We aim to end poverty around the world by harnessing the power of connection. By sharing cultural traditions like art, food, and special holidays, we hope to connect you, our supporters, with the communities you are helping improve.
Colombia ranks as one of the happiest countries in the world, according to a Gallup International survey, perhaps because more than 200 festivals are organized here. Among the most original is the “Festival of the Donkey” and the “Reign of the Ugly.”For me the most fun, joyful and colorful festival in my country is the Barranquilla Carnival, a festival so unique that the day it ends, the cell phones of friends and strangers are filled with funny memes announcing the days left until the arrival of the next carnival.
That was one of the things that made me laugh the most when I came to study in Barranquilla more than 30 years ago. As a journalist, I was motivated to investigate more about this celebration, which came to the Americas from Spain. It is a tradition that dates back three centuries, and it brings together folkloric, dance and musical expressions.
Carnival comes from the Latin “carnem levare,” which means “to remove the meat,” because it was the last great feast before Lent, a period of fasting and abstinence from meat. In the Roman Empire, Saturnalia and Bacchanalia were celebrations in honor of Saturn and Bacchus, marked by role reversal and the use of masks, characteristics that remain in our carnival.
What I like most is that during this festival, the whole city experiences a wide range of emotions that build resilience.
I remember the day my mother had to be hospitalized during carnival time. The hospital was flooded with that unique festive atmosphere, and the same nurse who gave her an intravenous medication placed a beautiful flower on her head that brought a smile to her face and immediately changed her mood. This confirmed for me that carnival has a healing and therapeutic effect. This celebration that is passed down from generation to generation is enjoyed from a very young age until we are older adults.
What captivated me the most on my first tour of Children International community centers was a colorful activity where very young children were happily wearing seasonal attire. That day I learned that all the community centers were rehearsing a dance to participate in the children's carnival, one of the most attractive parades of the Barranquilla Carnival.
This is the case with Karol, a sponsored youth who has been actively participating in carnival events since she was born. As a pre-teen she used to attend dance classes sponsored by the district mayor's office, where she developed her talent.
Her passion for dance was so great that her mother decided to create a dance academy, with the support of a dance teacher from the neighborhood. It was there where Karol, moved by her love for folklore, began to create her own choreographies, fulfilling the role of dance teacher. Her skills were unknown to her until that moment, but that, without realizing it, she had been nurturing in all stages of her life.
Today, with higher studies in human resources, Karol continues to enjoy the carnival with the same emotion that she experienced in her childhood, because for her, “Life is a dance that each person dances to his or her own rhythm.”
I love music, good food and spending time with friends. Working for Children International for more than 14 years, my life has taken an interesting turn — I discovered a sensitive soul that was hidden within me. I've learned great lessons in the communities that I visit on a daily basis, seeing people who lack so much offering what little they have to help others. I've learned that humanity is the basis for true greatness.
Comments
You must be logged in to comment. If you have an account, click here to log in.