From Popular Expression to Public Spectacle

This book presents the Carnaval de Barranquilla as an ideal space for the safeguarding of multi-ethnic cultural traditions despite the fact that over the years it has been transformed from popular carnival into commercial spectacle. The study traces the history of the organizational aspect of the celebration throughout the twentieth and twenty-first centuries and analyzes carnival parades as historical testimonies through the use of photographs as reliable documents. The research concludes that the mixed-economy organization that has managed carnival for the last twenty-five years has tried to provide an effective participatory way to administer the festivities’ official program. It also demonstrates that photographs provide valuable information not only on the history of the celebration, but also on the economic, political, social, and cultural context in which carnival occurs. The volume includes an illustrated guide of the traditional folkloric groups and individual costumes that participate in the yearly celebration.