Carnival of Blacks and Whites in Pasto: The Largest Meeting of the Races in Colombia

• Place: Pasto, Nariño
• Región: Pacific
• Date: January 4 – 6, every year
• Duration: 3 days.

The Carnival of Blacks and Whites in Pasto /Pic.elroquero

The Carnival of Blacks and Whites, proclaimed National Cultural Heritage in 2002, is celebrated every year between January 4 and 6 in Pasto, an Andean city located in southwestern Colombia, attracting a large number of tourists from all over the country and the world.

Historically, the city of Pasto has been the crossroads and the meeting place for various peoples and colonies.

Considered the single most significant event in the country for cultural expression of different races, the Blacks and Whites Carnival is an unforgettable experience.

This is why the celebration of the carnival is an autochthonous cultural sample that perfectly expresses all the cultural influences that have been in play in the region for centuries: rituals and cultural expressions of Indian, Spanish, and African cultures.

History of the Carnival

The origin of the carnival dates back to the ancient times of the agrarian Indian cultures of the Pasto and Quillacinga Indians, who held celebrations in honor of their moon goddess as a way of pleading protection for their crops.

Over the course of time, elements from Spanish festivities were added; and later, elements from African feasts, thus consolidating what we call the Carnival of Blacks and Whites.

Little by little, other elements were added: make-up, talcum powder, and music. And foremost, the floats with gigantic sculptures built by artisans:

We are surrounded by art, in color, in pape,r and everything else that art encompasses. Returning to the carnival or being in the carnival is an experience. [...] We continue to be children and, as such, we continue playing in the carnival. /Luces y Sombras del Carnaval, Germán Zaruma, in the article entitled Los artesanos de Carlos Riascos Erazo/

Stages of the Carnival

The carnival is composed of four stages:

Pre-carnival

It begins on December 28 with the Día del Agua (day of the water). On that day, people of all ages go out on the street to “get wet”. That day, anything goes: carfuls of people with containers filled with water, water-filled baloons, hoses, and even fire hydrants make this a special day whose sole purpose is to get soaked. Pre-carnival continues on December 30 with the famous serenade to Pasto, with the best string trios of the Andean region playing.

El Carnavalito (the little carnival)

This activity is for children between the ages of six and fourteen to show their creativity and the cultural heritage of the region.

The Castañeda Family Parade

This is a big parade and the prelude to the actual carnival that takes place on January 4. It evokes the legend according to which in 1928 a group of Pasto inhabitants invited a special family, later called the Castañeda Family, to the feasts. To commemorate the arrival of this family, a large group of people dress up in early twentieth century attire and parade in an attempt to take spectators back to the beginning of the century. This is the first day in which face paint is used. This makes for a huge party on the city streets.

El Día de los Negros (day of the blacks)

It takes place on January 5. That day, people are willing to have “pinticas” (small marks) of black face paint drawn on their clothes, face, arms, and any uncovered part of the body. Platforms are set up for orchestras to play for members of all races and social classes.

El Día de los Blancos (day of the whites)

On January 6, the rules of the game change. Instead of black or color marks, people throw white talcum powder at each other. The festivity starts with another float parade, this time with enormous figures made by artisans, and becomes a fascinating, joyous display of culture

I just noticed that there isn't a Day of the Amerindians.

Then the next day the Whites go back to hating Blacks

I asked my black Colombian friend about his experiences and he said that there is allot of racism here in Colombia. More so with snide remarks, people looking down on blacks and he has had some racist comments yelled at him while walking in the streets. He said he feels he gets a little more "respect" because he is a semi-pro basketball player, but he still feels it and see how it affects his friends and family. 

He said Bogota was one of the worst cities with Manizales was one of the better cities. However here in Manizales I didn't see many black people until I started visiting some of the lower income areas.

Quibdo, Choco has a 90% black community and is one of the most impoverished cities in Colombia. 

You highlighted very interesting issues...Is there a place where blacks are not discriminated? Apart from Africa, I mean.

Canada

Blacks discriminate among themselves even in Africa. So?

Guyana, the Blacks there are more likely to discriminate.  Get your blinders off ad look at this video. 

You all PPP supporters scream  "collie time now" "no black man rule".  So how are Indians any different.

Of course we can debate about what these people were actually saying.

Dont make me laugh.  Loads of racism against non whites in Canada.

Colombia is one of the most racist countries in South America.  Literally hundreds of thousands of blacks have been displaced in their internal civil war and the govt has done nothing to help.  Even though those who are responsible are militias linked to the govt, and the army.

I know a Puerto Rican professor who periodically goes to Colombia to lecture in one of their large universities.  She is what Guyanese will call a "red woman".  Yet she frequently encounters Colombians who are shocked that she is a university professor bwith teh caliber to lecture at one of their best universities.

Were she a full black woman, upon entry to the campus they would give her a mop and a bucket, thinking that clearly all she would be doing is mopping the floor.

In the USA we have and have had several black CEOs and CFOs of large companies. We have seen college graduation rates DOUBLE among blacks over the past twenty years (sorry druggie I know you will scream STUDY, even though it was in a recent NYT paper).

In Colombia to be black means to not be perceived as being middle class.

So they can keep their carnival.

In Africa, is not about race. It is a tribal thing. How dey know who is from what tribe is a real mystery to me.

They know from your name, dress, mannerisms, LANGUAGE.

carib, there's racism everywhere but in Canada what I see here I'd have to say there's not as much as seen elsewhere.

At least not the blacks I know. The guys I know are quite content with their lives, some live in homes way larger than mine, they hold good positions. They've got it made.One of them is my JA buddy who drums for me on occasion, the banna has a home that I get lost in, he even has two basements in the house.

Some people accept their lot in life.  That doesnt mean that they havent been subject to subtle discrimination.

There are blacks who live in huge mansions in the USA, and indeed the USA is the only majority white nation which has ELECTED a non white head of state.  We have big movers and shakers like Oprah Winfrey and Tyler Perry, BOTH WHO GREW UP QUITE POOR!

  Yet I am sure that you arent going to tell me that the USA doesnt have its share of racism.

Tell you what.  Caribbean immigrants to Canada are not only amongst the most educated migrants, but also more educated than the average Canadian.  This because Canada has a very selective immigration policy and Caribbean people do not qualify for refugee status, which reduces the educational attainment of some groups.

Yet Caribbean immigrants have among the LOWEST household incomes in Canada.

How do you explain that? 

Note that your typical Caribbean immigrant to Canada isnt your Jane Finch type who quite likely entered illegally.

Note also that Caribbean immigrants arrive speaking English and are quite familiar with the Anglo American way of doing things, so should be doing much better than they are in fact doing.

I will also tell you that the image of the Caribbean person in Canada (some what negative) is worse than that of the Caribbean person in the USA( some what positive, though with some exceptions).

Maybe you can say that there is little overt racism in Canada against blacks, but I do not think that you can say that Canada treats blacks equally to whites, when factors such as education, etc are equivalent.

This is not to say that Canada is more racist than other countries.  This is in response to your suggestion that racism in Canada doesnt exist, or have any significant impact on people of African descent.