On Wednesday afternoon Dominicans converged in Bataca in the Kalinago Territory for the final event of the Carnival season called tewey vaval, or simply vaval.
A box containing an effigy of Carnival, which everyone called vaval, was paraded through the streets in a mock funeral procession. This was accompanied by singing, dancing and the playing of la peau kabwit drums.
In the evening the box was burnt symbolizing the end of Carnival for the year.
Photos by Izanahjones.com
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that is y we Dominicans will never move forword. everything is about devil this and devil that. this is our culture u non belivers are not invited. Do u hear any carib talking about wet fete and wck or kkk no, because this is what makes us unique. ur local bands ur cultures. You move to the US and they have running the bulls, and all sorts of stuff we as dominicans take part but when it comes to something in ur own country all we do is complain…………am not a fan of wet fet i dont attend, not a fan of queen show i dont attend, so what! do u hear any complains nor do i critize. so if u dont like nor believe in val val thats u again. no one is forcing u to come…..
all the hypocrits.. this is not demonic..this is our culture. because u cant understand it dont mean it is bad nor evil..it just symbolizes that its time for the lent season all the barcanal is over dead and gone..the people who say that there were not raised like that and they were raised in church, let me ask u do u guys follow all the rules of the church. the main one marriage befor sex..ah..all u to hypocrit.. if all u cant say something good, dont comment.
@ Kalingo
Carnival was over on Tuesday night. Why did you not have your type of celebration on Tuesday night? Why Wednesday night?
Since when is it your culture? What you are insinuating is that you are not a carnival lover and detest it. The Caribs were never Christians. They are primitive people who worship the sun and the likes which is why they had this type of celebration. Other Dominicans should never have participated for Wednesday was Ash Wednesday, the beginning of Lent.
So is Africans lol you sound sooooo stupid all race started in Africa…. Lol Caribs are primitive you sound like a donkey half of Dominicans are mixed with Carib some don’t want to admit that they are because of ignorant people like yourself
boi…look sewo i miss….kalinago all the way boi….yh man…to the world
@Roseau…..even if I kinda agree with you a bit. So during carnival we hang out in our butt panty, drink de worst rum,get drunk gyrate on men’s coconuts and do other stuff, giving de trinis competition, and den give GOD Lent, not even fully. such hypocrites we know we love de sewo garbage lol
We will defintely perish
Dominicans are just too negative sometimes. They have to complain about every and anything. The same people that complaining need to pick up the trash in their backyard. go ahead clean up.
Both R.E tv and TEMPO were at the event, however neither Marpin nor SAT was there.
Shame how local events are not covered or promoted by local media!!
Big up to the foreigners who were present!!
Devil Worship, Oh My God . God help DOMINICA.
OMG!!! Dominicans this has nothing to do with demons!!! You all are so quick to label things evil because of your TAUGHT BELIEFS. Vaval is the burying of the spirit of frivolity & vulgarity to open a pathway for cleansing and rebirth of good deeds. It’s more of a cultural journey. Read up on the IBO people and stop with this out right ignorance.
You all worried about a campfire? since when? why have we become so hypochrite? you all never attended bon fires? Live and let live. Fire is a very special symbol to many native indian tribes.. let me stop I’m beating dead wood!They can’t speak nor understand patois but they know spanish and korean, they don’t eat local foods but they are blowing up on kfc, Dominicans are so weak minded for the most part is disheartening!
Yeah right why bury something this year and revive the next year? I don’t get it!
CARNIVAL DIE EVERY YEAR……….U GET IT NOW…ITS A SYMBOL OF ENDING CARNIVAL….
Kalinago to the world!!!!
This looks scary, and dont tell me its our culture!
“big” u are the carib na.
EVERY ONE IS FREE TO DO WHAT EVER THEY WANT TO DO BUT I MUST LET THE PUBLIC KNOW THAT VAVAL DO NOT HAVE ANY THING TO DO WITH DOMINICA’S CULTURE .
VAVAL IS PART OF THE FRENCH ;MARTINIQUE AND GUADELOUPE CULTURE…
LET THEM MOVE ON WITH IT AS LONG AS THEY A PRUDENT WITH THE FIRE BECAUSE THE USE OF FIRE CAN BE VERY DANGEROUS ….
So where o you think our culture comes from? It is a mixture of French, British, Kalinago and African slaves.
You sure you want to say that, or you meant it has been more widely practised in the French islands and in recent times embraced by Dominica. Maybe you need a refreshers course in AFRICAN CULTURE and the IBO people.
i see this person needs to go back to his or her history books..
Its good that some of our culture is still practiced in some areas of DA. Good show!
In other countries they burn a make up doll on a cross and end of carnival burn it at midnight…
My, My oh My. I miss that crap!!!! My Old Buddy Bert. Always the High Priest. Don’t waste the Rum.
Interesting… all my years living in Dominica and now I learning about that wth
u maybe was living under ground
Very interesting!! Kalinago forever!!
that looks soooo demonic. I neva knew carnival had all that zafet. thank God my parents never let me be apart of that nonsense. Now I know why. Looks like a sacrifice was made to the devil. No wonder de country getting worse. My God, I in shock!
don’t be silly. Ignorance is not a good look on anyone
your parents maybe were afraid to let u out because u will frighten people with your demonic looks.
simply blessed that was such a childish comment. How old are you? you oppose my comment but you’re simply blessed? Blessed by who? Cannot be the same God I worship since you oppose my comment.
please forgive me but ever since a little boy, i never saw the ‘sense’ in teway vaval… if you look at it closer… it seem more like the elder carib indians were actually trying to bury our culture… so by burying vaval.. their spirits would rid dominica of the carnival spirit celebrated by slaves… hhhmmmmmm
THEY were here first!!! REMEMBER????
Do you know how carival came about? Liberation of black slaves, they were so happy, they took to the streets with their pots and spoons,and sticks or what ever they could find dressed in their rags to celebrate their freedom. Just a reminder.
These are wonderful pictures. This ceremony should be given more promotion and should be considered a significant part of the Carnival as it’s unique to Dominica and is a good attraction for visitors. It is not about reassigning the date for carnival but rather about good planning and promotion. Dominica’s carnival is unique and should remain as such.
THEY were here first!!! REMEMBER????
I’m sorry… this was meant for the post above yours.
Dominica is so rich with culture..i am proud to be DOMINICAN….I LOVE MY COUNTRY
YES!!!
i love that. kalinago country,gwada,french guyana and madinina on the same vaval level.good.now if they change the carnival date,there will be no vaval,no ash wednesday??trinidad, bresil, gwada and madinina will boost up.europeans love comming down here for some sun at this winter season.
it is me or that just looking like some kind of voodoo worship
Remember just because our ancestors where not christians doesn’t mean they were devil worshippers. It was a religion forced unto them by Europeans. To me it looks like a mix of carib, african and european culture and religion. Maybe Marpin or Sat with the assistance of Lennox Honychurch can to a program that can educate us on these traditions – their meanings and how the came about. It’s amazing how little we were taught at school about Dominican history and culture.
Indeed anonymous. He has done so already. Check it out here: http://www.lennoxhonychurch.com/article.cfm?id=445
no it’s not just you, i thought the same thing when i saw it
I hope its not only vaval Yo tewey but they also bury the rum,the drugs, sewo,the skimpy butt hanging out fit,the end of crime as we know it. We had our fair share now lets give God his in this period of Lent lets serve God willingly or else we perish. Take heed my people.