some of these on your next trip:
Living Media Arts Shop
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A workshop where they make different crafts, cards and art pieces.
Marché de Fer
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It is a public market, which was damaged on several occasions. The first time in 2008 by a fire, then in 2010 by the earthquake. It was restored, however, in 2018 it burned again damaging a couple of rooms.
Jacmel Beach
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A beach where you can get up close and personal and spend the afternoon or stroll along the shore.
Safety at the Carnival of Jacmel
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If you wish to visit the carnivals, you should know that security in Haiti in general is somewhat precarious. There is criminal activity of many kinds, so if you wish to travel, go with caution, try not to carry valuables and dress in a way that does not draw attention to yourself. Also, we recommend the following products to keep your belongings safe:
Weather at Jacmel Carnival
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The weather in Jacmel is somewhat hot, the average temperature is 26 degrees during the carnival festivities.
The Jacmel Carnival is the commemoration to the roots and culture of Haiti
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How to get to Jacmel Carnival
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How to get there by plane
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The closest airport to Jacmel is Toussaint Louverture International Airport, from there you can approach the town of Jacmel for the carnivals.
How to get there by bus
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From the airport take a cab to Port-au-Prince. Then take a bus from the station, taking the Port-au-Prince road to Jacmel. The trip is 3 hours.
How to get there by car
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From the airport take the road to the town of Jacmel. The drive is 1.5 hours.
Where to stay in Jacmel Carnival
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Lodging is somewhat scarce in the area, but we offer you the following options:
Zion CassaRoyale Hotel
4-star hotel 1.4 kilometers from downtown. Offers continental breakfast, bar and has beach entrance.
Hotel Restaurant Cyvadier Plage
3-star hotel 7 km from the center of town. Rooms have closets and private bathrooms. Facilities include swimming pool, beach entrance, bar, and free internet.
Hotel Florita
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Hotel 350 meters from the center. The hotel offers airport shuttle, internet connection, bar and is located in front of the beach.
We recommend using Booking.com to book hotels at a good price, check more information here:.
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