Former combatants in Barranquilla Carnival
By Manuel Rueda, Editorial Director
Barranquilla - Saturday, February 13, 2010
A dance troupe that is made up of former guerrillas and paramilitary fighters will parade through the streets of Barranquilla during this year´s carnival festivities.
The group includes sixty men and women sponsored by the government´s reintegration program for “demobilized” combatants and will be among dozens of dance troupes, neighborhood cultural groups, and music bands that dance their way down Barranquilla´s Avenida 40 during Sundays Gran Parada.
According to the Presidential Program for Reintegration, the former war fighters will dress in traditional outfits called “Congos” (see picture) as they strive to show Colombians that they are committed to “leading legal lives” and supporting the “construction of peace.”
Frank Pearl, the president´s high counselor for peace, said that 1,028 former combatants are currently participating in the government´s reintegration projects, with 922 of them receiving psycho-social counseling.
He added that 556 former fighters are studying primary and secondary school, 246 of them are gaining technical degrees and 476 are currently employed.
Besides Sunday´s Gran Parada, this year´s carnival includes the traditional “battle of flowers” parade on Saturday and a host of smaller parades in the city´s neighborhoods on Monday and Tuesday.
There will also be popular night concerts at local stadiums such as the marathon “Festival of the Bands” which lasts more than 12 hours and plenty of spontaneous partying on the streets of the arenosa, or sandy city.
The wealthier Barranquilleros tend to go to private parties at the city´s conventions centers and hotels, which feature presentations by big name vallenato, merengue ,and salsa stars.
This year´s carnival party at the five star El Prado Hotel will feature Panamanian salsa legend Ruben Blades.
For more information on the Barranquilla carnival feel free to visit its website.
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