‘Shrove Tuesday’ is a tradition that was said to have originated back in 1445, many moons ago! The name was derived through the Anglo-Saxon Christian’s practice of attending confession the day before lent. Here, they would then be absolved of all their sins and therefore become ‘shriven.’
‘Shriven’ is an old middle English word that means to go to confession and say sorry for all the things that you have done wrong. The name of the day evolved and became eventually known, as it is today, as Shrove Tuesday.
So why is it that we stuff our faces with pancakes? Old English customs relied on using all of the fattening ingredients laying around the house before Lent, so that people were ready for fasting. In those days, the fattening ingredients that could often be found were typically eggs and milk. When combined with some flour, it created the simple recipe of pancakes. This was an easy way to eradicate the ingredients from their cupboards. This tradition has stayed throughout the ages and it can now be more recognised as ‘pancake day’ than its traditional counterpart.
However, the traditions of Shrove Tuesday aren’t solely known within Old English culture. In other countries, this day is marked as ‘Mardi Gras.’ In French, this means ‘Fat Tuesday’ and again, relies on the using of food before Lent.
Mardi Gras is a well-established celebration around the world and is often the centre of carnivals, involving thousands of individuals. Notorious carnivals exist in Rio De Janeiro, New Orleans, Venice and Sydney… uniting a huge crowd of visitors from around the world for one common purpose.
A noticeable difference in the way that the two events are celebrated are the typical time-frames. The carnival that takes in place in Rio usually occurs over a number of days leading up to Shrove Tuesday, filling the streets with festivities. Singing, dancing and marching are just a few of the events that will greet you! Partakers of the parade often dress up in bright, exotic outfits, encouraging onlookers to do the same. Costumes can also contain stilts or large wire structures, creating the illusion that the people in them look like birds or butterflies. Floats are also another big part of the carnival parade with the people often using them as a stand for singing and dancing on, encouraging the crowds. The floats are built into cars and lorries, making them easily transportable and accessible! They are often decorated brightly, matching the theme of the Mardi Gras.
Many famous faces have been seen attending Mardi Gras carnivals throughout the years including; Nicolas Cage, Quentin Tarantino, Tom Jones and Will Ferrell.
Marquês de Sapucaí Avenue is the most sought after spot to watch the parade take place. Locals refer to it as ‘Sambódromo’ or ‘Avenida do Samba’ meaning Samba Avenue. This procures extra relevance due to the dancing effect that this carnival has on visitors (the samba is a popular dance in Brazil). Aside from the large-scale organisation of these carnivals, there are also many groups that also conduct their own celebrations. These small groups of people, often circling the streets singing and dancing can otherwise be known as ‘blocos’ or ‘bandas’. Often, these groups gain in numbers from local streets until the main event gets under way.
Portuguese settlers introduced this carnival to Rio over 250 years ago, however it was then known as ‘entrudo’. Flour and water was thrown over the guests during these festivities. Police banned this version of the Rio carnival in 1856 as they began getting out of control with violence. The modern Rio Mardi Gras Festival then took over! Through the exchange into the 20th century, people began writing songs that would in turn be marched too during the carnival processions, they became united with a common purpose.
Did you know that Mardi Gras and Shrove Tuesday served a similar purpose? Will you be giving up items for lent this year?
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