Afan Festival in Grand Style

AFAN FESTIVAL 2014 IN A GRAND STYLE, THE EMERGENCE OF CARNIVAL
BY
TACHIO MARKUS
PREAMBLE
Afan festival is a house hold name in the whole of southern Kaduna and beyond. This festival brings together in unity the people of not only Kagoro but the whole of Southern Kaduna. There is no other festival or gathering in the whole of Southern Kaduna or even Kaduna state that pulls crowd from all walks of life to a united front than the Afan Festival. This call for the need to rejuvenate the festival and build it to higher grounds, to new innovations, to another level, to a new grand style: the introduction of the carnival into the Afan Festival.
HISTORY OF CARNIVAL
The Lenten period of the Liturgical year Church calendar, being the six weeks directly before Easter, was marked by fasting and other pious or penitential practices. Traditionally during Lent, no parties or other celebrations were held, and people refrained from eating rich foods, such as meat, dairy, fats and sugar. The forty days of Lent, recalling the Gospel accounts of the forty days that Jesus spent in the wilderness, serve to mark an annual time of turning. In the days before Lent, all rich food and drink had to be disposed of. The consumption of this, in a giant party that involved the whole community, is thought to be the origin of Carnival.
While it forms an integral part of the Christian calendar, particularly in Catholic regions, some carnival traditions may date back to pre-Christian times. The ancient Roman festivals of Saturnalia and Bacchanalia may possibly have been absorbed into the Italian Carnival. The Saturnalia, in turn, may be based on the Greek Dionysia and Oriental festivals. While medieval pageants and festivals such as Corpus Christi were church-sanctioned celebrations, carnival was also a manifestation of medieval folk culture. Many local carnival customs are based on local pre-Christian rituals, for example the elaborate rites involving masked figures in the Swabian-Alemannic carnival.

Riderless Racers at Rome by Théodore Géricault. From the mid-15th century until 1882, spring carnival in Rome closed with a horse race. Fifteen to 20 riderless horses, originally imported from the Barbary Coast of North Africa, ran the length of the Via del Corso, a long, straight city street, in about 2½ minutes.
Some of the best-known traditions, including carnival parades and masquerade ball masquerading, were first recorded in medieval Italy. The carnival of Venice was for a long time the most famous carnival. From Italy, carnival traditions spread to the Catholic nations of Spain, Portugal, and France. From France, they spread to the Rhineland of Germany, and to New France in North America. From Spain and Portugal, they spread with Catholic colonization to the Caribbean and Latin America. In 1823 the first worldwide carnival parade took place in Cologne, Germany.
Other areas have developed their own traditions. In the United Kingdom, West Indian immigrants brought with them the traditions of Caribbean Carnival, however the Carnivals now celebrated at Notting Hill, London; Leeds, Yorkshire, and other places have become divorced from their cycle in the religious year, becoming purely secular events, that take place in the summer months.
The origin of the name "Carnival" is disputed, between those that argue a link with the Italian word "carne" (meat), and those that argue a link with the word "carrus" (car). The link with carne would suggest an origin within Christianity, while the link with carro with earlier religions.
CARNIVALS IN AFRICA
CALABAR INTERNATIONAL CARNIVAL
The 2012 edition of one of Africa's biggest street carnivals, the Calabar International Carnival, lived up to expectations as it attracted more foreign tourists who visited Calabar for the carnival. It is gradually matching up to the standard big carnivals like the Nottinghill Carnival in the UK and the Rio Carnival in Brazil has set.

Brazilian Samba performed on the stage right before the performance of TRINADAD AND TOBAGO who used drums and acoustics to play many local tunes.

2012 CALABAR INTERNATIONA CARNIVAL is great fun filled event that truly worth all the troubles and roads closed to allow the processions of the entertainers. The carnival was started by Donald Duke, governor of the state between 1999-2007.
Cape Verde Islands
Carnival was introduced to the Cape Verde Islands by the Portuguese who settled there bringing along Catholic festivities and traditions to the uninhabited islands. The pre-Lenten celebration is considered one of most colorful carnivals of Africa and is celebrated in each of the 9 inhabited islands of the archipelago. The carnival of Mindelo, in the island of Sao Vicente is considered the most animated, where a number of groups challenge each other for the yearly prize. The carnival of Cape Verde, especially of Mindelo, have witnessed in recent years considerable influences from Brazilian carnival traditions. The celebration in the neighboring island of Sao Nicolau is considered the most traditional, where incumbent groups celebrate the festival through the narrow colonial streets of Ribeira Brava, culminating in the picturesque town square. The Carnival of Sao Nicolau has also suffered interference from Brazilian Carnival, especially with the drums and floats.

CARNIVALS IN OTHER PARTS OF THE WORLD.
Indonesia
On Saturday evening 25 June 2011, the main street of Solo in Central Java turned into a massive runway as the 4th edition of Solo Batik Carnival was staged before enthusiastic spectators. Presenting "The Amazing Legend" as its main theme, the Carnival left thousands thrilled as the parade passed by showing a large variety of the most extravagant batik fashions.
India
In India, Carnival is celebrated on a grand scale in the state of Goa, where it is known as 'Intruz' (from the Portuguese word Entrudo, an alternative name for Carnival), and the largest celebration takes place in the city of Panaji. The Carnival is unique to Goa in India, and was introduced by the Portuguese who ruled over Goa for over four centuries. However, because Dubrovnik-Goa trade predates the Portuguese era (Melik Jesa Dubrovcanin, came to India in 1480 and became viceroy of Gujarat).

Belgium
Many parts of Belgium celebrate Carnival, typically with costume parades, partying and fireworks. These areas include Heist, Binche, Aalst, Eupen, Malmedy and Kelmis.
The Carnival of Binche has a history dating back at least to the 14th century. Parades are held over the three days before Lent; the most important participants are the Gilles, who go out in traditional costumes on Shrove Tuesday and throw blood oranges to the crowd.

Croatia

Carla del Ponte as witch at the Rijeka Carnival
The most famous Croatian Carnival (Croatian: "karneval", also called "maškare") is the Rijeka Carnival, during which the mayor of Rijeka hands over the keys to the city to the Carnival master ("meštar od karnevala") and the spirit of the Carnival takes over completely. The festival includes several different events, culminating on the final Sunday in a masked procession including participants from many different countries. (A similar procession for children takes place on the previous day.)
England
In England, the season immediately before Lent was called Shrovetide. It was a time for confessing sins (shriving) with fewer festivities than the Continental Carnivals. Today, Shrove Tuesday is celebrated as Pancake Day, but little else of the Lent-related Shrovetide survived the 16th-century English Reformation. Possibly the only Shrovetide Carnival in the United Kingdom is celebrated in Cowes and East Cowes on the Isle of Wight; it is the first Carnival on the island's long and busy calendar. The largest Carnival in England is Notting Hill Carnival which does not derive from Lent and is celebrated in late August. It is derived from Caribbean tradition and is a cultural transplant.
Hungary

The Busójárás in Hungary
In Mohács, Hungary, the Busójárás is a celebration held at the end of the Carnival season, and involves locals dressing up in woolly costumes, with scary masks and noise-makers. They perform a burial ritual to symbolize the end of winter and spike doughnuts on weapons to symbolize the defeat of Ottomans.

France
The three major Carnivals of mainland France are the Nice Carnival, the Dunkirk Carnival and the Paris Carnival. The Nice Carnival was held as far back as 1294, and is still held annually, attracting over a million visitors yearly during the two weeks preceding Lent. The Paris Carnival occurs after the Feast of Fools and dates back to the 16th century or earlier, although it was not held between 1952 and 1957. The Dunkirk Carnival is among the greatest and most exuberant carnivals celebrated in Europe. Its traditions dates back to the 17th century and are based on the ‘vischerbende’ as fishermen went from one café to another accompanied by their relatives and friends just before the departure to the Iceland fishing grounds. In French West Indies, it is between the Sunday of Epiphany and Ash Wednesday, this dates back to the arrival of French colonists in the islands.

THE EMERGENCE OF CARNIVAL IN AFAN FESTIVAL 2014
With the overview of carnivals in the world it is pertinent at this juncture to mention that it is not too late to introduce the carnival style in the next Afan National Festival come January 1st, 2014. Though it might be an additional cost, it is better to give a trial than never starting. Carnivals could also be designed in such a way that it will portray the culture of the people of Kagoro. This calls for further in-depth study of the real culture of the ancient Kagoro folks. And modernizing it to suit the present generation; making it so captivating, attractive, interesting, and palatable for the eyes. Care has to be taken not to present a seductive, nude and display of vital seductive parts of the body. This may arouse sexual urge for passersby and spectators during the festival.
For instance, during the 2012 Calabar international Carnival, it was mentioned that three million condoms were to be distributed during the festival. The reason is not far-fetched; most of the participants (particularly ladies) were nude.
SPONSORSHIP
Afan festival has gone national and even international; the mode of sponsorship as it used to be was collections from a levy fixed on all Kagoro indigenes at home and in diaspora, contributions from well meaning Kagoro indigenes and political office holders, and government contribution that is nothing to write home about. Since Afan has grown to a national/international level, these levies might not be sufficient to cover the cost of hosting Afan Festival, and that the contributions and levies from these peasant farmers can never be sufficient enough to cover an international festival like Afan Festival. This calls for and/or seeking other means of sourcing funds to meet the annual growing cost of Afan National Festival.
Sponsoring the carnivals might be so exorbitant considering the attires and costumes used, comparing other festivals and carnivals. But, in most cases corporate organizations and multinational companies come in aid by way of sponsoring these carnivals in those states; and in some instances state governments have to increase their contribution to sponsoring and provision of costumes.
Approaching these multinationals involves a lot of bureaucracy, conviction (being able to convince them of at least some turn over, or marketing their product) and a lot of time and patience. But once it is established it becomes a normal routine annually. Kagoro sons and daughters that have links and connections on how to approach these multinationals could be approached, even those who are well placed in government both nationally and internationally.

CARNIVAL AND NUDITY
From the history of carnivals, it began from the church, but it has gradually crept into the society, and the society has given it the kind of meaning they wanted to give it. What do you expect from the society? The meaning has been abused, misused and relegated to the background. This informs the reason why in 2012 Calabar carnival, three million condoms was shared free to people. Everybody understands the meaning of that; it was the display of nudity that necessitates this very action.
Care has to be taken, in vetting the kinds, style and design of attires to be used in the introduction of carnival during the Afan Festival 2014 and subsequently. The idea of carnival in Afan should be a welcome idea, considering the manner in which the youths are misusing the festival and making a mock of it, and making it look as if there are no other cultures to portray other than exhibiting these forms of public disgrace. The introduction of carnival will further showcase a calm clean and serene environment during the festival, which will further reduce the menace of caricature displayed publicly (particularly by some youths and women).
A modernized form of carnival can be introduce and it must be strictly maintain for as long as possible, otherwise we might find ourselves in other forms of carnivals that nudity is practice and acceptable.
COMPARISM OF SOME PICTURES OF CARNIVALS AND FESTIVALS IN NIGERIA
Let’s compare pictures of carnivals and other festivals in Nigeria. Carnivals like the Calabar carnivals, Abuja carnivals etc. and festivals like Durbar horse riding in the far North, the Argungu Fishing Festival in Sokoto state, the Eyo festival in Lagos state, and other festivals in cross rivers state and other south-south states in Nigeria.

RECOMMENDATIONS
There is no doubt that everybody wants a new and a good thing. The people of Kagoro want a new thing as well, southern Kaduna wants a new thing. I recommend the introduction of Carnival into Afan Festival, but extra care has to be taken, and adequate control measures put in place to avoid mutilating the carnival system. I suggest that a sub-committee be constituted under the Afan Festival committees of the KDA (or the cultural committee) that will oversee the preparations of introduction of carnival into Afan Festival come January 1st, 2014.
If KDA should adapt carnival, we might have a problem with the venue we are using currently for the Afan Festival. In the alternative, we find a bigger and better venue for the festival.
All districts should be represented in a grand style, in their distinct style, colours, attires and costumes different from each district. And to add flavour to the whole event, let each district (or two district per day) present their traditional display for the day, all in preparation for the grand finale (sort of) on 1st, January. Any district that does not have anything to present, should not count it as a failure.
We might not all start at once, it’s a gradual thing, is not too late.
If we start preparations now before October 2014, we would have gone many steps far.
We might face hitches in preparations, but this should not deter us a good thing always goes through a lot of pains.
We have artifacts and antiquities cottage industries like basket making, wood and metal carving, and a host of them in Kagoro; we have to tap all these to also showcase these things during the Afan Festival.
In addition, and as a matter of concern, I suggest we find a place and make it a museum to showcase all our historical artifacts; we should not let all these ancestral antiquities to fade away without preserving them for the future generation. It is our duty to protect the rich Kagoro culture and traditions at all cost, for the generation unborn, if we don’t posterity is trailing on us.

CONCLUSION
All said is not done yet, we have a duty to make Afan Festival a world class festival, and I know we can do it. No one will do that for us; in fact other tribes in Southern Kaduna are jealous of this God given initiative of Afan Festival which unites the people of not only Kagoro but the whole of Southern Kaduna. We have the duty of protecting it at all cost no matter what it will take. Change is difficult to accept, innovation is rejuvenation. We are being envied by other tribes. Kagoro is another Jerusalem in this part of the world.