Carnival of cultures, Berlin

Nothing but excellent was the only word I would say when I put in writing about the carnival of cultures I eye-witnessed in Berlin. It was just a few weeks after we reached in Deutschland. One day I found an email in my yahoo inbox from ESN (ERASMUS Students Network) about an outing to the Carnival of Cultures. As guided by the mail, we trio, Vivek Singh, Aparna and me reached at Yorkstrasse around 12.30 pm, but nobody was there to go together with us.  We, actually, did the misapprehension. We thought that without registering or at least informing them, ESN people would expect us at the station. We waited and waited. All were in vain. At last when all hopes bore no fruits, we were about to go back. For the last attempt we asked a guy who was sitting with an unusual dress:

‘What on the earth this carnival of culture is?

He grimaced and gave an explanation in a word.

‘It is nothing but walking, eating and walking again’

We could not comprehend what he exactly meant.

We again asked the way to reach to the spot.

‘The venue is right here, it starts from where your feet are’

After saying this he left the place hurriedly.

We looked around, and then we saw a deluge of people who were walking, running and eating. He was true; the venue was widening in each second. It was like an oversized train and each group of people became a chain as in such a train in which each compartment becomes its part. We walked forward and followed the people. We knew at least one million people would turn out there on that Sunday. After a stride we stood for having a slice of bread and ya, again walked forward. We looked as if three chicks which walk at a moon-lit night. We could not know what exactly happening there and we were wondering that it was the much celebrated carnival of culture! After walking at least 3 KM, we reached a place where lakhs of people gathered massively and we saw countless counters of eateries. The first one at the extreme corner of the road was a Tamil restaurant run by Sri Lankans, we just waved our hands. There were hotels and stalls of each countries and they served very diverge tastes. From that time, the crowd was getting increased in each moment, the place suddenly suffocated with the excess of the throng. We thought we would miss each other in the crowd.

Suddenly we noticed in the nearby street road, five-six police vehicles were moving bit by bit. We were afraid of something bad which was about to happen. We crossed the road and expecting that ‘something’. When reached there we felt the street was already parted very nicely into a beautiful path and from afar a saffron coloured flag was seen. We read it No. 1 and at a snail's pace, it was coming out from the western side of the street. We made our camera ready to catch the moment. A relentless and continues music was approaching towards us. When it was about to reach at us, we knew it was not one, a flood of parades were coming there. The sounds of the different music rested above. Yes, the riot of colours here started! 

The great parades of Carnival of Cultures have just begun. People lined up with their innovative ideas and dresses. Some people came there with wonderful and strange dress, some with a minimal dress and some with full covered dress. We saw Palestine people with a placard declaring their solidarity to the Berlin Festival. Children from different parts dressed up beautifully and sang fantastically, and then they were seemed as fresh angels flied down to the earth. Some played tricks also. Small kids mixed their hands with chocolate and shook hand to people only to make others hands dirty! A funny chocolate shake hand! When Vivek saw a kid offered a hand, he shook his to get a fistful of chocolate colour! He could not understand what was happening and the lady near to him very politely offered a tissue paper to clean it. Yes, it was the time to celebrate, dance, make fun and also such a simple help.

On the Sunday of 27th May 2012, about 4.800 participants machinated in 90 groups changed Kreuzberg District of Germany into a riot of colours and ideas.

Every summer, Berlin celebrates its own unique carnival, called the Carnival of Cultures - more than 1,5 million visitors flock to the district of Kreuzberg to celebrate the multicultural spirit of Germany’s capital. The procession started at 12.30 pm, at Hermannplatz and ended approximately 9.30 pm, Yorckstraße.

The street procession focuses on the cultural richness of Berlin, and also highlights the often hidden treasures of its international cultural scene. It questions everyday life and politics. Carnival is a combined art form that embraces many aspects of artistic expression. Due to the global migration currents it is multifaceted and of mixed styles. 

The Carnival of Cultures is open to everybody and all forms of cultural expression. It is regarded as a platform for a proud expression of hybrid cultural identities, containing traditional and contemporary elements. It includes and attracts all age groups, professional artists and amateurs, people from all walks of life. People from all over the world come to Berlin to take a look at the colorful costumes and cheerful performances. The carnival of Cultures is one of the main events in Berlin which is taking place every year through the streets of the city between May 25th and May 28th in 2012, with a four-day street-festival, the Parade (28th of May) and various parties throughout the whole city.

The colorful highlight of the festivities is the street parade, where more than 4,500 performers in authentic costumes, elaborately decorated floats, and musicians from over 70 different countries dance through the streets of Berlin. 

Soak up the samba rhythms, enjoy Brazilian drummers, Congolese singers, Korean culture groups, artistic larger than life puppets - and a bit of Rio de Janeiro in the streets of the German capital.

The idea of a carnival which presents the cultural and ethnic diversity of Berlin was developed in 1995, i.e. at a time when – as a consequence to the political and economic changes since the fall of the Berlin Wall and the unification of the two German states – a lot of social, economic and cultural changes happened. Due to these changes, to the economic decline of Berlin and the different economic levels and social and cultural experiences of people in East and West Berlin, social conflicts became more evident and even increased. This state of change resulted, among other things, in a biased and prejudiced view on immigration, which was reflected in the public discussion.

At the same period of time, Berlin attracted a growing number of artists from all over the world and a new cultural off-scene developed, which added to the cultural richness of Berlin. Berlin developed into one of Europe's music centres with a focus on different styles of electronically generated music.

There had been attempts to initiate a carnival in Berlin in the past. Those concepts which had been based on already existing patterns, like the carnival in Rio or the Notting Hill Carnival in London, did not gain sufficient support and could not be implemented in Berlin.

The involvment in carnival activities strengthens the bonds within ethnic communities and among all the groups alike. Their presence in the national and international media lead to a growing self-esteem within ethnic communities. Therefore, the Carnival of Cultures promotes the awareness for the positive impact made by immigrants on Berlin's cultural and social life. Large numbers of young people are involved in carnival activities, many of them coming from multi-ethnic or difficult social and economic backgrounds. While participating in the preparation for the carnival, many of them develop a level of commitment and reliability most unusual in their daily life. Many bands from Berlin's wide-ranging live and electronic music scene as well as theatre and art groups add their aesthetic visions to this sensual and joyful celebration.

Berlins Carnival has been inspired by modern European carnivals like the Notting Hill Carnival in London and the Rotterdam Zomercarnaval. It has taken in elements of many traditional carnivals and celebrations from all over the world. By being open to cultural rites, customs and traditions it attracts performers from countries without carnival traditions. The inclusion of all these elements makes the Carnival of Cultures in Berlin quite unique.

By inviting numerous associations, institutions and individuals in Berlin – among them theatres and arts schools, youth and community clubs and ethnic associations, individual artists, musicians, bands and DJs – the WdK built a network of carnival activists which was and still is the basis for the Carnival of Cultures.

From the beginning on, it encouraged a discussion on the adaption of elements immanent to carnival, including music, dance, masks, theatrical elements, performance and crafts.
The WdK provides the participants with workshop facilities for the preparation of costumes, masks and decorative elements for the floats. By doing so, it offers the groups a chance to meet and discuss their artistic concepts and means of implementation. The artistic quality of the group presentations has been stimulated and increased by the introduction of a competition during the parade in the fourth carnival year, 1999. Prizes are awarded to the best carnival groups, floats and youth groups thereby encouraging the development of all aspects of carnival.

We were watching each country and each and every country dressed up magnanimously, China came with a giant dragon, Japan appeared with a wonderful melody playing, all most all European countries came with an adorning festivity. We three waiting for India, we were sure, India would come if not now but definitely by late. For example if you visit the East Side Gallery painted in the (in)famous Berlin wall,  the last painting  is the Indian flag with a description of Amma Amirt, Budha nirvana, Muhammed light.... an Indian painter portrayed the glory of India in a very artistic manner. What I am saying here is India is near to the heart of the people of Berlin. So we waited and waited. When we felt hungry we went to a Turkish Kebab shop and ordered falaphel but with opening our one eye to see Indian parade.

Then we heard a Bengali song and a group of Bengali babus. We thought it would be India, but they were the exact Bengalis, I mean the people from Bangladesh. They stepped with the dance they were playing. People were expressing their ideas in a very attractive manner. We saw the protest against the non-vegetarian culture by the proponents of the vegetarian culture with a huge pig shedding tear. We saw the German parade who were shouting against the privatization and chanted for swedeshi brand. After a pause, there came Nepal with a very impressive theme. In the front of the rally, people dressed up like the three important religious priest. A Hindu sanyasi, a Muslim moulana and Christian achan and the people same dressed in the same manner followed them. It upheld the harmonious character for their country. They shared words in Hindi.

Parades came and went, we saw a lot of countries flags except India, but when it seemed the parade was ended, the next rally started. We were optimistic and walked towards the origin of the parade and thought when Indian parade started we could also participate in it. It was near about 9 O’clock at night. When we were about to reach the venue we saw a mixing of light in the sky and deafening sounds, and thousands of followers started to line up in a parade at the starting point. It was the African beauty. People were mesmerized with the charm of African wild music as a flout man’s pipe and followed them. It was amazing. We stood still and waited again for India. And the last parade came again a Latin American parade. Even the last man followed it. 

That moment we realized India would not make its usual last appearance. We were desperate. Far away we saw some ladies with ‘Indian sarees. They must have also expected an Indian flag in this all cultures event. We approached them and within moment made a new plan. Immediately we drew an Indian flag and upheld it and walked forward as we were representing India.

Saare jahaam se se achaa

Hindusthan Hamaaraa..

Sang we loudly.