Jerome R. Mintz - Carnival Song and Society

Carnival Song and Society has an independent but complimentary relationship with a documentary film, Carnaval de Pueblo (Town Carnival), which I photographed in Benalup depicting the carnival of 1982. I believe that the two forms, book and film, prove to be a good match. Film has dramatic and evocative powers; a book allows expanded discussion and detailed descriptive analysis.

This work also has close ties with an earlier publication, The Anarchists of Casas Viejas. That book concerned the development of the anarchist movement in the town of Casas Viejas (which later took the name Benalup de Sidonia). An anarchist uprising there in 1933 had far reaching tragic consequences. The earlier work examined social and political affairs from 1914 until the Spanish Civil War. Since the two books and the film share a common research base, it is necessary for me to express once again my appreciation for the support of the foundations and granting agencies already acknowledged in the earlier works. In addition, I thank the Program for Cultural Cooperation between Spains Ministry of Culture and United States Universities, and Indiana University.

The remarkable range of poetry and song included here is a tribute to the rich Andalusian creativity I am grateful to the people in the cities and towns of the province of Cdiz, particularly Cdiz the capital, Benalup, Trebujena, Ubrique, and San Jose de Malcocinado, for their artistic and intellectual contributions. Alberto Ramos Santana, in person and through his works, generously extended help and hospitality. I am grateful to Diego Caro Cancela for his aid. Special thanks are due to Manolo Lago Barbern, Jess Maez Moya, and Carmen Garca Garca of Benalup; Manuel Moreno Riobo and Maria Lpez Liboreiro of Cdiz; and Antonio Olivero Gmez and Juan Antonio Cordero Moyano of Trebujena, all of whom generously provided a variety of texts and useful information. Many others who were helpful, poets and participants, are cited in the text. Ann Bristow of the Indiana University Library has my gratitude for her assistance. I thank Michael Herzfeld for his good counsel.

The translations of the carnival songs were completed by Juan A. Surez, Elena Frabroschi, and Enrique Torner Montoya. The usual difficulties of translation were exacerbated by idiosyncracies of the Andaluz dialect and at times by composers efforts to maintain the measure of their verses. There are omitted syllables and letters (p is the common abbreviation of para; contao = contado; maro = marido; t = toda) as well as omitted words. There are also localisms, unusual variations, enigmatic nicknames, double-entendres, and an extraordinary range of sexual euphemisms.

Much of the material concerning women is the product of the interviews and insights of my wife, Betty We shared in the fieldwork as well as in the realization of this book.

. The film (or video) can be rented or purchased from Documentary Educational Resources; 101 Morse Street; Watertown, MA 02172 USA. Telephone: (617) 926-0491. It can also be rented from Instructional Support Services; Indiana University; Bloomington, IN 47405-5901. Telephone 001(800) 552-8620. The other films in the series are cited when they are related to specific circumstances. The other titles are: Romeria, Day of the Virgin; Pepes Family; The Shoemaker; The Shepherds Family; and Perico the bowlmaker.

. Jerome R. Mintz, The Anarchists of Casas Viejas (Bloomington, Ind.: Indiana University Press, 1994 [19821), [Spanish edition: Los Anarquistas de Casas Viejas (Cdiz: Diputacin de Cdiz, 1994)].