It may only be mid-February but the party season is well underway in Uruguay where the stunning spectacle of the annual Llamadas parade has brought the streets of the capital Montevideo to life in an explosion of colour and revealing outfits.
With drums pounding, men wearing elaborate makeup and women dressed wonderfully dramatic costumes, the Llamadas parade is the climax of the Montevideo Carnival - the annual party that has brought joy to city's poorest neighbourhoods for decades.
The carnival is a tribute to the millions of African slaves who were brought to Uruguay between the 17th and 19th centuries, and has been an opportunity for their ancestors to celebrate Afro-Uruguayan culture since the first parade in 1865.
Vibrant: With drums pounding, men wearing elaborate makeup and women dressed dramatic costumes, the Llamadas parade is the climax of the Montevideo Carnival
Party: The carnival is a tribute to the millions of African slaves who were brought to Uruguay between the 17th and 19th centuries, and has been an opportunity for their ancestors to celebrate Afro-Uruguayan culture since the first parade in 1865
Joy: Women wearing elaborate makeup and dramatic costumes are a common sight at the Llamadas parade - the climax of the annual Montevideo Carnival
Colour: It may be mid-February but the party season is well underway in Uruguay where the stunning spectacle of the annual Llamadas parade has brought the streets of the capital Montevideo to life
Although the first organised carnival was in 1865, smaller spontaneous celebrations have been taking place in Montevideo since the first African slaves were brought to the city and its surrounding areas in 1750.
Although the slaves were from all over Africa and belonged to different ethnic groups with very different cultures, they were united both by the hardships of their new lives in South America and by the fact they were not allowed to express their previous identity.
In fact slaves caught practicing African religions or singing African songs were dealt with particularly harshly by their slave masters, who felt nostalgia for their previous lives would stop the slaves working as hard as they possibly could in their new world.
Drums: Although the first organised carnival was in 1865, smaller spontaneous celebrations have been taking place in Montevideo since the first African slaves were brought to the city and its surrounding areas in 1750
Roots: Although the modern celebrations attract many white participants, the roots of the festival in the African slave communities have not been lost
Elaborate: Although the first organised carnival was in 1865, smaller spontaneous celebrations have been taking place in Montevideo since the first African slaves were brought to the city and its surrounding areas in 1750
However, even before the abolition of slavery, certain masters would allow their slaves to throw a huge party in which the music and culture of their lives in Africa could be celebrated for a few days before returning to their work.
The celebrations caught on and, once slavery was abolished, continued to grow in the poorest areas of Montevideo, such as Sur and Palermo, where many of the former slaves had settled.
The name Llamadas translates as 'the calls' and derives from the way former slaves and their relatives would communicate the beginning of the carnival.
The modern incarnation of the Montevideo Carnival, which welcomes people from all over the city to take part, began in 1956.
Expression: Although the slaves were from all over Africa and belonged to different ethnic groups with very different cultures, they were united both by the hardships of their new lives in South America and by the fact they were not allowed to express their previous identity
However, even before the abolition of slavery, certain masters would allow their slaves to throw a huge party in which the music and culture of their lives in Africa could be celebrated for a few days before returning to their work
History: The name Llamadas translates as 'the calls' and derives from the way former slaves and their relatives would communicate the beginning of the carnival. The modern incarnation of the Montevideo Carnival, which welcomes people from all over the city to take part, began in 1956
Although the celebrations in present day Montevideo attract huge numbers of white participants, the roots of the festival in the African slave communities is not lost - and, despite the outward expressions of joy and happiness, many of the elaborate costumes and makeup designs subtly express stories from the days where black people had little or no freedom in Uruguay.
In fact many of the white men taking part in the parade wear black face paint and traditional African clothing as a kind of apology for the way black people were once treated in Uruguay and to show that in the modern world, all those taking part in the carnival are equal.
Party: The carnival is a tribute to the millions of African slaves who were brought to Uruguay between the 17th and 19th centuries, and has been an opportunity for their ancestors to celebrate Afro-Uruguayan culture since the first parade in 1865Joy: Women wearing elaborate makeup and dramatic costumes are a common sight at the Llamadas parade - the climax of the annual Montevideo CarnivalColour: It may be mid-February but the party season is well underway in Uruguay where the stunning spectacle of the annual Llamadas parade has brought the streets of the capital Montevideo to lifeAlthough the first organised carnival was in 1865, smaller spontaneous celebrations have been taking place in Montevideo since the first African slaves were brought to the city and its surrounding areas in 1750.
Although the slaves were from all over Africa and belonged to different ethnic groups with very different cultures, they were united both by the hardships of their new lives in South America and by the fact they were not allowed to express their previous identity.
In fact slaves caught practicing African religions or singing African songs were dealt with particularly harshly by their slave masters, who felt nostalgia for their previous lives would stop the slaves working as hard as they possibly could in their new world.
Drums: Although the first organised carnival was in 1865, smaller spontaneous celebrations have been taking place in Montevideo since the first African slaves were brought to the city and its surrounding areas in 1750
Roots: Although the modern celebrations attract many white participants, the roots of the festival in the African slave communities have not been lost
Elaborate: Although the first organised carnival was in 1865, smaller spontaneous celebrations have been taking place in Montevideo since the first African slaves were brought to the city and its surrounding areas in 1750
However, even before the abolition of slavery, certain masters would allow their slaves to throw a huge party in which the music and culture of their lives in Africa could be celebrated for a few days before returning to their work.
The celebrations caught on and, once slavery was abolished, continued to grow in the poorest areas of Montevideo, such as Sur and Palermo, where many of the former slaves had settled.
The name Llamadas translates as 'the calls' and derives from the way former slaves and their relatives would communicate the beginning of the carnival.
The modern incarnation of the Montevideo Carnival, which welcomes people from all over the city to take part, began in 1956.
Expression: Although the slaves were from all over Africa and belonged to different ethnic groups with very different cultures, they were united both by the hardships of their new lives in South America and by the fact they were not allowed to express their previous identity
However, even before the abolition of slavery, certain masters would allow their slaves to throw a huge party in which the music and culture of their lives in Africa could be celebrated for a few days before returning to their work
History: The name Llamadas translates as 'the calls' and derives from the way former slaves and their relatives would communicate the beginning of the carnival. The modern incarnation of the Montevideo Carnival, which welcomes people from all over the city to take part, began in 1956
Although the celebrations in present day Montevideo attract huge numbers of white participants, the roots of the festival in the African slave communities is not lost - and, despite the outward expressions of joy and happiness, many of the elaborate costumes and makeup designs subtly express stories from the days where black people had little or no freedom in Uruguay.
In fact many of the white men taking part in the parade wear black face paint and traditional African clothing as a kind of apology for the way black people were once treated in Uruguay and to show that in the modern world, all those taking part in the carnival are equal.
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