Do you know why we celebrate carnival?
Do you know why we celebrate carnival?
Throughout the year, there are several festivities that we celebrate. One of the most popular, along with Christmas, is the carnival. A date in which the streets are also filled with people and who are also dressed in costumes. But have you ever wondered why we celebrate carnival?
What is carnival
Before knowing why we celebrate carnival, we must know what it is. The holidays that are celebrated during the year, as well as the fact that Sundays are holidays, are related to human traditions. Throughout our history, we have been modifying beliefs and knowledge based on everything that was discovered and learned.
Thus, each era has had ideas and customs that, over time, have ceased to make sense. However, others have persisted over the years, and even centuries. Although in most cases the original meaning has been lost.
To know why we celebrate carnival we must go back and go back to very ancient cultures. However, in general it has been associated with the fertility of the land, the ideal climate for cultivation and harvests.
It seems that the Egyptians gathered around the fire wearing masks and danced to bring good luck to the crops and scare away possible spirits. We must keep in mind that in these ancient times, very strong storms, wind or months of extreme heat were considered a punishment and not simple meteorology.
In addition to Egypt, Rome also celebrated the arrival of spring and the agricultural period. Bacchus, one of their gods, arrived in a chariot that was called carrus navalis , and which is the origin of the word carnival. And in Celtic culture we find Carna, who was the goddess of beans.
As we see, the importance of vegetables and legumes in the diet is not something that mom and dad have invented. Who knew that what we eat has a bearing on why we celebrate carnival!
Why do we still celebrate carnival?
We all like to have a good time, and carnival has always been a time to wear masks and dance. Perhaps that is why this holiday has continued to be celebrated for so many centuries. Just because we don't hold the same beliefs today doesn't mean we can't have a good time. Don't you think? Of course! And that is the answer to why we celebrate carnival.
The custom of the attire has been developing in more recent times. But certainly inspired by the masks of ancient cultures. Since we now give much more importance to the clothes we wear and how others see us, it is normal for us to use this date to change our identity.
Nowadays, it doesn't matter why we celebrate carnival. We simply maintain the habit of putting on different clothes or a mask and go out to enjoy. So if now that you know why we celebrate carnival you feel like becoming a pirate who accumulated treasures or a battle warrior, go ahead! You decide who you want to be.
