The One Month Party
http://www.lonelyplanet.com/mapshells/south_america/uruguay/uruguay.htm This is a standard map showing large cities, bodies of water and roads.
Abstract
The Uruguayan Carnaval is the second largest carnival celebration in the world after the Brazilian celebration. The celebration takes place for nearly the entire month before the period of Lent in Uruguay (Bakhtin 1). There are parades, bands, comedians, and costumes consuming the streets at all hours. The streets of Montevideo are very crowded and in the smaller towns, the celebrations are more subdued (Montero 1). The celebration is of Catholic origin, but has become increasingly secular and more of an excuse to celebrate for a long period of time (Bakhtin 4). The entire country of Uruguay is brought together and united during this unique time as people celebrate the country and their religion.
www.e-transhotel.com/
circuito_candombe_es.htm This is a picture of a parade during Carnaval Season www.uruguay.indymedia.org This is a picture of a Candombe band which originated in Uruguay. 
Introduction
Uruguay is a country that can be forgotten because it is right in between Brazil and Argentina. The culture that Uruguay has can simply not be forgotten. Uruguay holds a month long celebration named Carnaval every year. Carnaval is a celebration that the entire country can celebrate together. This celebration is very popular and made famous by Brazil, but Uruguay’s celebration is unique and contains many unique ways to celebrate.
Context of [Uruguay]
Uruguay is in a very convenient location, with a big Atlantic Ocean coastline and between South America’s two biggest countries, Brazil and Argentina. Uruguay is the second smallest country in South America, comparable to the size of the state of Washington. The total population of Uruguay is about 3.35 million (The World Factbook 2). The capital and harbor city Montevideo is the largest city in Uruguay with roughly 1.5 million people (The World Factbook 2). The climate of Uruguay is very tropical with hardly ever any days close to freezing temperatures. The terrain is very flat with few mountains and the Rio Negro runs through the middle of the country west to east as the main water source in Uruguay (The World Factbook 2).
Uruguay was first discovered by Spain in 1516. Before this the Charrua Indian Tribe were the only people to live there (History of Uruguay 1). The Charrua Tribe resisted colonization for the next two centuries even though Spain claimed that they owned the land. Montevideo, the present day capital of Uruguay was founded because of its natural harbor (History of Uruguay 1). Uruguay’s ownership was tossed around from Spain, England, Portugal, and Brazil during many battles in the early 19th century. Finally in 1828 and fostered by England, the Treaty of Montevideo was signed making Uruguay a free Nation (History of Uruguay 2). In 1830, their first constitution was written (History of Uruguay 2). For the next seventy years Uruguay struggled and was bossed around by foreign and neighboring countries. In 1903, the president José Batlle y Ordóñez got Uruguay back on the right track. In the late 1950’s, Uruguay experienced inflation and other economic problems (History of Uruguay 3). In 1973 the Uruguayan Military seized control of the government and ruled until 1984 (History of Uruguay 3). The country is now a democracy with a president named Jorge Batlle (History of Uruguay 3).
Origins of Carnaval]
There are many different theories of when and where the celebration Carnival originated. There were many similar events thousands of years ago in numerous different cultures. The most well known was in Iraq. Iraq had a five-day ritual for the Momo king (Bakhtin 2). The roles of society were switched and one of the lowest members of society would become king for five days. He would then be killed and the people were liberated from all evil (Bakhtin 4). Christian culture had since adapted rituals that occurred before Lent and all of Europe celebrated some type of Carnival big or small. In Uruguay, the Spanish brought Christianity over with them in the late 1600’s and this culture mixed with religious indigenous traditions to form a unique Carnival. The Spaniard’s Carnival contained mock battles to represent the wars that were occuring in their homeland during the time (Liverpool 3). The black population in Uruguay is very significant and around the early 1900’s Candombe music, which was created by black slaves in Uruguay became part of the celebration (Carvalho Neto 3). Carnaval continues to change to this day, but keeps most of the traditions.
Performance
Today Carnival in Uruguay specifically Montevideo is a week to month long party. Parades are held daily which include floats, dancers and bands. Men and women can be seen dressed in scantily clad lavish costumes parading and flowing down the street (Solinkski 1). The entire city shuts down for the entire week before the forty days of Lent. Almost 300,000 citizens of Uruguay flock to the capital city to become a part of the tradition every year (Montero 1). Over half of the entire residents of Uruguay celebrate Carnival in Montevideo. Dancing, singing and eating are popular activities during Carnival. More than 20,000 musicians and comedians perform during Carnival. (Montero 1) Bright colors are a staple of the Carnival celebration in all South American countries and Uruguay is no exception. The setting is wild, with millions of people celebrating Uruguay, religion, and anything else they want.
Artifact
http://www.deepseaimages.com/dsilibrary/showphoto.php?photo=3371
This website contains pictures from Carnaval in the Carribean. This particular photograph is of a woman in a very elaborate costume.
Interpretation
Prognosis for [Carnaval]
Uruguayan Carnaval is increasing in popularity because it is getting more press from the media. Tourists are now flocking to Montevideo from other countries to celebrate Carnaval. This is one of the only opportunities for Uruguay to be recognized globally and they welcome all of the tourists. As Carnaval becomes more urbanized, Uruguay has more opportunity to make money. Approximately 1.4 million people live in Montevideo and the population of Uruguay is roughly 3.4 million (Montero 2). Montevideo has almost 2 million people in the city at the peak of Carnaval coming from within the country (Montero 2).
Conclusion
The Carnival in Uruguay is a celebration that brings people from all over the country together to party before Lent and celebrate living in Uruguay. The celebration contains bright colors, patriotic music, and parades throughout the day. This tradition started in the late 1600’s when the Catholic Spaniards brought over their culture to Uruguay and has since evolved into what it is today (Liverpool 3). During the celebration people from all social classes get together to celebrate living in Uruguay by celebrating in the same places together. Everyone feels equal celebrating his or her country and religion (Wasserman 3). Carnaval in Uruguay is showing no signs of slowing down in popularity; in fact it is continuing to grow. From the hundreds of parades to the Candombe music to the rich history, Carnaval in Uruguay is full of tradition and will continue to be celebrated for centuries to come.
Internet References Cited
Solinkski, Jim. “Brazil Carnival, It’s Party Time!” 29 Oct. 2004
http://www.zuvuya.net/sites/babylontravel/english/ecology/frame_jim20.htm
This talks about the present day Brazil Carnaval. I used it to compare the Brazilian Carnival to the Uruguay Carnaval.
Bakhtin, Mikhail. “The Carnival Model.” 1 Nov. 2004
http://www.uwm.edu/~wash/102_18.htm
This talks about the roles of celebration in societies.
Montero, Dario. “THE UNDERRATED MONTEVIDEO CARNIVAL.” Inter Press Service English News Wire 3 Feb. 1999. 26 Oct 2004.
http://www.highbeam.com/library/doc1.asp?docid=1P1:20216027
This site gives great detail about the Uruguay Carnaval celebration.
Mooney, James. “Guarani Indians.” 1 Nov. 2004
http://www.newadvent.org/cathen/07045a.htm
This website tells the story of the Guarini Indians which used to live in Uruguay.
"The World Factbook: Uruguay.” 25 Oct. 2004
http://www.cia.gov/cia/publications/factbook/geos/uy.html
The site gives general information about the country of Uruguay.
“History of Uruguay.” 1 Nov. 2004
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/History_of_Uruguay
This website gives a detailed history of Uruguay.
Peer-Reviewed References Cited
Pinto, Tiago de Oliveira. “The Pernambuco Carnival and Its Formal Organisations: Music as Expression of Hierarchies and Power in Brazil.” Yearbook for Traditional Music, Vol. 26. (1994), pp. 20-38. http://links.jstor.org/sici?sici=0740-1558%281994%2926%3C20%3ATPCAIF%3E2.0.CO%3B2-H
Carvalho Neto, Paulo de. “The Candombe, a Dramatic Dance from Afro-Uruguayan Folklore.” Ethnomusicology, Vol. 6, No. 3. (Sep., 1962), pp. 164-174. http://links.jstor.org/sici?sici=0014-1836%28196209%296%3A3%3C164%3ATCADDF%3E2.0.CO%3B2-T
Wasserman, George. “Carnival in Hudibras.” ELH, Vol. 55, No. 1.(Spring, 1988), pp. 79-97. http://links.jstor.org/sici?sici=0013-8304%28198821%2955%3A1%3C79%3ACIH%3E2.0.CO%3B2-K
Liverpool, Hollis Urban. “Origins of Rituals and Customs in the Trinidad Carnival: African or European?” TDR (1988-), Vol. 42, No. 3, Trinidad and Tobago Carnival. (Autumn, 1998), pp. 24-37. http://links.jstor.org/sici?sici=1054-2043%28199823%2942%3A3%3C24%3AOORACI%3E2.0.CO%3B2-J
Stridbeck, C. G. “Combat between Carnival and Lent' by Pieter Bruegelthe Elder: An Allegorical Picture of the Sixteenth Century.” Journal of the Warburg and Courtauld Institutes, Vol. 19, No. 1/2. (Jan. - Jun., 1956), pp. 96-109. http://links.jstor.org/sici?sici=0075-4390%28195601%2F06%2919%3A1%2F2%3C96%3A%27BCALB%3E2.0.CO%3B2-3
Martin, Carol. “Trinidad Carnival Glossary.” TDR (1988-), Vol. 42, No.3, Trinidad and Tobago Carnival. (Autumn, 1998), pp. 220-235. http://links.jstor.org/sici?sici=1054-2043%28199823%2942%3A3%3C220%3ATCG%3E2.0.CO%3B2-H