The Carrousel of Nations has launched in grand fashion, featuring a record 42 villages this year across Windsor and Essex County. The festival, a celebration of multiculturalism, kicked off with vibrant displays of food, dance, and culture.
Brazilian Village Debuts with Food and Dance
Brazil brought its most famous cultural exports to its first village at the Carrousel of Nations Saturday: food and dancing. At the downtown Amherstburg location, long lineups formed for pastel, a deep-fried dough with sweet filling, and coxinha, a fried seasoned chicken drumstick. Dani Freitas, originally from Sao Paulo and now an event organizer in the Windsor area, noted the popularity of the food and music. "We are friendly, we like to celebrate, we like to bring people to our culture to get to know us," Freitas said.
The celebration is especially lively during a soccer World Cup year. Brazil, a five-time World Cup champion currently ranked sixth globally, is participating in the tournament. "For us, the World Cup is very important," said Freitas. "We start from January and until the end of the year. We celebrate all the time. We just paint the streets. We decorate all of them with flags." She added that when Brazil plays, the country essentially takes time off to watch, with employees making up the time later. The village featured a giant television screen showing the Brazil vs. Morocco game, which ended in a 1-1 draw.
Jenny Ingratta of Art of the Dance Studio in Windsor led a dance demonstration, inviting attendees to try the famous samba. The Brazilian Village will reopen June 19-21.
Cameroon Village Also Makes First Appearance
The Cameroon Village debuted this year at 85 Wyandotte St. West. Joseph Fotso, one of the organizers, said visitors will experience Cameroonian food and learn about the country's remarkable diversity. Cameroon, a Central African nation bilingual in French and English, has a population of nearly 31 million and over 250 ethnic groups. The local Cameroonian community numbers about 300. "We call it African miniature because it's got a little bit of everything from Africa," Fotso explained. "It's got all the ecosystems, it's got all the animals from all those different countries in Africa." Visitors can taste Cameroonian cuisine and view cultural crafts like pagnes, colorful dresses for special events. The Cameroon Village runs again on June 20 and 21.
Record Participation and New Villages
The Carrousel of Nations features a record 42 villages this year, including first-time villages representing Afghanistan, Belgium, Cambodia, Iraq, and Romania. For more information, visit carrouselofnations.com.
