Murgas & Foam Fights: Carnival in Buenos Aires
While Rio de Janeiro might be the most famous and sought after destination when it comes to Carnival, Argentina should not be overlooked. While the biggest carnival of the country takes place in Gualeguaychú, if you’re planning on being in Buenos Aires then don’t miss out on Carnaval Porteño 2015! While carnival in Buenos Aires isn’t as extravagant as its northern neighbours, it is still a big party with its own distinct flavour and traditions. Festivities begin Saturday 7 February, and the main weekend of Carnival takes place from 14-17 February. The 16th and 17th are official carnival holidays, so prepare for a long weekend of parades and parties.
Carnival in Buenos Aires / Source
History of Carnaval Porteño
Argentina’s Carnival grew at the close of the 18th century, around the same time as the tango. With similar working class roots, the Porteño carnival took on the murga style as a way to express their dissatisfaction with their situation and to make fun of those in power. There was a distinct ethnic element to murgas initially, with that of the African slaves differing from the murgas of European immigrants. Eventually the murgas came to represent neighbourhoods rather than ethnic or religious groups. It became a popular part of the Argentine calendar until the military government of the 1970s who stopped the celebrations. With democracy came a carnival revival, and the Buenos Aires Carnival has become a popular celebration once again.
San Telmo has a carnival tradition. / Source
What is a Murga?
Murga is a percussion-based rhythm performed by a marching band on the streets, with an acrobatic dance to match. The lyrics of the songs are referred to as ‘criticas’, as they combine social criticism with humour, frequently targeting corrupt politicians. The Murga Porteña can be defined by dancers (also called murgueros) in colourful, shiny costumes with gloves, a top hat and stick, all symbols of aristocracy from colonial times. This is very different to the carnival costumes worn in Brazil, and even in Gualeguaychú and the Andean communities of Northern Argentina.
Typical outfits worn by the murgueros are colourful and shiny. / Source
Carnival today
Today the carnival parties and parades in Buenos Aires consist of murga parades which takes place across the city. Because Murgas are connected to the neighbourhoods, they take place in their barrios. Murgas include Los Amantes de la Boca (The Lovers of La Boca), Los Viciouso de Almagro (The Vicious of Almagro), Los Fantoches de Villa Urquiza (The Loud-Mouths of Villa Urquiza) and Los Chiflados de Boedo (the Crazies of Boedo). The parades include the band and dancers, often accompanied by murga singers. While there is a main parade along Avenida de Mayo, the neighbourhood corsos (another word of Carnival in Argentina), are closer to block parties than official parades.
The corsos are less formal, anyone can join in. And don’t wear your nicest clothes – a big part of street carnival are the foam fights. While mainly between the neighbourhood kids, spraying foam on each other, adults can easily be dragged in as well.
Keep an eye out on the website for Carnival in Buenos Aires for when and where each parade takes place. All parades are free of charge.
Foam fights are all part of the fun! / Source
Carnival in Buenos Aires is a lot of fun. Because it is less well-known and quite spread out across the city, the crowds are much more manageable than the more famous Carnivals, making for a more pleasant experience. And like Carnival elsewhere, the party spirit is infectious. After dancing along to the murga beats, and getting a bit dirty in a foam fight, head out to the city’s boliches (clubs) to keep the partying going.
Planning your trip to Argentina’s Capital this summer? See what else the city has to offer by browsing our tours and activities in Buenos Aires.
Nicole Eberhard
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