Karnaval 2015!!!

Every year, right after the anaversery of our big earthquake in 2010, Jacmel enters its Karnaval season. Generally Jacmel has street parties every weekend lasting anywhere from 6-9 weeks! The first few Sundays we (Jacmelians) kick off the season with one of my favorite parts of Karnaval called Laset Kod. I'm not sure why where the tradition started but I have heard people say that it has to do with Haitian's overcoming slavery. A mixture of charcoal, sugar cane syrup, and sugarcane "moonshine" is mixed in to a sticky sweet smelling goo. This is then applied ALL OVER. Groups from different zones take to the streets dancing, singin, drumming and playing long trumpet type horns. This years was the first time that our kids asked to participate in this fun sticky mess. Some friends and family joined us as our kids took to streets dancing until the final destination.....the ocean. This is where everyone jumps in to the water and rinses of the sticky black goo. Every year we wait for this tradintion to start and it was even more fun this year seeing the kids all dirty and running around like little sticky syrop monsters!