Colombia: the Barranquilla Carnival Troupes Are Bursting With Colour
Carnival in Barranquilla, Colombia, March 3, 2025. Photo: EFE
March 4, 2025 Hour: 8:49 am
138 groups of dancers and musicians turned the parade into a true celebration of magic and color.
On Monday, the Gran Parada de Comparsas (Grand Parade of Troupes), the third of the major parades held during the Barranquilla Carnival, took place at the Cumbiodromo on Via 40 as a “colorful, overflowing torrent of joy” that spread excitement among the spectators.
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With the thermometer reading 33 degrees Celsius (91°F) but a heat index of 40°C (104°F), 138 groups of dancers and musicians—each with at least a hundred members—turned the parade into a true celebration of magic and color, showcasing the talent and creativity of the Traditional and Fantasy Comparsas of the Barranquilla Carnival.
This parade, which was added to the Carnival program 25 years ago, is primarily led by fantasy comparsas, known for their fusion of modern rhythms, choreographed performances, and striking costumes.
Other traditional groups also made their way through the more than four kilometers of the Cumbiodromo, including the marimondas, negritas puloy, and monocucos, who displayed the culture and ingenuity of this Carnival—the most important folk festival in Colombia—which was declared Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity by UNESCO in 2003.
Waking Up Early to Dance
Proudly displaying his vibrant and elaborate makeup, applied four hours in advance and transforming his face into that of a tiger resisting the onslaught of sweat, Daniel and his more than 100 fellow performers danced in perfect sync to the blaring rhythm of music blasting from a massive sound system mounted on a truck.
“We all arrived at the meeting point at seven in the morning to start the parade. It’s now two in the afternoon, and even though we’re under the blazing sun and exhaustion is hitting us hard, we’re going to finish with the same energy we started with,” said Daniel as he paused to take a sip of water.
Meanwhile, Carlos Pinto is part of an “army of marimondas” dancing to the rhythm of music coming from the ‘Pea Pea,’ a type of rubber instrument that produces a deep, raspy sound when blown, reinforcing the humorous attitude conveyed by this comparsa.
The marimonda is a traditional costume, highly distinctive due to its vibrant mix of colors. Its origins trace back to the years of slavery in Colombia when oppressed Black people crafted masks with large ears, long noses, and round eyes as a way to mock their exploitative masters.
The End is Near
The Gran Parada de Comparsas is the last of the parades along the Cumbiodromo on Via 40 before the Barranquilla Carnival concludes its celebrations with the symbolic burial of ‘Joselito Carnaval’—a character representing all carnival-goers, who “dies” after four days of revelry and is remembered each year with lively funeral processions through various streets of the city.
Other large-scale events scheduled during the Carnival included the Festival de Orquestas, where renowned musical groups competed for the coveted Congo de Oro award, and Baila La Calle, recognized as the city’s largest open-air dance floor, where over 20,000 people gathered daily.
Also noteworthy was the Festival de Letanias, a competition in which groups perform decima-style satirical recitations on current events, as well as the Encuentro de Comedias, a series of performances showcasing the wit and mischievous humor of popular culture.
teleSUR/ JF
Source: EFE
