The Callao Carnival is the most famous in Venezuela

Declared by Unesco, Cultural Heritage of Humanity

The Carnival of El Callao, is the most famous in Venezuela, has been recognized as an event of Regional Tourist Interest and declared by the Institute of Cultural Heritage of Venezuela as an event of National Tourist Interest in March 1992 and December 2, 2016 Was declared an Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity by the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (Unesco).

More than a century of dancing

At the beginning of the 20th century, mining began in Callao, inhabitants of countries neighboring Venezuela, such as Trinidad and Tobago, Granada, Curacao, Brazil, and Holland, would settle in the population in search of gold, iron and Other precious minerals, would leave their cultural roots and when combined with the life of the zone would produce a mixture, a combination of expression unique in Venezuela under the rhythm of calypso from 1914.

In Venezuela to talk about Callao, is to talk about party, dance and celebration that has united every year to the popular feeling of people until reaching more than 100 years, this dance has the calypso as a characteristic genre and is celebrated in the south of the country in the State Bolívar specifically in the mining town of Callao.

It was characterized by a meeting of family members and people

At the beginning it was characterized by the reunion of relatives and countrymen of the Caribbean who, having not the necessary resources to move to their places of origin during carnival times, showed in these meetings their cultural concerns manifested in culinary art, drinks, music, songs, Dances, dances, theater, storytelling, legends and the practice of religious magical beliefs.

Well of cultural interest of the nation and the world

Madamas of El Callao, main characters of these traditions

The carnival of El Callao is certified for its relevance in the traditional festivals of Venezuela. Its characteristic and magical characters such as Las Madamas, El Medio Pinto, Los Mineros, La Fantasía, El Sol and La Estrella adorn the streets with their colorful costumes, white lace background and turban of colors, expression of the jocosity and occurrence of the callaoense And the red, white and black devils, which represents the magical-religious meaning of these festivities, make it the most important carnival in the country, that is why the Cultural Heritage Institute defines it as “living, constantly evolving manifestations Through oral traditions, beliefs, music, festive acts, rites, social practices or knowledge and uses related to nature and customs that communities, groups and in some cases individuals recognize as an integral part of their cultural heritage “and The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (Unesco), in December 2016 declared it the cultural heritage of mankind

This carnival goes beyond being a traditional festivities known all over the world, for its inhabitants represents the struggle for freedom of their ancestors who were mostly Afro-descendants from the Caribbean islands Martinique, Guadeloupe and Trinidad and Tobago, in addition to the Multiculturalism. Recall that this land was home to hundreds of people who came to exploit the gold mines.

Venezuelan calypso or Callao calypso

Musical instruments characteristic of calypso

The carnival, based on the joyful measures of the calypso, gathers for several days the costumes of disguises and dancers who make long parades chanting the songs with the accompaniment of the people who come to the party.

The Calypso del Callao and its carnival are already part of the Venezuelan cultural repertoire and are a living testimony of mestizaje.

In Venezuela, Calipso is played in the eastern part of Sucre State, Nueva Esparta, Monagas, Ciudad Guayana and Bolívar state, especially under the Steel-Band modality. It is a cheerful and sticky rhythm. Interprets in all the Antilles that somehow adapted to Venezuela, is interpreted with the local musical instruments that imprint to him the character of Venezuelanity.

The calypso Venezuelan or calypso of El Callao, sung traditionally in English, is made from a rhythmic drum of percussion based on the bumbac, accompanied by charrasca, bell or cowbell and four (kind of small guitar, typical of Venezuela). Commonly added is keyboard, electric bass, wind instruments and male and female voices.