Italians are a pretty festive bunch, and they love celebrations. For example, you may have admired
certain beautiful images of Venice with amazing masks and lavish traditional costumes. Those
images depict a period of time called Carnevale. What is Carnevale, and how did it get started?
The true origins are definitely quite old, somewhat reminiscent of ancient
Roman times when ceremonies were held in honor of the God Saturn. During this time,
the roles between patricians and plebeians were forgotten,
slaves were given temporary freedom, and the streets were filled with madness and frivolity, in
order to celebrate the winter solstice. The entire life of the typical Roman would come to a halt,
with schools and courts of law closed, and ordinary functions suspended. During these times,
Romans would spend their moments gambling, singing, playing music, feasting, and socializing.
Carnival continued in the Middle Ages and stretched into a longer period of celebration.
In addition, people started wearing masks. With their faces hidden, many people, especially women,
felt at ease in violating all sorts of taboos, and accessing places which were typically prohibited.
The time of the celebration also switched from December, before Christmas, to the beginning of
the year. More precisely, to a stretch of time lasting from January 6th, known as the Epiphany,
all the way to the beginning of Lent, which symbolized a time for sacrifice and reflection.
The etymology of the word Carnevale is from Latin. Some believe it’s from carnem levāre,
which means take away the meat. Others think it’s from caro-carnis, meaning meat or flesh,
and vale–valēte which is a word meaning goodbye, so the expression would mean “goodbye to meat”,
but in essence also to the pleasures of the flesh. In short, Carnevale marks the period of time just
before Lent, when everything is allowed before it’s all taken away for 40 days, so it’s like a
last chance to get everything out of your system. These 40 days are the duration of Lent which
ultimately leads to Easter, which is regarded in Christianity as the resurrection of Christ.
On the very last day before Lent, the best dishes were eaten, and the parties were really swinging.
These days, Italy celebrates Carnevale in many different ways. The most popular is probably
the Carnival in Venezia. This tradition, which lasts about two weeks, maintains the tradition
of the 1500s when the Venetians used to wear masks so that they could hide their identity
during their escapades. During this period, Venice hosts many parades, on both land and on water,
as well as a fireworks show. The city is absolutely packed during this time.
Another tradition is in Viareggio where huge floats made of papier-mâché parade through
town for three Sundays before Mardi Gras, which in Italy is called martedì grasso.
Another very interesting event is the Battle of the Oranges in Ivrea.
This medieval tradition involves reenacting the fight of the population against the tyrants
through the story of a girl named Violetta, who was promised to a rich gentleman against her will.
However, she ended up making him drunk and beheading him. The oranges are a sign of the
revolution against the rich and powerful. In the Alps, specifically in Livigno,
close to the Swiss border, they have a procession of downhill skiers.
In Oristano, Sardinia, Carnevale is celebrated with a horse race accompanied by a costumed
parade and a reenactment of a medieval jousting tournament in a festival called la Sartiglia.
As you can see, Italians definitely know how to have fun. Many other Italian locations also
hold Carnevale festivals, some with very unusual events and influences.
If you are planning a trip to Italy around this time, make sure you check the list of events
in the towns you are visiting in case you wish to join in the festivities.