Human Flower Project

Tuesday, February 20, 2007

Carnaval: Every Body Flower

From Rio to Dunkerque, we’re taking off clothes and putting on petals for Fat Tuesday.

Carnaval parade in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
Photo: BBC

Last call!

You know what that means. Time to bloom and jam. It’s Fat Tuesday, the climax of carnaval season in much of Europe and nearly all the Americas.

Roba la Gallina, one of the stock characters in Dominica’s festival
Photo: Carnaval Dominica

Lupercalia and Mardi Gras may be imports from the Old World, but really it’s on this side of the Atlantic that folks know how to grind their ya-yas out. Rio de Janeiro has the wildest, brightest Carnaval around, featuring lots of bare skin and nipple glitter. New Orleans draws party pilgrims from around the world, too.

But after surfing for Dionysus today, we’ve come across some spectacular revelry in Dominica, in Dunkerque, France, also Chipona, Spain,  and Haiti. Even Quebec City, Canada, (celebrate or bust) holds ice canoe races.

Dancing and shining, in Rio
Photo: Grand Poobah

Quebec actually celebrates carnaval before Fat Tuesday (Being February, bien sur, what difference does a week make weatherwise in Eastern Canada?). For jollies, the Quebecois this year enjoyed horse-drawn sleigh rides, snow sculpting, and “snow baths.” Take that, and shiver your glitter, Rio!
Tomorrow, the beginning of Lent, flowers will come off the altar until Easter Sunday. So today get your bloom on.