Panama Carnival Tour 2011

Panamanians love to celebrate and have a good time. Any reason to call up some friends get a caja (case) of beer and put on some music and it is a party. Even my neighbor tells me that ever Friday is Sabado Chiquito or little Saturday...that alone is reason enough to celebrate right?! But a party that lasts that lasts for 5 nights and 4 days, you can guarantee they look forward to that all year long and pull out all the stops. I know we have Mardi Gras in the US, but I have never experienced a entire country shutting down to party. Carnivals happen all over, from huge New Orleans style celebrations, to smaller Carnival like fairs, to neighborhood gatherings. Here in Panama key elements of a good Carnival include water, music, dancing, street meat, reinas (queens-in both senses of the word), and a beer or two. To celebrate Carnival has its own verb, "Carnavalear" or "To Carnival"...in action, one says "Carnavaleando" or "Carnivaling". "Estoy carnavaleando!" or "I'm carnivaling!"

One of my favorite outfits! The Geisha Reina.

After a little convincing from my friends and remembering that this is my last year here in Panama, I headed down to what is considered the heartland of Panama, an area called the Azuero. It is a big peninsula that juts out into the pacific side of the country. It is also home to the biggest Carnival in Panama, in the town of Las Tablas. There are almost no hotels in the area, and to take advantage of the huge influx of visitors, local families rent out there homes. They literally clear out everything and move into the backyard for 5 days. Several Peace Corp volunteers who live in the area, rented out houses so it was one big sleepover.

Carnival kicked off Friday night March 4th with parades and a huge dance party that went all night. Then Saturday day was the start of the culecos or huge tanker trucks filled with water that are parked all around this huge square. In between getting sprayed, dancing and eating, the floats start to come through. Here in Panama, there is Calle Arriba and Calle Abajo. These are the two queens and each one has their own floats, outfits and bands. After the culecos end for the day everyone goes home to nap, eat and get ready to go out again that night. Another huge dance party Saturday night followed by another Sunday of culecos...all until the party comes to an end Tuesday night.

A view from one of the tanker trucks looking out over the streets in Las Tablas. The band for one of the floats is in the middle.

I left the party Sunday afternoon with my friend Joanna, but on our way back we decided we hadn't had enough Carnival. So we called up a few other friends and went to another party in a town called Dolega, in the province of Chiriqui. This one was much more mellow, more like a fair. There was still culecos, lots of music and food. We even decided to go back that night to go dancing. While i was dead tired on Tuesday as I headed home, I was so glad i got to experience not one, but two very different Carnivals.