Take part in Guinea-Bissau's largest carnival
Guinea-Bissau dresses up in its best festive clothes every year in February to celebrate its annual carnival. Locals celebrate the occasion by reviving their Afro-Portuguese traditions with colorful celebrations. The four-day Guinea-Bissau Carnival is held primarily in Bissau and the Bijagos archipelago, and it brings together various ethnic groups and residents of small villages and other towns throughout the country to showcase their culture and traditions. The first day of the Guinea-Bissau Carnival is dedicated to the event's start. A first parade of masks from each region will be held to the beat of drums, showcasing traditional and contemporary masks created by various ethnic groups. The majority of these masks were made out of colored papier-mâché for the occasion. The warriors parade in crocodile-skin suits, waving arrows in the air. This opening parade continues in a deafening roar through the streets of Bissau for hours. This event is the most popular in the country due to the lively atmosphere, general excitement, and local music.
The next few days will feature parade floats, dance performances, and traditional music concerts. Locals prepared some costumes, masks, and floats months in advance, a work so precise and meticulous that many of the accomplishments could be considered true works of art. The carnival also serves as a venue for residents from various neighborhoods to compete against one another. Each district of the capital prepares indeed its own giant mask, which will then be entered into the contest to determine the most beautiful and grandiose.
