CARNEVALE de VENEZIA
In 1296, the Republic of Venice decreed that the day before Lent, the 40-day period before Easter would be a holiday so that its citizens could get the urge to celebrate out of their systems. The day came to be known as "Carnevale", literally "goodbye meat!" (from the Latin carne "meat" and vale "farewell") since giving up meat was traditionally one of the traditions observed during Lent.
In Venice society, carnevale also served a useful social function by giving the lowest-born classes the illusion that they were on equal footing with the powerful, allowing them to make fun of the wealthy in public by wearing masks on their faces. Carnevale and masquerading were banned when Venice was annexed into the Austrian empire in 1790.
In 1981 city officials decided to revive Venice Carnival as a reincarnation of the aristocratic festival it had once been. Today The Carnavale de Venezia is open to everyone and participants come from many countries and a range of social backgrounds to take on the identity of classical personages and a variety of fantasy characters.
There are many masking traditions in Venice including the Commedia dell' Art, a popular play from the Renaissance, the Plague Doctor and the Harlequin. The large piazza in front of the church of St. Mark serves as center stage for many Venetian Carnival activities, including processions where masqueraders compete with one another for the most authentic or eccentric creations.RESOURCES
More information on Carnevale de Venezia
Make a Bauta Mask
AYS enriches the learning and well-being of children in a safe, caring and fun environment outside of the school day. To learn more about AYS please visit www.ayskids.org.
AYS, Inc.
4755 Kingsway Drive, Suite 300
Indianapolis, IN 46205
(317) 283-3817