page_title: Haitian Carnival
section_title: History
hierarchical_section_title: Haitian Carnival / History
caption_attribution_description: English: Mardi Gras Papier-mâché masks being prepared, Jacmel, Haiti. עברית: מסיכות מארדי גרא מעיסת-נייר בהכנה, ז'קמל, האיטי.
context_page_description: Haitian Carnival is a celebration held over several weeks each year leading up to Mardi Gras. Haitian Defile Kanaval is the Haitian Creole name of the main annual Mardi Gras carnival held in Port-au-Prince, Haiti.
  The parade is known as "Kye Marn". Haiti's largest carnival is held in the capital and largest city, Port-au-Prince, with smaller celebrations taking part simultaneously in Jacmel, Aux Cayes, and other locations in Haiti. The annual carnival celebrations coincide with other Mardi Gras carnivals around the world.
  Haiti also has smaller carnival celebrations during the year that are separate from the main carnival. These include Rara, a series of processions taking place during the Catholic Lent season, that has bands and parades like the larger main carnival, and also an annual Kanaval de Fleur, that takes place on 7 July.
context_section_description: The large official public celebration of carnival in Haiti started in 1804 in the capital of Haiti, Port-au-Prince.
  Carnival celebrations were traditionally considered "sinful" to Protestant Haitians, who were advised by their ministers not to participate. The celebrations were criticized for condoning sexually-suggestive dancing, profanity-filled plays, music lyrics mocking authority, and Vodou and kompa music rhythms.
  In 1998, during first and second day of the Carnival, Manno Charlemagne, the newly elected Fanmi Lavalas mayor of Port-au-Prince, sent armed men to the Oloffson to dismantle the float on which RAM was scheduled to perform in the annual Carnival 1998, which was known to be the best Carnival organized since 1985. The mayor had taken offense to the lyrics of one of the band's songs, which he interpreted as an accusation of corruption. In a compromise, the band was allowed to perform on a flatbed truck. However, the brakes on the truck were sabotaged and during the procession, the truck swerved into the crowd, killing eight and forcing the members of the band to flee for their lives.
  Celebrations were greatly curtailed by the 2010 Haiti earthquake, although they still took place on a much-reduced scale, with only one quarter of the usual budget. There was disagreement among Haitians about whether or not it was appropriate to have the carnival at all in early 2011. The 2011 carnival featured many costumed performers satirizing darker themes than usual, such as the post-earthquake cholera epidemic and the need for humanitarian relief. In 2012, the carnival was held on a larger scale and was a success.
  In 2015, celebrations were cancelled nationwide after the second day due to an accident during the defile that claimed the lives of 18 people and injured 78 more.
caption: Carnival masks made of papier-mâché being prepared in Jacmel, 2002.
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