Daily Archives: February 10, 2012

The word “carnival” usually evokes images of Brazil, New Orleans or Trinidad. Uruguay’s carnival is less famous, but it’s the longest carnival in the world, lasting 40 days. This colorful event began on January 26, 2012, and continues through March. While most Uruguayan communities have some sort of Carnival celebration, the main action happens in the capital city of Montevideo.

Carnival History

During the middle of the 18th century, wealthy families from Montevideo imported slaves from different African nations. The masters gave their imported slaves one day to celebrate their cultural identity. The drum-based musical form called candombe evolved from these celebrations. These fiestas continued after the slaves were granted their freedom. Eventually, candombe styles merged with traditional Uruguayan music, thereby creating a unique blend of African and Uruguayan rhythms.