En fotos: Las Madamas abren el carnaval de El Callao, Patrimonio de la Unesco

En fotos: Las Madamas abren el carnaval de El Callao, Patrimonio de la Unesco

Women dressed as "madamas" attend a mass before the beginning of the Carnival in El Callao, Bolivar state, Venezuela on February 26, 2017.  El Callao's carnival was recently named Unesco's Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity and is led by the madamas, the pillars of Callaoense identity representing Antillean matrons considered the communicators of values, who dance and wear colourful dresses. / AFP PHOTO / JUAN BARRETO

 

Ataviadas con elegantes trajes multicolores, turbantes y collares, decenas de mulatas de un pueblo minero del oriente de Venezuela llamadas las ‘Madamas’ abrieron este domingo el Carnaval de El Callao, recientemente galardonado por la Unesco.





Con cantos religiosos a ritmo de calipso, se celebró la tradicional Misa de las Madamas, que da el banderazo de salida a la centenaria festividad de este pueblo, ubicado a 850 km al sureste de Caracas y cuya población de 21.000 habitantes se triplica con la masa flotante que llega de todo el país en busca de oro a esta zona del estado Bolívar.

“Estamos muy orgullosos. El reconocimiento de la Unesco nos compromete a seguir trabajando para engrandecerlo, no dejarlo caer pese a la situación del país”, dijo a la AFP la recién coronada reina de las “Madamas” Josefina Briceño, una secretaria jubilada de 63 años, con traje dorado y turbante rojo que resaltan el color negro de su piel.

Venezuela sufre una severa crisis económica y una desbordada criminalidad que golpea con fuerza a El Callao y a otros pueblos de esta región rica en oro, donde operan bandas de mafiosos que se dividen el control de las minas.

Como todo en el país, el carnaval tampoco escapa a la polarización política. El gobernador de Bolívar, Francisco Rangel, es chavista y el acalde de El Callao, Coromoto Lugo, opositor.

A la misa asistió la ministra de Turismo, Marleny Contreras, esposa de Diosdado Cabello, uno de los dirigentes más poderosos del gobierno, y representantes del Ministerio de Cultura, quienes entregaron a cultores del pueblo la distinción de la Unesco.

Pero más allá de la crisis y la política, la catarsis del pueblo empezó. Tras la misa, las “Madamas” , con sus trajes elaborados en finas telas y vivos colores, desfilaron por las calles del pueblo, bailando calipso.

Esas mujeres, que recuerdan a las antillanas de habla francesa e inglesa que atendían las casas de los mineros, son los principales personajes del carnaval, junto con los diablos que resguardan las comparsas con látigos y enormes máscaras de cuernos y colmillos.

El Carnaval realza la fusión cultural de este pueblo fundado a mediados del siglo XIX por venezolanos, africanos, antillanos, ingleses, españoles, brasileños y franceses que exploraban la zona, rica en oro.

Haciendo honor al carácter multiétnico y multicultural del Venezuela, el Carnaval de El Callao fue declarado el pasado 1 de diciembre Patrimonio Cultural Inmaterial de la Humanidad por la Organización de las Naciones Unidas para la Educación, la Ciencia y la Cultura (Unesco), reseñó AFP.

Fotos AFP/Juan Barreto

Women dressed as "madamas" attend a mass before the beginning of the Carnival in El Callao, Bolivar state, Venezuela on February 26, 2017.  El Callao's carnival was recently named Unesco's Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity and is led by the madamas, the pillars of Callaoense identity representing Antillean matrons considered the communicators of values, who dance and wear colourful dresses. / AFP PHOTO / JUAN BARRETO

Women dressed as "madamas" attend a mass before the beginning of the Carnival in El Callao, Bolivar state, Venezuela on February 26, 2017.  El Callao's carnival was recently named Unesco's Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity and is led by the madamas, the pillars of Callaoense identity representing Antillean matrons considered the communicators of values, who dance and wear colourful dresses. / AFP PHOTO / JUAN BARRETO
Women dressed as "madamas" attend a mass before the beginning of the Carnival in El Callao, Bolivar state, Venezuela on February 26, 2017.  El Callao's carnival was recently named Unesco's Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity and is led by the madamas, the pillars of Callaoense identity representing Antillean matrons considered the communicators of values, who dance and wear colourful dresses. / AFP PHOTO / JUAN BARRETO

Women dressed as "madamas" dance as they take part in a parade during the Carnival in El Callao, Bolivar state, Venezuela on February 26, 2017.  El Callao's carnival was recently named Unesco's Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity and is led by the madamas, the pillars of Callaoense identity representing Antillean matrons considered the communicators of values, who dance and wear colourful dresses. / AFP PHOTO / JUAN BARRETO

Women dressed as "madamas" dance as they take part in a parade during the Carnival in El Callao, Bolivar state, Venezuela on February 26, 2017.  El Callao's carnival was recently named Unesco's Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity and is led by the madamas, the pillars of Callaoense identity representing Antillean matrons considered the communicators of values, who dance and wear colourful dresses. / AFP PHOTO / JUAN BARRETO

Women dressed as "madamas" dance as they take part in a parade during the Carnival in El Callao, Bolivar state, Venezuela on February 26, 2017.  El Callao's carnival was recently named Unesco's Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity and is led by the madamas, the pillars of Callaoense identity representing Antillean matrons considered the communicators of values, who dance and wear colourful dresses. / AFP PHOTO / JUAN BARRETO

Women dressed as "madamas" dance as they take part in a parade during the Carnival in El Callao, Bolivar state, Venezuela on February 26, 2017.  El Callao's carnival was recently named Unesco's Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity and is led by the madamas, the pillars of Callaoense identity representing Antillean matrons considered the communicators of values, who dance and wear colourful dresses. / AFP PHOTO / JUAN BARRETO

Women dressed as "madamas" dance as they take part in a parade during the Carnival in El Callao, Bolivar state, Venezuela on February 26, 2017.  El Callao's carnival was recently named Unesco's Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity and is led by the madamas, the pillars of Callaoense identity representing Antillean matrons considered the communicators of values, who dance and wear colourful dresses. / AFP PHOTO / JUAN BARRETO

A woman dressed as "madama" attend a mass before the beginning of the Carnival in El Callao, Bolivar state, Venezuela on February 26, 2017.  El Callao's carnival was recently named Unesco's Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity and is led by the madamas, the pillars of Callaoense identity representing Antillean matrons considered the communicators of values, who dance and wear colourful dresses. / AFP PHOTO / JUAN BARRETO

Women dressed as "madamas" dance as they take part in a parade during the Carnival in El Callao, Bolivar state, Venezuela on February 26, 2017.  El Callao's carnival was recently named Unesco's Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity and is led by the madamas, the pillars of Callaoense identity representing Antillean matrons considered the communicators of values, who dance and wear colourful dresses. / AFP PHOTO / JUAN BARRETO

Women dressed as "madamas" dance as they take part in a parade during the Carnival in El Callao, Bolivar state, Venezuela on February 26, 2017.  El Callao's carnival was recently named Unesco's Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity and is led by the madamas, the pillars of Callaoense identity representing Antillean matrons considered the communicators of values, who dance and wear colourful dresses. / AFP PHOTO / JUAN BARRETO

Women dressed as "madamas" attend a mass before the beginning of the Carnival in El Callao, in Bolivar state, Venezuela on February 26, 2017.  El Callao's carnival was recently named Unesco's Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity and is led by the madamas, the pillars of Callaoense identity representing Antillean matrons considered the communicators of values, who dance and wear colourful dresses. / AFP PHOTO / JUAN BARRETO

Women dressed as "madamas" attend a mass before the beginning of the Carnival in El Callao, in Bolivar state, Venezuela on February 26, 2017.  El Callao's carnival was recently named Unesco's Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity and is led by the madamas, the pillars of Callaoense identity representing Antillean matrons considered the communicators of values, who dance and wear colourful dresses. / AFP PHOTO / JUAN BARRETO

Women dressed as "madamas" attend a mass before the beginning of the Carnival in El Callao, in Bolivar state, Venezuela on February 26, 2017.  El Callao's carnival was recently named Unesco's Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity and is led by the madamas, the pillars of Callaoense identity representing Antillean matrons considered the communicators of values, who dance and wear colourful dresses. / AFP PHOTO / JUAN BARRETO