Haitian Defile Kanaval

Haitian Carnival is a celebration held over several weeks each year. The annual carnival in Port-au-Prince is one of the largest carnivals in the Caribbean and North America. Carnival began as a large official public celebration in Haiti in 1804 in Port-au-Prince, the capital of Haiti. Carnival celebrations were traditionally considered “sinful” by Protestant Haitians, who were advised not to participate by their ministers.

Every year, in Haiti, there is a festival of colors known as Carnival, which is transformed into steel band music, dance, and Caribbean art that attracts many people from different countries. Haiti’s version of carnival season always begins in January, and the main carnival begins in February each year and takes place on Sunday, Monday and Tuesday. The main goal of the festival is to bring everyone together in order to reveal their traditions and culture. The main annual carnival in Port-au-Prince, Haiti, is known as Defile Kanaval in Haitian Creole. The carnival is celebrated with music, bands and parades. The parades make their way through the streets of Port-au-Prince and end with celebrations at the large plaza, Champ de Mars, located across from the National Palace, Haiti’s former presidential residence. The carnival is the largest annual event where bands can gain more public exposure and perform at large concerts.

For Haitian musicians, Carnival is a significant commercial event. Musicians can try to expand their audience by performing in front of large crowds during the three days preceding Ash Wednesday. While Carnival bands can introduce many styles of music, compas is a common form used.

Rara

Rara, Haiti’s traditional carnival, is distinct from the main pre-Lent carnival celebrations. During Lent, rara processions take place during the day and sometimes at night, finally ending in a week-long celebration at the end of Lent, during the Catholic ‘Holy Week,’ which includes the Easter holiday. It is based on traditional peasant Easter celebrations. Rara celebrations include parades with musicians playing drums, trumpets and other instruments. Parades also include dancers and costumed characters such as Queens , Presidents, Colonels, and other representatives.

Koudjay

In Haiti, koudjay is a type of spontaneous celebration similar to a carnival celebration. During the dictatorship of Papa Doc Duvalier in Haiti, Francois Duvalier was a Haitian politician who served as the president of Haiti from 1957 to 1971. The government sponsored koudjay celebrations to distract people from Haiti’s economic and political problems, as well as to provide a limited, sanctioned way for people’s frustrations.

References:

1. Louis, Jr., Bertin Magloire (2008). Protestant Or Christian: Symbolic Boundaries and Long-distance Nationalism Among Protestant Haitians in Nassau, Bahamas. p. 239.
2. Wise, Brian. “Band’s Haitian Fusion Offers Fellow Immigrants a Musical Link to Home”. New York Times. Retrieved 24 January 2015.