Bolivian Carnival

Mallorca

MALLORCA - FROM the packed car park, the sound of whistles and drums could already be heard, not to mention the delicious smell of BBQ wafting through the crisp air. In order to honour of the Dia de Baleares, the Bolivian community of Mallorca decided to organise a mini version of their carnival, which although has touches of Europe’s Catholic Carnival is combined with traditional indigenous influences which results in a vibrant melee of colour, culture and music.

MALLORCA - FROM the packed car park, the sound of whistles and drums could already be heard, not to mention the delicious smell of BBQ wafting through the crisp air. In order to honour of the Dia de Baleares, the Bolivian community of Mallorca decided to organise a mini version of their carnival, which although has touches of Europe’s Catholic Carnival is combined with traditional indigenous influences which results in a vibrant melee of colour, culture and music.

Despite the rather dismal day the crowds did not keep away from the second ever Mallorquin/ Bolivian festival, organised by ARBOL, a charity to protect Bolivian immigrants in Spain.

The day commenced at 12noon  and went on into the early evening, punctuated with a parade, much music and dancing, traditional choreographies and a great deal of delicious food and South American beer.

The parade consisted of six different groups from various villages across the island (the two most predominant in Llucmajor) whom had made exquisite costumes and floats: the “Tinkus,” and “Arco Iris”, with more traditional Andean dances; the “Cambas Vagos”,  “Morinada” and “Don Simon” who represented the more tropical areas of Bolivia and the “Diablada”, a famous parade of demons who embody the old gods of the mountains.

The enthusiastic crowd cheered as young girls in very small skirts danced their way down the poligono accompanied by men dressed as demons jeering at the small children and old ladies.

Panpipes, drums and mandolins boomed out of amplifiers tied to the tops of vans filling the rather drab poligono with life.  Traditional Bolivian dishes (for example an exotic version of Cornish pasties with plantain or doughnuts made with cheese and coconut), the joyful music and passion of the dances brought the Dia de Baleares an international twang, reminding us that Mallorca is indeed a multi-cultural place of which we can be proud.