Carnival is party and celebration in Latin America. Traditionally this celebration had its origin in the pagan festivals celebrated by the Romans and the Greeks in honor of Bacchus, the wine God. In the Middle Ages, the Catholic Church proposed the term carnival referring to not eating meat. Generally, in carnival people dressed up or danced because after this celebration Lent began. (40 days of reflection and religious harmony).
When the Spanish arrived in America, they established this celebration among the indigenous peoples of the region. In the Andean worldview, on the same dates that the carnival was celebrated, the beginning of the harvest occurred. This mixture of cultures made the Andean carnival celebrated in a particular way, alluding to the productive wealth of the land.
The most famous Andean carnival in South America is the Oruro carnival in Bolivia, during a week in the city dance groups perform folk dances and there are shows in honor of “Madre Tierra”.
In the particular case of Ecuador, the most famous carnival takes place in the Andean city of Guaranda, located in the center of the country. In the same way, there are shows and presentations of folkloric groups for a whole week. Tourists can go and play carnival with carnival foam, flour, and sometimes even water. Within the city of Guaranda, there is a monument to «Taita Carnaval», this guy is in charge of protecting the city and maintaining joy and cordiality during the Carnival celebration.
In another Andean city called Ambato, the carnival of flowers and fruits is very interesting; here the agricultural wealth of the city and the beauty of its orchids and roses are celebrated. National and foreign tourists visit Ambato to enjoy the carnival and perform concerts by Ecuadorian and foreign musical groups. If what you want is to be part of a traditional celebration, we invite you to visit Ecuador in Carnival and discover the cordiality of its people and the joy of enjoying a different carnival.