How do British people celebrate Carnival?

Nottinghill Carnival is the largest carnival in Europe and the second largest street celebration in the world after Rio de Janeiro Carnival in Brazil. Carnival was held for the first time in 1964 and received a good response. Since then, it has been held every year in Notting Hill block in the northwest corner of London, and it has been the 42nd session.

the custom of carnival originates from Caribbean Culture. In 196s, the British held Notting Hill Carnival to reconcile the racial pressure faced by blacks and promote the communication between black and white people. This tradition has become an international grand gathering for people from all over the world to exchange and vent with each other through music and dance. This year, the theme of Carnival is "Unity and Diversity". Britain, which is in the "post-bombing period", is eager to tell the world that British citizens are United as one and are also enthusiastic and tolerant of various cultures. In order to ensure that "everyone has a share in the carnival", the organizer also specially arranged a "Caribbean Customs Exhibition" in Hyde Park, not far from Notting Hill block, for elegant people who can't stand the crazy atmosphere. Those who feel suffocated in the carnival can have a rest in the sunshine and lawn of Hyde Park and soak in the fragrance of the Caribbean.

This year's Notting Hill Carnival was lucky to encounter the rare continuous fine weather in foggy city. From August 28th to 29th, the celebration lasted for two days and two nights, and the dancers left Notting Hill reluctantly and exhausted until 3am on the 3th. According to the BBC, a total of 75, people attended the event.

Say "No" to Terror

This carnival is the first large-scale public activity in London after the terrorist bombings in July, and the safety issue naturally takes the first place. The London police mobilized * * * 5, policemen to ensure the safety and smoothness of the event! Almost where you can hear the carnival music, you can see groups of police patrolling around with a serious look. Their work has also produced good results! The London police said on the BBC radio: "It is very encouraging to see so many people taking to the streets and celebrating freely. This proves that Londoners have not been intimidated by terrorist attacks, and the colorful life of Londoners continues, and our enthusiasm is increasing. "

Looking for people in the carnival

Blacks-the protagonists of the carnival

Blacks are the protagonists of the carnival. They play every role in the carnival: black policemen, black volunteers, black dancers, black tourists and black vendors. Because carnival is a black festival! In the carnival, you won't see a shy black man, and you won't see a black man standing in a daze (except the black policeman). Every black man is dancing, laughing and shouting. Black people lead the process of dressing up, and all the DJs are black, which endows the carnival with vitality and passion!

police-serious citizens

on the day of the carnival, if you don't know the exact address of the event, then take a closer look at where there are surprisingly many police officers, and it must be the carnival area. According to the BBC, London dispatched 5, policemen for this event! Looking around, there is more than one policeman scanning the crowd with a serious look in every corner. They are the only people in the whole carnival who can't laugh and dance. But if you ask them or ask for help, they will answer you with a big smile, and if you take pictures of them, they will also cooperate with each other to show their mighty appearance. At several intersections outside the carnival block, patrolmen guarding horses were also put. They stopped at the intersection like statues, smiled at every child who came to touch the horse, and cooperated with the flash of tourists.

Foreigners-the new army of carnival

For tourists from all over the world, London is often the first stop to visit Britain, and Notting Hill Carnival is the second largest carnival in the world, and no one will miss it. DJ rapped: "... I see white people, I see black people, I see yellow people, and red people ... Ah, yes, let's all dance! Don't worry, don't be nervous, let's all dance! " Walking in the crowd, my ears are full of all kinds of languages. Foreign tourists often take pictures of various brands of cameras first, and then dance with them. Among them, there are some yellow people, but few, and they belong to a relatively quiet crowd. Perhaps it is because of different cultures that it is difficult to blend into the carnival atmosphere. I remember listening to a friend describe the annual fireworks festival in Tokyo, Japan: people entered the stadium in an orderly manner, and the beautiful fireworks took off, only to hear faint praise, but there was no high applause. After the activity, everyone left silently, without crowding, shoving and leaving a little garbage on the ground! This kind of oriental culture is really different from the culture that is covered with chocolate sauce to dance around.

Treasure Hunting in Carnival

Whistle-a tool to answer all calls

On the day of Carnival, if you catch a whistle of a few cents in the domestic wholesale market and sell it, you will definitely make a lot of money. Whistling is the best way to echo loud music. Almost everyone has a whistle around their neck. The peddler kept peddling among the crowd. Except for a few blocks where free whistles are sent to tourists, hawkers whistle for 1 pound each, which is equivalent to RMB 14 yuan! Like a treasure hunt, children are looking for whistles that people have dropped on the ground. As soon as they see them, they immediately rush to pick them up and take them for themselves.

roast chicken-a "must eat" in the festival

roast chicken leg is the most popular food in carnival. There are many stalls of roasted chicken legs on every street within the scope of the carnival, and almost every tourist will not miss this delicious food. Although it is no different from the roast chicken leg in China, it has become a "must-eat" in the festival because it symbolizes the iconic food of carnival Caribbean culture! The "Notes for Carnival" on the official website specifically points out: "Please remember to bring a paper towel so that you can wipe it after eating the roast chicken leg." The roast chicken leg costs about 3 pounds, equivalent to RMB 43 yuan, which is a Caribbean-style food.

beer-an important role in carnival

British bar culture is world-famous. Football hooligans are also famous for going crazy after drinking. Beer also plays an important role in carnival activities! The bar moved a mountain of beer outside the store to make it easier for tourists to buy it. The supermarket not far from the carnival block put beer in the most conspicuous place, and sent employees to hold small signs in the street to attract tourists' attention. The small signs read, for example, "TESCO is open, and there are a lot of preferential beers!" Wait for the slogan. The price of carnival beer is around 2 pounds, equivalent to RMB 3 yuan. Residents in the neighborhood are not to be outdone. They move boxes of cold beer from their homes and sell them on the roadside. Because it is cheap and convenient, the sales volume is also very good.