Grenadines 2018

Tuesday13February

Return to Fort-de-France after visiting the Balata garden. It's Mardi Gras, day of the red devils! The carnival is in full swing because the day is a holiday throughout the department! We take the bus to reach the city center, closed to cars. Carole takes the opportunity to meet one of these devils, in a red dress obviously.  

The tradition of the red devils would originate in Senegal, where to celebrate the harvest, farmers adorned themselves with cattle horns and mirror fragments symbolizing abundance and knowledge.

Red knows how to leave a little room for other colors...

The "touloulous" recognizable by their Venetian masks.

The "nèg gwo siwo" coat themselves with molasses and charcoal in memory of former slaves.

His Majesty Vaval, giant statue and king of the carnival will be cremated tomorrow evening!

And here is the elected Queen Mother, Lucienne Ovide, and her two runners-up!

Come on! A few more photos and we will have to leave all this joyful atmosphere to join the airport!

And this is the end of this trip! In a few hours, we will be in the air to return to the winter of the metropolis, but with lots of "magix" memories in mind!