Mardi Gras in Bold Barranquilla
“The very soul of the Barranquillero: irreverent, joyful, and dressed in pure freedom.”
- Famous local saying about the Marimonda - Barranquilla, Colombia
“Fat Tuesday” is for the bold! And hanging out with the Marimonda in Barranquilla is a unique, not to be missed experience - celebrating spirit, satire, and of course … fashion!
The port city of Barranquilla hosts the second largest Carnaval in the world. It also happens to be the birthplace of global music superstar, Shakira. Still, I had no interest in leaving the charm of Cartagena’s Old Town during my late winter break. But when I was told that the theme of the festival would be a “Parade of Flowers” I was shakin’ my hips toward the nearest bus stop and bookin’ a one way ticket north.
Once my partner and I boarded the bus, we figured we’d been scammed as there were no empty seats. But it’s true that fortune favors the bold. Our driver pointed shotgun and we joined him up front. There was no seat, however, on this local bus, and we had to assume a squat position for the entirety of the bumpy ride. What we lacked in comfortable seating, we made up for in good humor, impromptu pilates, and an unobstructed view of Colombia’s countryside.
Over two hours later - my core burning, the bus spit us out into steamy Barranquilla. We were just in time to catch a gorgeous rooftop sunset.
The festival started the next morning after coffee. Music is central to Colombian culture, and we followed the fusion of African, indigenous and Spanish rhythms to find the parade. The tunes ranged from coastal dance-oriented cumbia and vallenato to the string-heavy joropo of the plains.
The dance was exhilarating as were the costumes.
Every float was adorned with the promised flowers I love so much,
And as you’d expect, the parade even featured a Flower Queen and King!
But one the most memorable parts of this Carnaval experience, for me, came in the form of fashion and social inspiration.
What I’m talking about is the seemingly absurd, yet poignant, Marimonda costume.
A symbol of satire and social protest, the costume was originally created by the working-class barranquillero as a funny jab at upper-class snobs, corrupt bureaucrats, and pretentious politicians.
The costume features a phallic nose, elephant ears and sack-like eyes. The Marimondas were “dancing” (skipping and jumping) down the parade route with their fun-loving attitude all day long. As a fashion designer, I couldn’t help notice their outlandish outfits - Oversized ties and pants, jackets and pockets turned inside-out. Not to mention their mismatched bright and bold prints. Marimondas represent what good fashion always should be - Unforgettable!
Their intentional, vulgar, and light-hearted humor mock authority in a safe way that has made the Marimonda a beloved symbol. And it is one of the most iconic and traditional characters of Carnaval de Barranquilla.
As our evening drew to an end, I caught up with my new friends and checked their pulse. Despite a long day of revelry, they were beating with the healthy spirit of Mammando Gallo - taking the mickey out of everything!
